Olga Chenchikova

[MakarovaFan]

Wow, what a beautiful ballerina Olga Chenchikova is!

I'm watching her dance for the first time in PAQUITA on The Magic of the Kirov video. Exquisite technique, regal and elegant presence. She glitters like a diamond. What a revelation. I want to see more of her on video. Recommendations, anyone?

[Natalia]

She also appears in the following videos, not all of which have made it to DVD just yet:

White Nights of Dance (a modern Bejart pas de deux, 'Notre Faust')

Welcome Back, St Petersburg - Covent Garden Gala (Paquita, again)

Kirov Soloists-Invitation to Dance (Notre-Dame de Paris pdd)

Kirov Ballet in London (Bayadere Shades, Nikiya)

Essential Ballet (Swan Lake 'Russian Dance')

Master of the Bolshoi-Grigorovich (she's briefly shown at the 1973 Moscow Int'l Competition, winning her medal)

Too, she was a guest at one or two graduation concerts at Washington, DC's Universal Ballet Academy (formerly Kirov Academy), where her performances were recorded. The tapes used to be available for purchase from the school but I can't be certain that this is the case now.

Of course, the best film of Chenchikova is one that has never been available commercially -- the 1986 Swan Lake PBS telecast from Wolf Trap. Maybe one day PBS will issue this as a DVD? They've resurrected 'oldie goldies' in the past, so why not this one? This telecast won an Emmy, if memory serves.

[Hans]

Chenchikova also dances Paquita on Essential Ballet, in addition to the Russian Dance.

[Mashinka]

Regal and elegant sums her dancing up perfectly; but what a great pity it is that as a teacher she appears unable to pass on any of her gifts to her pupils. Her star student looks more like a contortionist than a dancer to me.

[Helene]

Of course, the best film of Chenchikova is one that has never been available commercially -- the 1986 Swan Lake PBS telecast from Wolf Trap. Maybe one day PBS will issue this as a DVD? They've resurrected 'oldie goldies' in the past, so why not this one?  This telecast won an Emmy, if memory serves.

I loved that performance. Alas, I lost it and all of the other Betamax tapes I had (Mozartiana, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Robbins celebration) in a basement flood.

[Natalia]

....her star student looks more like a contortionist than a dancer to me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No joke, Mashinka! I winced throughout her recent Aurora in Detroit. My hat's off to Andrian Fadeev for having maintained equilibrium as Prince Desire, in the midst of this absurdity. Many times, her contortions were so extreme and forced (sometimes almost painfully so) that he almost lost his footing trying to support her.

However, I was sitting behind some 'single' (no wives or girlfriends) businessmen who slobbered all night about her long legs and gave her a standing ovation at the end. I'm afraid that Vasiyev and Chenchikova -- who sat two rows behind me -- will remember only the standing ovations of one-time balletgoers in the expensive seats, thus justifying even more plum-roles for the grotesque girl. Oy vey!