On The Project

This site is a musical project aimed at reservation of Gypsy musical traditions. Our art has been an important part of Russian culture for more than two centuries. Our songs and dances have been of great interest for peasants as well as for noblemen. Aristocrats, writers, poets and composers were fascinated by Gypsy concerts. Our bands have been welcomed at international festivals. Unfortunately, nowadays Gypsy folklore is in great danger. Pop-culture and ultramodern fashion expansion damage national identity. That was the reason that made us open our archives for the audience. On our site you can come across thousands of unique photos of artistes as well as nomad Gypsies. You’ll learn more on history of folk and concert dress, listen to old songs and see a rear chronicle. Some photo-sessions and videos were made specially for “Svenko” project. Our site was created with the help of historians, ethnographs and linguists. We also publish our works. Our motto is “ahead into the past”.

We believe that our nation is famous for its folklore, not the wish to follow modern tendencies in music. In Spain Gypsy “identity card” is flamenco, in Russia it is songs and dances of nomad Gypsies which are especially popular. Some say we are “wild”, but we understand that people fall in love with our art due to it’s spirit of freedom. Initially it was the art of poor but proud people. It was Esmeralda’s role that made Gina Lollobrigida so famous.

When a Gypsy girl ascends to a stage wearing her bright exotic skirts and gold earrings our imagination tells us that she has made a long way barefoot through dusty roads. The sun has bronzed her skin and wind played with her long black hair. And every moment she was ready to stop to tall fortune, sing or dance.

And now she’ll dance for you…

As long as Gypsy bands held to that image they were extremely popular. But when they abandoned nomadic style for fashion and snobbism, Gypsy performance got into a crisis.

Our project is an attempt to come back to the roots. It`s up to you to decide if it is successful…

Pyotr Yanyshev, Lera Yanysheva