The "Mr. BNTU 2026" competition has already passed the casting stage and is racing full speed toward the finals. The participants aren't just rehearsing – they're living their lives. They've already competed in Mafia, built empires in Monopoly, trained their bodies in the gym, and explored themselves with a psychologist. More surprises await, as we begin our introduction to those vying for the title.
The first to answer our questions was Alexey Dudarenok, a student from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering – a guy who views even a creative competition as an engineering challenge and calls the ability to break down complex problems into simple steps his greatest superpower.
– Name three words that best describe you.
– Energy, independence, and success.
From the first minutes of our conversation, it's clear these aren't just words – he truly energizes and seems accustomed to relying only on himself. Alexey's ideal morning is far from the image of a "lark": waking up at noon, getting breakfast in bed, and taking his time. "Enjoy life," he noted.
When it comes to stealing time, the participant recalls walks with friends – moments when the hours fly by. But he also has a more unexpected source of inspiration, stemming from his childhood: "Building a construction set without instructions. Back then, it was a game, now it's a working principle: creating something new from disparate parts." He has transferred this principle to his life philosophy.
– Complexity is a multitude of small 'simplicity' things that scare most people, – is how Lesha formulated one of the main truths he discovered himself.
However, even the most independent people have that one small joy that can lift their spirits on a bad day. For our hero, it's his mother's words: "I love you, you can handle anything." He says them without embarrassment, emphasizing that the support from home is unfailing.
Alexey cited his loss in the final of an important volleyball tournament as the turning point. His team lost by just two goals in the deciding set. It seemed like months of training had been wasted, but that defeat became a turning point:
– After analyzing the game, I realized we lost not physically, but psychologically – we lost concentration when victory was almost within our grasp. This taught me not to celebrate prematurely and to keep a cool head until the final whistle. Now I know that a loss is simply a detailed report on what we need to work on tomorrow.
Alongside such lessons, the most valuable advice he received from his first coach resonates naturally: "Don't try to grasp the impossible. Break a big task into small steps and take each one with full dedication." Lesha follows this rule to this day.
His ambitious goal, unrelated to the title of "Mr. BNTU," is truly planetary in scope – to see the world in its entirety. Not just checking off a list of countries, but experiencing them: spending the night in a yurt in the Mongolian steppe, getting lost in the alleys of a Moroccan medina, standing on the edge of a cliff in Patagonia, and traveling by train across Eurasia. Such descriptions evoke a spirit of adventure – and it once again reminds us that this is a man accustomed to piecing together his reality from the most vivid details.
Now comes the most interesting part – preparing for the competition. How will he fit everything in between classes and labs? Alexey approached the problem with engineering ingenuity: breaks between classes turned into a chain of microcycles, each producing a specific result – adjusting the sound, practicing a movement fragment, coordinating a costume.
– So what's more difficult: five tickets a night or putting on a routine where you need to coordinate lighting, sound, and costumes?
– It's more difficult to put on a routine. It's an exam you take in front of a live audience, with no retakes, no notes, and a full complement of external risks, – Alexey replied.
He talks about his "highlight" with a sly smile and asks not to reveal all his cards for now. Let's just lift the veil: at the climax of the routine, he'll be thrown into the air, and he'll perform something that will leave the audience breathless. No props – just a ball, his hands, and a sense of balance. It promises to be one of those performances that will make the audience stand up.
– What would be a true victory for you, even if someone else wins the crown?
– If the audience gives me a standing ovation, I’ll immediately know I’ve become a true ‘Mr. BNTU.’ A standing ovation can’t be faked. It’s the decision of every person in the audience. And if they stand up, it means I’ve touched something important within them.
We thank Alexey for the interview and wish him the same confidence in the final as he did in a volleyball match—with a cool head and a warm heart. This guy knows how to combine his “little simple moments” into a great show. And we can’t wait to see it on stage.
