azure_mischief | Entries tagged with zeliboba the dvorovoi

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Summary:
"And where did YOU come from, Zeliboba?" the children from the Playground once asked.
And I wonder just as much where, was it another dimension, galaxy, or some other unexplored space, where your soul had been resting before it was summoned to our world.

Characters: Zeliboba the Dvorovoi and me ^_^

Side note: Like most of my fics about and for Zeliboba, this one is part my dialogue with him (parts written in italic), part my own thoughts about him (parts written in plain font).
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"And where did you come from, Zeliboba?" the children from the Playground once asked.

And I wonder just as much where, was it another dimension, galaxy, or some other unexplored space, where your soul had been resting before it was summoned to our world.

Maybe in there your body used to be slender, with a tail and a bright orange patch on your belly – the way I like – and got rebuilt almost from the very beginning in that world.

Maybe it wasn’t. You were still searching for your form, and that's why you weren't what you were yet. Just a stream of pure magic, without a name, or a face.

In here and in there you are just as delicate living creature, and that's what matters the most.

What gave birth to you – or the source of your self – was tender and loving. It allowed you to dive in the sky, play with the clouds, soak in the warmth of the sun, and then – cling to the ground, have golden arms and legs (that would keep you grounded – remember, as the artist that helped creating you said) and – because fur alone is not enough – to get a fluffy coat with a long trail and sleeves. To show you are able to love so much that you strive beyond yourself.

...you'd probably answer the kids from the neighborhood: “See for yourselves and decide who and what I look like, and then I'll tell you”. And then do as you wish: tell the whole story, and it will light a spark of discovery in their eyes; or, if you think that story is too delicate for the earth – keep it within yourself forever, to enjoy its life in a pleasant solitude and feel your heart respond to the source: I’m here, I’m here.
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It took me 12 years to pluck up courage and finally write directly to the person who designed the Muppet characters for the Russian “Sesame”, as well as many more international versions of the show. But it turned out to be worth it. The wonderful Ed Christie reveals some facts about Zeliboba - unknown to even longtime “Sesame” fans like me! - this time.

Julia K., yours truly: Hello Mr. Christie! First off, I’d love to thank you (and Ms. Moyes, post mortem) for bringing Kubik, Businka and especially Zeliboba to life. To be brief: I love this Dvorovoi, and now am going around social media thanking everyone who worked on him. I was lucky enough to interview Zeli’s senior performer Stanislav Klimushkin back in 2018 and would like to ask you a couple questions on how Zeli’s overall look and character were created.

Ed Christie: Hello Julia! I would be happy to speak to you about Zeli.

JK: First thing first: character concept! It’s an honor (not even “kinda”, a real honor) that, out of all international versions, only our “Sesame” got a spirit as a main character. Was the idea about it yours, or offered by Vladimir Grammatikov’s team?

EC: I would like to take credit for Zeli being a spirit. Specifically a Spirit of the Forest. But I don’t think the Russian production team will agree. They may insist that it was their idea.

I remember in our discussions that the Russian team wanted something very different than what we had provided other international productions. So the Dvorovoi was the way to go because it is such an abstract concept. It was really fun to make variations of a spirit because no one would be able to say, “Oh… that’s not what a spirit looks like…”. It was very open-ended, conceptually.

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Personal photos of the Zeli doll by: Julia K., “Azure-Mischief”
Zeliboba doll made by: Maria Kerch

Summary: ...you'd been missing me, Zeli.

I’d so let all this clear summer sky, along with its swallows, winds and clouds, beneath your pelt: the birds chirp as they fly, as if they really touch someone’s raw nerves, and their chirps, each one, are sweet impulses the touched nerves respond with. Swallows in your blood. Maybe they already are in you and I only now managed to guess it.

I'll show your entire self to you entirely, just give me time: who ever told you just how handsome you are.
No one. Had. Ever. Kissed you. In the muzzle. Like that.
Between your eyes. On your lips. Nuzzling against your blue whiskers.

Let’s pretend, says the dvorovoi, that the summer had been sleeping inside me all this time — I’d been sheltering and warming it, there was enough room for it and still is, check it yourself if you want to. Then he gently runs through my hair with his hand, like the summer wind: go ahead, lay your head on the fluffy warm fur.

Okay, I agree. There’s a small glk heard under his fur, like from a pebble thrown into a river; and here is the river itself, probably warmed by the sun; and here comes the wind: his breath, raising waves, rocking to sleep.

I remember the time you got teased with a cookbook, and I was just dying – from either sympathy, or tenderness and pride for you. My beloved spirit boy, just standing there, not even able to get his eye off the pages (in fact beautiful and rich), and only gulping hungrily. And I’m only loving you more, and even seem to see these thin sticky “strings" of drool in the corners of your mouth — and love even them, Lord, what's wrong with me, what are you doing to me, Zeliboba.

You’re creating me.
Creating from the very beginning, and re-creating all over.
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Summary:
A short drabble about Zeli and me - kind of messy and pretty tangled one, because ran purely on love to him and the amount of pure serotonin that an image of his belly suddenly being part sentient gave me. But if you get it, you get it.
Feel free to skip if you aren’t into belly noises. If you are? Welcome~

Characters: Zeliboba the Dvorovoi and me ^_^
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…with just his eyes, he says yes to me, and lifts up his blue fur coat.
…and I just can’t take my eyes off this golden, squishy, taut, warm and fluffy globe, free of it at last.

Why Zeliboba even had to be that shy and not breathe normally, with his belly, for that long; I love him so much, love this and love when he eats that much.

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Summary: Musings from a day I heart Zeliboba's heart beating for the very first time.

Characters: Zeliboba the Dvorovoi and me ^_^

Side note: Like most of my fics about and for Zeliboba, this one is part my dialogue with him, part my own thoughts about him.
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When your love is a creature of an unknown origin (back then I didn't know yet that you were a Dvorovoi), you will often wonder who exactly he is and how he's built.

The guesses come from anywhere — after one of the shopping trips (back when the first Sesame Muppets just started appearing in our toy shops), a casual glance at the new toothpaste was enough for me to see:

"Blue sparkling gel... Blue blood...
That's what Zeliboba must be filled with...

And the sparkles... The sparkles must be his magic.”

Perhaps it is true, after all, you are a magical being.
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In August 2018 I’ve managed to contact none other but a puppeteer, a voice actor and an advertiser Stanislav “Stas” Klimushkin himself. As well as got to know his point of view and the story of how “Ulitsa Sezam”’s most known character, Zeliboba the Dvorovoi (spirit of the playground), had been brought to life. Although Stas works only as a voice actor and an advertiser at the moment, he shared a lot of warm memories from his days in the Russian “Sesame”.

Julia K., yours truly: In your CV on the voice actors portal you mentioned that you got a part in Russian “Sesame Street" thanks to an accidental casting. How many more people were on the casting besides you? What exactly got you interested in the opportunity to cooperate with “Sesame”?

Stanislav Klimushkin: In 1993, having graduated from the Gnessinka (Gnessin State Musical College - J. K.), I, along with other students, was taken to MOGTYZ – Moscow regional theatre of the young spectator. Three years later, having played their whole repertoire, I started to feel that I was reaching my professional “ceiling”… Until one day, when one of the actors rushed in our dressing room, shouting, “Guys, there are Americans casting actors for a new TV project!” So I thought, that could be it.

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Azure Mischief

"Let Zeli guide you to success and happiness."

Entries tagged with zeliboba the dvorovoi

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Words to Zeliboba: You're a Gift

A ZELIcious talk: My interview with Ed Christie

Words to Zeliboba: Like Earth Longing for Rain

I Lava You

Words to Zeliboba: Your Heart

Making Spirits Bright: Fan interview with Zeliboba’s senior performer Stanislav Klimushkin