Information: Hennie Konings, teacher of Russian dance.

Hennie is the son of a Russian mother and a Dutch father. He grew up with Russian music and dance.

On the balalaika as a ten year old he accompanied his mother's songs. As a teenager he discovered his love for Russian dance.

In 1968, he graduated at the Rotterdam Dance Academy as a dancer and a dance teacher. Within the framework of the cultural agreement between The Netherlands and the former Soviet Union he received a scholarship to continue his dance study in Moscow. He took dance classes with Tatyana Ustinova and Olga Zolotova at the folk dance school of the "Piatnitsky Folk Chorus," and he went through a training period with the Beryozka dance ensemble.

Between 1969 and 1987 he undertook several study trips to Russia where he learned many of the Russian dance styles, both dancing for stage as well as the living folklore of the Russian villages.

In 1986 he ended his career as a performing dancer and since then he has dedicated himself to the teaching of Russian folk dance. He became an internationally leading Russian dance pedagogue.

He regularly teaches Russian folk dances in many countries in Europe, the Unites States, and Asia, and he lectures about Russian folkloristic dance and its development. The paticipants in his courses are both amateur and professional dancers as well as dance teachers.

Through the years Hennie has produced many choreographic works for folklore ensembles. Most of all he has made choreographic adaptions for recreational dance practice.

Hennie has compiled a series of CDs with Russian dances from his repertoire. These CDs have been released on the Dutch Syncoop label.

Dances Hennie has taught include A Ya Po Lugu, Archangelski Khorovod, Archangelskiye Tshastushki, Babochka Motorochka, Barinya, Belogorodskaya Matanya, Bil ya Rano Bil ya Pozdno, Byelolitsa Krugololitsa, Devochka Nadya, Dorozhka, Dubravushka, Garamon, Gdovskaya Kadril, Gusachok, Hai Zelenenky, Igolka, Ikhali Kozachen'ky, Kak po Logu, Kak po Reshenkye, Kak povadilas Paranya, Kak pri Balkye, Kak u Nashikh u Vorot, Kak za Lugom, Kaluschkiye Perebory, Karachanka, Kasimowskiye Tshastushky, Katya, Krasnaya Devitsa, Kerevichky, Koklomskiye Loshkary, Korobushka, Koroshenki Molodyenky, Korzinochka, Krakovyak, Krasnaya Dyevitsa, Kruzhevnitsy, Lapty, Lugovon'ka, Mamunyushka Branila, Moy Mushenyka, Na Gorye to Kalina, Na Okoschkye dva Tswetoshka, Na Yegorya, Nochka, Nochka Tyomna, Obshaya Kadril, Oy Kumushki Golobushky, Oy s Wetskora s Polunotshy, Oy Tsvetyot Kalina, Oy Vo Polye Travushka, Pavushka, Petyelka, Pineshki Khorovod, Pivna Yagoda, Po Ulitse Mostovoy, Pobeleli s Toi Nedyely Vsye Sady, Podgornaya, Podrushky, Posadila Rozu, Poseyely Dyevky Lyon, Posiyala Baba, Poydyom Miliy, Pryalitsa, Prokhodka, Rastsvetayut dva Tsvetoshka, Raz Vechor Moya Milaya, Rechenka, Ryabina Ryabinushka, Roza Bielarozavaya, Ruskaua Krugovaya Kadril, Ruskaya Lineynaya Kadril, Sainka Poplyashy, Shili Dyewushki Kovyor, Shkatulka, Schtoy to Svon, Semlyanishka-Yagodka, Sewernaya Kadril, Sewerni Chorowod, Sewerniye Chodiustschy, Sibirskaya Matanya, Sibiryashki Dyevochky, Soroneschkaya Matanya, Stenka, Svetit Mesyats, Tambowskaya Plyaskokvaja, Techot Rechka, Ti Vospoi und Ulitsa Schirokaya, Timonya, Topor y Rukavitsa, Trava Moja Trava, Trepak, Tri Sewerniye Chorovody, Tsepochka, Tscherevitshki, U Guryewich Vorot, U Rekee, Uralskaya Ryabinushka, Usch ti Babotschka, V Chorowodje, Varenka, Tetry Veterochky, Trava Moya Trava, Veseni Khorovod, Vesyolaya Kadril, Veysya Veysya Kaputska, Vo Gorenkye vo Novoy, Vo Luziakh, Voronezhkaya Kadril, Voronezhkaya Matanya, Ya da Kalinushku Lomala, Weseni Chorowod, Weselucha, Wo Lusyach, Wjerni Nasch Kolodjets, Wjetri Wyetjerotshky, Wnis po Moryu, Wologodskiye Kruscheva, Wolshkaya Kadril, Woroneschkaya Kadril, Wosmyorka, Ya Po Travushke Shla, Ya Kroila Rubaschku, Zadorniye Chastushky, Zhinka, Zimushka, and Zolotaya Tsepocha.