Ballet Crêpe for Maslenitsa
Author: Marina Kochetova
And so Maslenitsa has arrived—with its vivid rituals, cheerful pranks, and mountains of crêpes… This year it comes early. In old Rus’, this holiday was long associated with nature awakening from its winter sleep. And butter in Rus’ was considered a symbol of prosperity. Through their rituals, the Slavs called for a rich harvest and, as it were, “buttered up” spring. The return of the sun is celebrated loudly, joyfully, and for a long time. Throughout the week people bake crêpes—little suns—so they can treat themselves and share with friends.
The culmination of the celebration is Forgiveness Sunday (this year it falls on February 22). On the last day, on the eve of Great Lent, tradition says you should finish everything left on the праздничный table, обязательно go to the bathhouse, and ask one another for forgiveness. That’s how it was in Rus’. In Belarus and Ukraine, people also see winter off. In Moldova, however, they call it not a farewell to winter but a greeting to spring. The essence is the same.
But what about ballet artists? Are crêpes allowed for ballerinas? Or does the strict diet of ballet dancers forbid flour even during Maslenitsa?
The fact that many ballet people follow a strict diet is not a myth. Much depends on body type and work schedule. Some ballerinas—those not naturally склонны to gain weight—don’t diet at all; they eat quite calorie-rich foods and still keep the necessary shape. With a good metabolism and a sensible approach to nutrition, even “top-league” ballerinas can always allow themselves to eat what they want and when they want. Naturally, there is also another category of dancers—those with a naturally broad or heavy bone structure. And some have a hereditary tendency toward полноте. Those are the ones who sit on the strictest diets, despite heavy physical нагрузки, and cannot allow themselves anything flour-based at all, even on Maslenitsa!
In ballet terminology there is an unusual term: the “ballet crêpe.” What kind of element is it? If you have been to ballet performances, you may have noticed a ballerina spinning on two feet (in motion) diagonally, in a circle, or in a straight line, performed with a little hop. Visually, this spinning resembles wrapping a crêpe. Officially, it is called the “ballet crêpe.”
Just as people used to drink tea in the old days—some “with a bite,” others “with a look”—it turns out that crêpes, figuratively speaking, can be enjoyed in different ways too…
I bake crêpes very rarely. But when I do, as I wrap the filling, I always think about ballet. Ballerinas bake crêpes too. So we can safely say: unlike everyone else, ballet artists know how to make crêpes with both their hands and their feet!
Wishing you a delicious Maslenitsa!