A symbol of resilience and the season’s trend: Natalia Virtuozova explained why the roly-poly doll won people’s hearts
One of the key symbols of the New Year celebrations at the National Centre RUSSIA has become the roly-poly doll (nevalyashka). In an interview for the programme "Good Morning. Saturday" on Channel One, Director General of the National Centre RUSSIA Natalia Virtuozova noted that the dolls had first appeared at the RUSSIA EXPO, at the exposition of the Tambov region.
"We saw it – and fell in love. Why? Because the roly-poly doll is a symbol of resilience. Whatever happens, it always returns to an upright position. It is steady, lively, and kind. Look at this face, at this smile – there is something childlike in it, something joyful, kind and open. That is what captivated us. When we began thinking about the New Year symbol at the National Centre, everyone remembered the roly-poly doll," said Natalia Virtuozova.
Futuristic roly-poly dolls wearing ushanka hats now greet guests at the western entrance to the National Centre RUSSIA, and they decorate the indoor spaces as well. Visitors can also find roly-poly dolls at the Department Store RUSSIA, where they are presented not only in the classic form but also in modern interpretations.
"We invited various manufacturers to explore the image of the roly-poly doll. Interestingly, no matter how many new faces we tried to create, nothing worked until we returned to the classic design produced at the same factory using the original drawing. As soon as we used it, the image came to life. One of the manufacturers from Krasnoyarsk, for example, proposed a roly-poly doll made of natural fur that can be used to decorate a bag. There are also very small models – these are now the most popular in our Department Store. People choose them to decorate Christmas trees, as gifts or simply as accessories for bags. Right now, our New Year Department Store is experiencing a real boom in roly-poly dolls of all kinds," noted Natalia Virtuozova.
The Director General of the National Centre RUSSIA also outlined the New Year cultural and entertainment programme at the venue. Ahead of the main family holiday, a new exposition titled "Book of Fairy Tales" will open on 13 December.
"This will be more than an exposition – it will be a journey. Every guest will follow the path from the beginning of the fairy tale to the happy ending. This structure is based on the work of Vladimir Propp – a well-known Russian scholar and folklorist. He wrote that a fairy tale always follows a strict narrative: from chaos it moves along a precise path towards order. And a fairy tale always features a defined set of characters – good and evil – who go through a series of trials," said Natalia Virtuozova.
She added that eight regions of the country are taking part in the exposition – the Ryazan, Kaliningrad and Vologda regions, the Komi Republic, the Republics of Karelia and Mordovia, the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area and the Stavropol region – which brings together diverse national folklore characters and allows guests to explore the traditions and cultures of Russia’s peoples. At the same time, the exposition is interactive, enabling visitors to fully immerse themselves in the fairy tale world.
Natalia Virtuozova also mentioned that every weekend the National Centre RUSSIA hosts the performances "Winter Wizards", where children meet New Year characters from different regions of Russia, and that beginning on 28 December the multi-genre production "Morozko" will be staged.
""Morozko" is a multi-genre and very unusual production. Our heroine Nastenka will embark on an extraordinary journey, meeting a wide variety of characters – including the roly-poly doll. The performance is about happiness, kindness and wonder. Artists from the Bolshoi Theatre take part in the production. It is a new interpretation of a classic story," said Natalia Virtuozova.
Speaking about the regional branches of the National Centre RUSSIA, she recalled that in September the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, opened the first branch of the National Centre RUSSIA in the Primorye region. In December 2025, two major openings are planned – venues in the Krasnoyarsk region and the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area – Yugra.
The full version of Natalia Virtuozova’s interview for Channel One is available via the link.
