Slavic Coffeehouse, Maslenitsa, and Balalaika Ensemble

The Russian department invites the Grinnell community to our annual Slavic Coffeehouse at 5:30–7 p.m. Saturday, February 21, in Joe Rosenfield ’25 Center Room 101.

A wide variety of sweet and savory Slavic foods prepared by Russian department faculty and students will be available for a nominal cost. Proceeds benefit activities in Russian House, a college-owned student residence where students studying the language are immersed in the language, culture, and customs of Russia.

This year we are pleased to welcome back to campus the fully costumed Luther College Balalaika Ensemble. The faculty-led student group performs Russian and East European music on traditional instruments. The ensemble features instruments of the balalaika and domra families, as well as accordion, percussion, and vocal. Founded by Luther College Russian Professor Dr. L. Iudin-Nelson in 1992, the ensemble has played over 150 performances in schools, community centers, and concert halls throughout the Midwest.

The Russian department and Russian House will also celebrate Maslenitsa in conjunction with Slavic Coffeehouse this year. Maslenitsa, a traditional Russian Orthodox holiday, marks the end of winter and the beginning of Lent — Russia’s version of Mardi Gras. People eat bliny (Russian crepes, or pancakes) which represent the sun, and burn a chuchelo (scarecrow), a symbol of winter. This year we will burn the scarecrow outside of Rosenfield Center Room 101 immediately after the coffeehouse and the balalaika concert.

Apart from the purchase of food, this event is free and open to the public, and is co-sponsored by the Russian Department, the Russian, Central, and East European Studies Concentration, the Center for International Studies, and the Department of Music.

Grinnell welcomes and encourages the participation of people with disabilities. The Rosenfield Center and Room 101 are fully accessible. You can request accommodations from the event sponsor or Conference Operations.