The Great Ballet Thread

honghe · May 11, 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdoP3WZLlQ8
A lovely clip of Svetlana Lunkina and Dmitri Gudanov in Giselle
For some reason I can't fully explain, I have always had a soft spot for Gudanov.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO6v14IM2Z8
And I love Evgenia Obraztsova, too.

Abraxis12345 · May 12, 2016

There's a rumor Oksana Skorik, Vladimir Shklyarov, and Maria Shirikhina are leaving the Mariinsky at the end of the year and going to the Bavarian State Opera (Artistic director is Igor Zelensky, who is also the AD at the Stanislavsky). If true, this is certainly a big blow. The Mariinsky is not what it once was. Makhalina, Lopatkina, and Kolb are all getting up there in years and they've lost a bunch of talented Vaganova graduates to other companies. There is particularly a dearth of good male partners and Shklyarov was the best of the principal males.

MalAssada · May 12, 2016

My knowledge of ballet is zero, but I love what I see so far in this thread!

honghe · May 12, 2016

Abraxis12345 said:
There's a rumor Oksana Skorik, Vladimir Shklyarov, and Maria Shirikhina are leaving the Mariinsky at the end of the year and going to the Bavarian State Opera (Artistic director is Igor Zelensky, who is also the AD at the Stanislavsky). If true, this is certainly a big blow. The Mariinsky is not what it once was. Makhalina, Lopatkina, and Kolb are all getting up there in years and they've lost a bunch of talented Vaganova graduates to other companies. There is particularly a dearth of good male partners and Shklyarov was the best of the principal males.

I know this is not a rumor thread but I wonder, is there any particular reason why the Mariinsky sometimes loses their talented dancers? I know there are fans on YouTube who believe there have been problems in how the company is ran but I'm not sure how much truth there is in this.

Abraxis12345 · May 12, 2016

honghe said:
I know this is not a rumor thread but I wonder, is there any particular reason why the Mariinsky sometimes loses their talented dancers? I know there are fans on YouTube who believe there have been problems in how the company is ran but I'm not sure how much truth there is in this.

Money is one big reason. The second best theatre in the city, the Mikhailovsky, got a huge cash infusion and so was able to lure away talents from both the Bolshoi and Mariinsky, particularly Vasiliev and Sarafanov, and obviously you can make a lot more dancing in the west. Repertoire is another. Dancers get tired of just doing Swan Lake and the classics and want to try more modern stuff. Other companies seem to do a better job of balancing the repertoire of classics with newer stuff. And third is, as mentioned in the YouTube vids, career advancement and the whims of the ballet head. Olga Smirnova probably saw a better opportunity at the Bolshoi, so went there after graduation. Her classmate Kristina Shapran went to the Stanislavsky as a soloist and eventually came back to the Mariinsky as a soloist, while those older than her never got beyond a coryphee. Obraztsova is on the shorter side for a ballerina and was clearly never going to be made principal by a guy who favors tall and very thin ballerinas. Body type may also have doomed Zhiganshina, who put on some weight right around graduation time and thus was not given an offer that was as favorable as she would like.

As for the YouTube favorite Yulia Stepanova, the story is she won an award and got time off to attend the ceremony in Germany. Her husband, a member of the Mariinsky corps, wanted to go with her. Management wouldn't let him attend, but he went anyway and promptly got fired. Afterwards, Yulia quit right before the beginning of the season. This incident may be the sole catalyst for her departure or it may have been the final straw. Whatever the reason, she is getting good opportunities at the Bolshoi.

honghe · May 14, 2016

Thank you Abraxis12345 for the explanation! Wow it seems complicated. A friend is a huge fan of Alina Somova and I've heard him talk a lot about her. She obviously seems to do quite well at Mariinsky so I sometimes kind of forget about how difficult it is to rise in the ranks there (or any other major companies for that matter).

I remember Vasiliev left the Bolshoi with Natalia Osipova when they were still together?

Alexz · May 15, 2016

Since we talked about Joy Womack, let's put her on our radar and track her career development.

http://youtu.be/67HqSK2UhwY

Joy Womack talks to Dance Channel TV about cultural differences. Few interesting points about Balanchine vs Russian Imperial style.
http://youtu.be/Nsu3WPifgTM

The first American Bolshoi ballerina. Piece by CBS. Although she is not the first American at Bolshoi. Not even the second.

http://youtu.be/JcZ9QjJTK6g

My life in Russia: Joy Womack from California, USA. Language difficulties and cultural differences.
http://youtu.be/3MlvZzAfK9w

An American at the Bolshoi | The New York Times
http://youtu.be/ZCkQCMu4yPI

Joy Womack, 17 years old. Graduation video at Bolshoi Academy in Moscow?
http://youtu.be/DIBgTcE-83M

Victory Day In Kazan. Apparently she traveled to Kazan just a week ago.
http://youtu.be/-E-PmEm-rVI

She recently collaborated with Kazan ballet company. Finally we have her more or less full performance. Frontal, rehearsal. I gotta say she is not bad, her technique is good, although as many said already lacking the soul. A bit too mechanical to my taste. But she kinda grew on me.
http://youtu.be/JQy3ddnIcco

Some random day of her life in Moscow.
http://youtu.be/zzk4QS-8hcE

A Moscow Dancer's Day. Another random vlogging day.
http://youtu.be/Ygzr0qP2E3s

Alexz · May 15, 2016

There is a really good British dancer with Mariinsky now. Xander Parish.

British dancer Xander Parish on his historic Mariinsky Ballet role:
http://youtu.be/MunjnHVxXrA

First British dancer employed by Mariinsky Ballet
http://youtu.be/LZxzUsascHQ

Interviewed by Maria Sascha Khan
http://youtu.be/QY_VjN96zu4

Balanchine's Apollo rehearsal at Mariinsky
http://youtu.be/PMa_OYeLYTQ

Xander Parish - Albrecht's Variation, Giselle Act 2 (Debut) 2014
http://youtu.be/XpxkSX4WxR4

XANDER PARISH, KRISTINA SCAPRAN (SHAPRAN)- APOLLO - Italian tour 2014.
http://youtu.be/TtVXQbgKb8w

Romeo & Juliet - Tereshkina, Parish (Debut) Excerpts 2013
http://youtu.be/sgBdHCOlEL4

Alexz · May 15, 2016

Anyone wants to do a piece about Korean Kimin Kim? I will post some later.

honghe · May 19, 2016

Abraxis12345 said:
There's a rumor Oksana Skorik, Vladimir Shklyarov, and Maria Shirikhina are leaving the Mariinsky at the end of the year and going to the Bavarian State Opera (Artistic director is Igor Zelensky, who is also the AD at the Stanislavsky). If true, this is certainly a big blow. The Mariinsky is not what it once was. Makhalina, Lopatkina, and Kolb are all getting up there in years and they've lost a bunch of talented Vaganova graduates to other companies. There is particularly a dearth of good male partners and Shklyarov was the best of the principal males.

So it seems that Shklyarov confirmed that he and Shirinkina will go to Munich: http://www.evening-kazan.ru/article...-teatre-ya-uzhe-stanceval-vse-chto-hotel.html He said that he's danced everything he wanted at the Mariinsky and he's looking for something else.
If I understand things correctly through Google translate, it seems that there's still a possibility that they may return to the Mariinsky in a year?

Alexz · May 20, 2016

honghe said:
So it seems that Shklyarov confirmed that he and Shirinkina will go to Munich: http://www.evening-kazan.ru/article...-teatre-ya-uzhe-stanceval-vse-chto-hotel.html He said that he's danced everything he wanted at the Mariinsky and he's looking for something else.
If I understand things correctly through Google translate, it seems that there's still a possibility that they may return to the Mariinsky in a year?

Yes. He said they are not gonna completely broke ties and stop employment with Mariinsky. They basically taking so called "academic leave" for a year. Will see how it goes. Well he is 31 already, certainly at this age ballet dancers usually switch to new new choreograph to dance more contemporary/moder ballet, because it's less demanding on perfection and physical shape. I think they basically follow the same path as Vishneva and Lopatkina, performing with different ballet companies all around the world as principal dancers for a season or two and still showing up at Mariinsky for a 2-3 occasional performances a year in some new choreography projects and 1-2 gala/festivals attendance. Mariinsky still would have them on their list, probably as guest principal dancers.

Bavarians should start going into ballet more often now, they are in for some treat...

honghe · May 21, 2016

Alexz said:
Yes. He said they are not gonna completely broke ties and stop employment with Mariinsky. They basically taking so called "academic leave" for a year. Will see how it goes. Well he is 31 already, certainly at this age ballet dancers usually switch to new new choreograph to dance more contemporary/moder ballet, because it's less demanding on perfection and physical shape. I think they basically follow the same path as Vishneva and Lopatkina, performing with different ballet companies all around the world as principal dancers for a season or two and still showing up at Mariinsky for a 2-3 occasional performances a year in some new choreography projects and 1-2 gala/festivals attendance. Mariinsky still would have them on their list, probably as guest principal dancers.

Bavarians should start going into ballet more often now, they are in for some treat...

Yes. And on twitter I already saw some people discussing future trips to Munich to see them. Lucky people

rosacotton · May 21, 2016

What a great thread! While I don't have a ton of knowledge about ballet, I have enjoyed it (following, reading, watching) for twenty-five years. Sadly, I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen a live performance.

My favorite dancers are Evgenia Obraztsova -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm41MFu5VOM (Sleeping Beauty)

Natalia Bessmertnova -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YyRebsx70w (Raymonda)

Gelsey Kirkland -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rnaq1iwxOF0 (Theme and Variations)

Baryshnikov -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28DPboIunXI (Sleeping Beauty)

Vladimir Shklyarov -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79TBHUqFda8 (Le Corsaire)

Larissa Lezhnina -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGAo0yTgmLo (Paquita)

Veronika Part -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnSzOjviT-k (Nutcracker)

Marcelo Gomes -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER-FFbmoIaY (Swan Lake)

Marianela Nunez -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hmZFhcBLk4 (Swan Lake)

Sylvie Guillem -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVCZEx7GZ1s (Cinderella)

honghe · May 23, 2016

Alessandra Ferri on reprising the role of Juliet at age 53: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you...erri-coming-retirement-playing-Juliet-53.html

Abraxis12345 · May 23, 2016

It's always fun to compare different dancers in the same role. Here are various "Slave Variations" from Corsaire

Farukh Ruzimatov - https://youtu.be/Qks5DFPTANA

Angel Corella - https://youtu.be/_kRtyu0S4bY

Baryshnikov - https://youtu.be/rlPZSAURSb8

Carlos Acosta - https://youtu.be/EquKmt_Bip4

Jaana · May 24, 2016

I have seen "Swan Lake" in opera, twice. Unfortunately that is the only ballet I have seen, but have enjoyed the documentary about Margot Fontayn and Rudi Nureyev very much... And I remember what a huge sensation it was as Nureyev escaped to the west.

honghe · May 24, 2016

Abraxis12345 said:
It's always fun to compare different dancers in the same role. Here are various "Slave Variations" from Corsaire

Farukh Ruzimatov - https://youtu.be/Qks5DFPTANA

Angel Corella - https://youtu.be/_kRtyu0S4bY

Baryshnikov - https://youtu.be/rlPZSAURSb8

Carlos Acosta - https://youtu.be/EquKmt_Bip4

I guess in terms of the sheer thrill produced few can rival Baryshnikov?

(I do always like Angel Corella a lot. There's a kind of special energy about him.)

Abraxis12345 · May 27, 2016

honghe said:
I guess in terms of the sheer thrill produced few can rival Baryshnikov?

(I do always like Angel Corella a lot. There's a kind of special energy about him.)

Whatever floats one's boat, really. I like Baryshnikov a lot. I also like the sex appeal Ruzimatov brings to his performances.

Here are some black swans.

Olga Smirnova https://youtu.be/0ySEQv2Rirs

Alina Cojocaru https://youtu.be/rKBw8bRgrf4

Sylvie Guillem https://youtu.be/rpG1OwsyZaA

And for comparison here is Joy Womack https://youtu.be/9uMBF7UOUgA

Alexz · May 31, 2016

Wine and cheese tonight. Oh, and some ballet as well.

Here is a treat for you all too: Flames of Paris.

Ratmansky is genius. Here is a remake by him of great old ballet Flames of Paris. Beloved ballet in Russia since 1930s.

The story of the French Revolution by Boris Asafiev premiered in 1932 and brought back to life 75 years later by Alexei Ratmansky. Staging is sometimes too verbose, but the leading trio - Osipova, Vasiliev, Savin - make up for it all. Young revolutionists on fire. Details below, the Basque dance and pas de deux will be there for the years to come.

LES FLAMMES DE PARIS. Production by Bolshoi. 2010. Пламя Парижа, Большой
Natalia Osipova, Ivan Vasiliev, Savin

Libretto: http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/performances/235/libretto/

http://youtu.be/PAp5vp7msx8

0:01:30 - Introductory word (in English)
0:03:00 - Act I
0:14:30 - Count, Jeanna
0:24:00 - Jeanna, Jerome, Philippe
1:02:44 - Act II
1:05:04 - Street dances
1:10:33 - Basque dance
1:17:13 - Philippe solo
1:31:01 - Jeanne, Philippe - pas de deux

Jeanne - NATALIA OSIPOVA
Jerome - DENIS SAVIN
Philippe - IVAN VASILIEV
Marquise - YURI KLEVTSOV
Adelina - NINA KAPTSOVA
Mireille - ANNA ANTONICHEVA
Mistral - RUSLAN SKVORTSOV

Conductor- PAVEL SOROKIN
Choreographer - ALEXEI RATMANSKY, YURI BURLAKA

lucyagogo · May 31, 2016

Thanks for creating this thread!! is awesome that we can all share our love for figure skating and ballet as well.

I studied ballet for many, many years and got a BFA degree on Dance (Ballet & Contemporary). As everyone else I have my favorite "styles, lines and sense of aesthetic" but I've learnt to be open to different opinions and taste. I'm really into pairs and I love it when they do programs related to ballets... Romeo & Juliet, Swan Lake, The Dying Swan, Firebird and Le Corsaire are way overused but it's interesting to watch their approach.

One of my favorite ballets is Onegin and for what I've read and heard it will be performed next season by Astakhova/Rogonov a pair that I really like and support. Still, I'm not quite sure if they can portray Tatyana and Eugene, I mean it is all very dramatic. I remember that one of my favorite couples doing this ballet were Alina Cojocaru and Johan Kobborg (back then with The Royal Ballet) ... I cannot find a nice video of the pas de deux but in the next video ballerina Sarah Lamb explains the plot and the acts of the ballet, plus it has beautiful photos of Alina and Johan. :luv17:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgS1isyR9pE

The Great Ballet Thread

honghe

Abraxis12345

MalAssada

honghe

Abraxis12345

honghe

Alexz

Alexz

Alexz

honghe

Alexz

honghe

rosacotton

honghe

Abraxis12345

Jaana

honghe

Abraxis12345

Alexz

lucyagogo

Similar threads

Connect with us