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Orange Mood
Танцпол · 27.07.2004
By Леонид Климановский
Summer holidays in Crimea have one definite advantage. Can't guess what it is? Of course, it's KaZantip.
This year this amazing phenomenon of our lives is drawing the attention of everyone who cares about modern dance music - and of people who simply love a seaside holiday - for the 12th time already.
So what exactly is KaZantip?
This seemingly simple question is given an endless number of answers on the site www.kazantipa.net - the main information channel of the young republic.
First of all, let's not confuse it with the almost identically named cape - Kazantip - located on the Azov coast not far from Kerch. In fact, that's where it all began...
First of all, let's not confuse it with the almost identically named cape - Kazantip - located on the Azov coast not far from Kerch. In fact, that's where it all began...
It all started when, back in the far-off year of 1984, the permanent preZident of the young republic Nikita Marshunok set off with a friend on a summer trip in search of a good spot for a surfing holiday. A little pondering over a map of Crimea led him to the Azov coast, to the town of Shchelkino, where the natural and climatic conditions are astonishing and the wind rose is unique.
Year after year this place lured daring surfers, its fame spread, and the number of enthusiasts grew exponentially. The musical history of KaZantip, however, begins in 1993 with a disco that closed the first RFA (Russian Funboarding Association) Windsurfing Cup. Incidentally, windsurfing competitions kept being held at Cape Kazantip in Shchelkino, and the whole thing was called "Sporting Kazantip", revived in 2001. It bears a certain resemblance to the real "KaZantip" - musicians and DJs performed here too, but first and foremost it was a sporting event, as in ancient times. This year, however, it won't take place, as no organizers could be found. And in 1995 Nikita discovered an abandoned nuclear power plant in the vicinity and, for the first time, held a disco in the very heart of the unfinished reactor.
And then, in 2000, the Crimean authorities - forever pulling all sorts of nasty tricks - refused to allow the festival to be held. And so KaZantip (this is when the mysterious z-squiggle appeared in the name) set off on a great journey along the Crimean coast. Another reason for the move was that the surfer crowd didn't understand the festival's new direction - music had become the main idea.
In 2000 KaZantip found shelter near Sudak in the village of Veseloye. And a merry place ('veseloye') it truly was! We quote the republic's official press release: "The move was a complete success, proving that the Festival is not a place but an Idea, a Spirit that will find its audience, and that its audience will find everywhere. Thus was born the idea and ideology of the little Orange wandering "Republic of KaZantip", and its followers became the Great KaZantip people, led by the little preZident Nikita". Well - farewell, dancing at the nuclear plant!
And in 2001 the nomadic republic, once again driven on by the authorities of the Crimean autonomy and searching for a more convenient and deserted place for a month-long orange-musical madness, moved to the village of Popovka near Yevpatoria. The following year - the festival's tenth-anniversary year - it was visited by more than 70,000 people!
Today KaZantip awaits us at its usual place near the village of Popovka close to Yevpatoria, at the usual time - from July 20 to August 20.
So what, after all, is KaZantip '04?!
Natasha Z.Games will tell us about it - depending on when, what and for whom it's needed - Prime Minister, Minister of Orange Mood, Minister of Behind-the-Scenes Games, Minister of INTERNal Affairs and sometimes the Oppozition, in short, whoever's needed (kto nado).
What's new in store for us this year?
So, what's new with us? The main innovations can be considered: the exploration and development of the discovered deposits of Happiness ('Shchastye'); the introduction of a new state religion "FAITH in MIRACLES"; the presence of a GERMAN techno dancefloor, German promoters who this year are organizing the international dancefloor "Friendship of Nations", with a German pub and Thai cuisine; besides this, a large number of representatives of the European press are coming to us, French DJs and VJs - in short, the project really is becoming ever more international; the filming of the first techno-muZical in history, "COD-LIVER OIL" ("Rybiy Zhir"), as well as a number of documentaries - German television "German Television News" is taking part, and its film crew will come to shoot a film about the life and customs of the KaZantip people; the construction of a toilet-and-entertainment complex "SHIT-Palace" with 20 seats and 1,200 dancing places, fitted out with the latest word in plumbing (and, naturally, the introduction of free toilet visits - for EVERYONE) - which is, perhaps, the most significant innovation. What else? A new republican radio "THE INNER VOICE"; a new ANTHEM of KaZantip from this year's musical DISCOVERY - the Moscow electronic live band KOALA - "IMAGINE" (you can hear it on the site here); a new high-speed Internet; new 200-metre Untamed Flying Objects from the kite club "Snake's Lair"; a super-innovation - vegetarian cuisine from Jaganath; new idols, new DJs, new people, a little bit of the new-well-forgotten-old - the surfers, and in general everything except the location, the sea, the sun, the unchanging columns of Stonehenge and the Main Arena - everything is new.
It's hard to stop Natasha's enthusiastic account, and so we'll go on learning ever more new details of this stunning techno-summer straight from the most governmental-orange house there is.
It's hard to stop Natasha's enthusiastic account, and so we'll go on learning ever more new details of this stunning techno-summer straight from the most governmental-orange house there is.
What are the trends in the festival's musical line-up this year?
The trends are as follows: first - technical progress. Techno in all its diversity will dominate. But alongside this there's a trend toward musical variety - as always the drum'n'bass sector is powerfully represented - on Lena Popova's dancefloor "Piter Happiness" ('Piterskoe Shchastye'); fans of trance music won't be left disappointed either - Lyosha Transdriver will give them the necessary "IMPULSE"; and of course there'll be a place and a time for sunset lounge, electro, breaks and even a bit of r'n'b and punk-house. And the experimental stage "INSIDE" ('VNUTR') is open to all kinds of freestyle and symbiotic musical-visual performances. The next trend is growing internationality. One of the 8 dancefloors, with the touching name "FRIENDSHIP OF NATIONS", belongs to our German friends, who will introduce us to the latest achievements of euro-techno-culture. As a result of a serious expansion westward, besides the best Russian DJs, KaZantip will feature DJs from Germany, Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic and Austria, not to mention the countries of the near abroad. You could say a certain grand trend of internationality has appeared in the project, accompanied by the appearance on the main stage of world-famous headliners. Which ones? - let that be a little surprise. Well, what other trends? Democratic spirit and experimentation, the presence of electronic live acts, and in general - we strive for diversity. This year no fewer than 250-300 musicians!
What entertainment is on offer besides dancing?
Ooooh! Karaoke singing, billiards, goat bullfighting, and poetry evenings for the over-30s. - just kidding. In truth, what for you is entertainment is, for a nation of merry and suntanned idlers, everyday work. Well, this year, besides dancing, you'll be able to have fun / work at the Happiness deposits that were discovered on the territory of the Republic. You'll also be able to work on the film set as an actor or even a director, and build a star career - for from 21.07 to 21.08 the republic will host on-location shooting of the first techno-muZical in history, "Cod-Liver Oil". For fun, you'll be able to take part in the reality show "Cinema and the Germans" with the participation of German national television. You'll also be able to amuse yourself by taming UNTAMED FLYING OBJECTS - the kite club "Snake's Lair" will run instruction and demonstration flights. You'll also be able to amuse yourself by watching films on the one and only state television set every evening, and listening to the national loudspeaker radio "The Inner Voice", frequency 2004 FM in the 1000-metre band. What's more - you can amuse yourself by talking on it. In general, you'll even be able to have fun by going to the toilet - where a daily Erotic-Shower-show will take place and merry music will be playing throughout. Entertainment is also provided in the form of drink and food - Tatar and Krishnaite national gastronomic delights from local masters and the Moscow café "Jaganath". Besides this there are the traditional amusements in the form of celebrating national holidays, nightly comparisons of each sunset with the previous one, swimming and sunbathing, and, among the new ones - hunting the president in order to get his autograph and express to him a feeling of deep gratitude.
How many people organize KaZantip?
Actually, whatever the preZident may think, KaZantip owes its existence to a multitude of people. In the off-season 6-7 people of the creative team work on the project, from different cities and countries - we are an international project, after all - plus the bearers and spreaders of the Idea, ambassadors in various cities. In summer, though, a huge number of people work in the team, thanks to whom all of this comes about: from the viza department, the technical services, the bartenders and the security services, right down to the dear cleaning ladies thanks to whom the beach is so clean and beautiful, the electricians and our taxi drivers. All in all, the list of friends, partners and people who help us is enormous. Want me to show you, and you count them yourself? (There follows a long list of participants - for it, I refer you to the republic's main mouthpiece.)
How does one become a plenipotentiary ambassador of the republic?
In principle, nothing complicated. We have plenty of ambassadorial vacancies - a whole map of the world. In order to become an official Ambassador of the Republic of KaZantip, and to help bring about WORLD DOMINATION as soon as possible while simultaneously carrying out subversive activity within grey and monotonous reality - the candidate for ambassador has to pester us with his initiative to the point where we finally SEND him off (a pun: in Russian 'to send off' also means 'to appoint an ambassador'): - Off you go, Ambassador, get to work! And of course, besides initiative, one must have certain resources necessary for ambassadorial work, a detailed description of which you can find here.
What is currently the biggest difficulty in the preparations?
In my subjective view - our team is rather small for such a large-scale project, and where do you find so many reckless, brilliant and fanatically devoted people? There are few of them. There are almost none. And a certain difficulty is the mismatch between our creative and our financial capabilities. The project, by and large, is self-sustaining; the minimal financial involvement of small sponsors doesn't save the situation, but at least we feel fairly free and never look for anyone or talk anyone into anything. And we are brazenly and self-confidently convinced that soon we'll manage to grow to the level where people will come to us themselves and offer financial participation. The moods of the authorities of Crimea and Ukraine change from year to year, they are as changeable and capricious as women, but on the whole I think they've finally ACCEPTED us as a given, stopped fighting us as one fights the elements - it's pointless, after all - and are trying to get the maximum pleasure and profit out of it.
What documents and viZas do you need to visit republic Z?
An ordinary civil passport, which they'll check at (Ukrainian) customs, and into which you'll tuck a filled-in slip of paper, something like a transit visa... and that's it. The main thing is not to lose that piece of paper - on the way back, on leaving the country, it may prove very dear to you. Or rather - its absence will. And our viZas - pretty, plastic ones - are issued at the Republic's viZa department on arrival. As the preZident says, we won't lecture you on economics and explain that taxes and duties are the main component of any country's budget. If the Great and Fun-loving KaZantip People liked paying taxes, they'd long since be dancing on a marble dancefloor, listening to first-magnitude stars and staying in hotels. We don't require tax declarations, but we offer a simple and legal way to get onto the territory of the republic - buy a viZa. The viZa department is located on the border of the republic, to the right of the customs terminal. The procedure of obtaining a viZa will take you no more than one minute.
What's the accommodation situation like at KaZantip?
And once again I'll quote "you-know-who": "Popovka (the capital of the Republic) is a village of contrasts." There is accommodation there and there's enough of it to house everyone who wants it. Depending on the amount of your spare funds, the level of your everyday demands and your degree of pomp, you can live: in a tent on a garden-and-vegetable plot belonging to local homeowners, in a crowded room with a wonderful summer shower in the garden and a toilet right there too; in a twin semi-deluxe or a cottage with hot water and air conditioning, a view of the fields and of famous neighbours, or else rent an apartment for your exclusive use for the whole duration of your stay. The price range: $3-7-10-20 and more per day.
How is the safety of visitors ensured?
We have a whole Ministry of Defence headed by the highly experienced Minister of State Security Pyotr Kovboy ('Cowboy'), who doubles as the personal "safeguard" of the prime minister, who is, after all, a girl and needs tender protection. The Ministry of Defence protects the Republic from both external and internal dangers. As in any state, we have citizens who cause disturbances, as well as those who need to be protected from themselves, which is what the Ministry of Defence tenderly does. But by and large the KaZantipers are a very peace-loving nation, and KaZantip is an anti-militarist state. No arms race for you, nor any other military-political games. Our strategy is to achieve World Domination by peaceful means, and we possess a powerful secret weapon of peaceful mass influence and play other games.
For you, KaZantip is...
For me personally? KaZantip is: bad karma. Just kidding. Freedom, a break point, a scenario, courage, dreams come true, talent, love, such a little big world, searching and discovery, encounters, amazing coincidences, a game, growth, a way of life, work, a mania or a mission (whichever you like), creativity, beloved people, an experiment, overcoming obstacles, a lesson, something about which it's unclear: do I need it more, or does it need me?
The First Lady of republic Z?
Can't say - there's a high staff turnover in that post =)
What would have to happen for Nikita to say: "That's it, there won't be any KaZantip next year!"?
But that happens all the time! Every single year it's KAZANTIPA.NET. For 12 years now...
And what do people say about it?
People say all sorts of things. One thing's for sure - no one is indifferent on this question.
Dj Град:
My first time at Kazan (KaZantip) was in 1997, and what stuck with me most was how, in '97 or '98 (I don't remember exactly), at the opening I was standing on stage and thousands of hands, raised up, repeated the movements of my hands - goosebumps all over!!! It scares me to imagine there being no KaZantip; every year the Z organizers try to surprise everyone with something new, and that's good. And... the sunsets there are stunning!
Dj Лена Попова:
If the idea of holding a festival like this weren't to my taste - I wouldn't be there! There are many contentious points in how it's run, but even taking the negatives into account, there's nothing I look forward to during the year as eagerly as these 30 days. As for the differences between KaZantip and Sporting Kazantip - that whole topic isn't worth a hill of beans; I think that if everyone were together it would be better for everyone, I love them both, but in Popovka I bear responsibility for the Petersburg dancefloor, and since I'm first and foremost a DJ, a professional approach to the organization matters a lot to me - sound, light, and so on - but I'd gladly drag all my friends from the sporting scene over here, however much they dug in their heels. And it seems to me that it will happen anyway, even sooner - it's already happening. And that's wonderful! KaZantip has to be seen, you have to live it!
Dj Наташа Урман:
The first symptoms of Z-disease appeared in 1998 when, already working at radio "Stantsiya", I set off to gather material for my show. Since then, attempts not to go to KaZantip have, fortunately, ended in complete failure. And if I didn't like this idea, I'd go to Ibiza. A special delight (no joke) is the fence that separates us from the influence of unprepared people.
Dj Андрей Новак:
I first managed to get to KaZantip only in 2003. But it's never too late. Though, of course, it would have been better if I'd been able to do it much earlier.
In 2000 I spent a month side by side with the population of "Sporting Kazantip"... Now I steer clear of surfers, just as I steer clear of the fans of all other faiths.
In 2000 I spent a month side by side with the population of "Sporting Kazantip"... Now I steer clear of surfers, just as I steer clear of the fans of all other faiths.
Dj Кирилоff:
My first time at Kazan (KaZantip) was in 2001. I remember very well how, in 2002 during the opening, an almighty downpour came, and the whole crowd rushed all at once from the main dancefloor under the one and only large covered dancefloor - it was our dancefloor, the one belonging to the club "Gorod". That night we had a real full house, one you could only dream of, all the more so on opening night; from 2003 I remember 2 episodes: dj Fonar's 14-hour set at "Musson", during which people got such positive energy from the music, and not only from it, that it's very hard to put into words (you had to be right there at that moment).
It seems to me that this is a very good project, which really does get better year by year, and attracts more and more Russian and Ukrainian - and this year, foreign too - young people. If it were a phony project, it would hardly have lasted 12 years, right?!
It seems to me that this is a very good project, which really does get better year by year, and attracts more and more Russian and Ukrainian - and this year, foreign too - young people. If it were a phony project, it would hardly have lasted 12 years, right?!
Dj Данила:
I've never been to KaZantip, despite the fact that I've been DJing for quite a while! A whole host of aspects didn't suit me: accommodation, comfort, safety, the fee... (Although this year my good acquaintance DJ Kolya invited me to take part; as far as I know, he'll have his own parties.) At first the realization of this idea seemed to me strange and not quite interesting, but now it's become a cult event on the Russian dance scene, and I have great respect for the organizers of events like this, but, to be honest, I'm not burning with desire to take part in this event, since in Moscow too it'll be "hot"!
And in conclusion, here's how the visitors of the site www.44100.com answered the question
"Will you go to KaZantip?":
- yes, definitely - 22%
- maybe - 31%
- no way - 36%
- what's that? - 11%
Whatever people say and write, you can only understand and feel KaZantip for yourself. And however you spend this summer - spend it with joy and to your favourite rhythm!