Russian Center of San Francisco Youth Cultural Programs

Russian Center of San Francisco Youth Cultural Programs offers Character Dance Classes for Beginners that include dance and body placement, intricate rhythms, and folk dance steps. The youth programs also include reading and writing in English and Russian, mathematics, science, music, art, and gymnastics.

• Ages: 2–14 years old
• Schedule: Class options on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday/Saturday afternoons

The Russian Center of San Francisco was founded in 1939 and operates as a California 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and celebrating Russian heritage and culture through its library, museum, dance programs, children’s preschool, annual Slavic Festival, and community building events. The youth cultural programs are part of a broader organization that includes a Russian-English bilingual immersion preschool, children’s folk dance classes, the Museum of Russian Culture with a collection of archives, rare books, manuscripts, and photographs, and the Russian Heritage Library. The organization’s leadership includes a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, and multiple board members. The Character Dance Classes for Beginners are taught by an experienced and professional instructor, Olga Prokoshina, who graduated from the Ballet Academy of Belorussia and has taught and choreographed dancers for 15 years at the Russian Center. The Russian Center also hosts an annual Slavic Festival that welcomes thousands of SF Bay Area visitors for two days of performances, music, ethnic food and desserts, and artisan crafts, and it maintains a Russian-American Directory that serves as a hub of Russian-American organizations, businesses, and resources.

Last updated June 19, 2026.