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Jan 2012 Roster Changes - Matvienko, Obraztsova Gone


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Skorik became 2nd soloist a few months ago. Ditto Alexander Sergeev becoming 1st Soloist or Shirinkina another 2nd Soloist. These promotions had already happened well ahead of today's changes.

I have my recent (2 days ago) print-out of the roster at home...but I seem to think that Anastasia Kolegova was just promoted from 2nd to 1st soloist (?). [uPDATE: Not the case; both Anastasias -- Kolegova and Matvienko -- were already 1st soloists well before these latest roster changes.]

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Never a dull moment in the ballet world! I hope that the Mariinsky will realize what the have lost. Obraztsova will be an asset to any company she chooses, and hopefully they will utilize her gifts much better than her home company did. And the Mariinsky continues to loose my respect, which considering my own training and professional background is very sad indeed. At one time, the Kirov was the be all, end all company for me. Now my allegiance has shifted. But all the best for these dancers' futures.

Is it just me, or does it seem lime the Kirov has lost their identity?

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Never a dull moment in the ballet world! I hope that the Mariinsky will realize what the have lost. Obraztsova will be an asset to any company she chooses, and hopefully they will utilize her gifts much better than her home company did. And the Mariinsky continues to loose my respect, which considering my own training and professional background is very sad indeed. At one time, the Kirov was the be all, end all company for me. Now my allegiance has shifted. But all the best for these dancers' futures.

Is it just me, or does it seem lime the Kirov has lost their identity?

Fraildove, Yuri Fateev is the Captain Schettino of the Mariinsky Ballet.

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...Fraildove, Yuri Fateev is the Captain Schettino of the Mariinsky Ballet.

toot.gif You can say that again, Cygnet. Fraildove, your instincts are correct; the Mariinsky Ballet used to be a classy brand. I feel sorry for all of the better dancers who we saw at the Kennedy Center last week. It's not their fault that they find themselves aboard the Costa Mariinkordia.

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This makes me sad. I like to think of the Mariinsky as the "best company of the world" (that's what my mother said to me when she first showed me a ballet video when I was 6 or 7), and when I see (or usually: see on youtube) that the standards are not as high as they used to be, it makes me really sad.

Is it just me, or does it seem lime the Kirov has lost their identity?

It's not just you.

How can they let one of their most brilliant dancers go? They should cherish dancers like her..

Reminds me of how they didn't hire Ayupova as a coach; this way they will never reach the level they were at 30 years ago again.. And the problem is NOT that there isn't any potential in the company/Vaganova academy.

But what are they doing with it? I simply cannot understand what is going on in the AD's mind. (Or whoever is responsible for this)

sad.png

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It says it all when the top graduates of the Vaganova Academy for the past two years -- Smirnova, Shapran, Lebedev, Strelkov -- have opted to take employment with different companies immediately upon graduation.

The Mariinsky brand is being cheapened and 'reality TV'ed' -- quickly.

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Nice to see Natalia and Cygnet on top form flowers.gif but joking aside it's hard not to see Gospodin Schettino Fateyev steering the Costa Mariinkordia onto the rocks.

I'm in two minds regarding Obraztsova, on the one hand applauding her newly found independence, but on the other hand truly sad that such a pure exponent of the old Kirov style finds it necessary to leave. She has the example of such beautiful classicists as Osmolkina and Zhelonkina to ponder over, two dancers not that much older that have been pushed to the sidelines whilst nonentities took stage centre. Had she stayed I think that would have been Obraztsova's fate too.

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I've now compared my printed-out roster from two days ago against the current online list.

Four Departures:

D. Matvienko (Principal)

E. Obraztsova (1st Soloist)

Yulia Smirnova Slivkina (Character Principal)...not very old...Vaganova grad ca 2000/01

Pyotr Stasyunas (Character Principal)...a veteran

One Promotion:

Alexander Fyodorov (from "reserves" to corps de ballet) - Congrats to him!

Still one 'Trainee': Kim Kimin

Mashinka, I'm not so sure that Obraztsova's departure is because she found it necessary to leave, if you get my drift. That said, European fora are reporting this morning that both D. Matvienko and Obraztsova might still perform occasionally as "guest artists" of the Mariinsky...so what does that make Igor Zelensky or even Vishneva, who are de facto -- if not de jure -- guests at the MT? I still don't like it.

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I haven't been following her career lately. I follow Bolshoi dancers more, as far as Russian dancers go. Bolshoi has been more of a presence touring every year in California lately it seems. I prefer Bolshoi dancers in general because they have more musical dancers and dancers of differing styles and body types. Aside from Zakharova, no one goes for crazy extensions all the time like they do at Mariinsky.

But as I go back to youtube to watch her videos, I am impressed by how different she is among the current crop of Mariinsky ballerinas. Not a brilliant technician like Tereshkina but still wonderful technique deserving of principal status plus she has other special qualities besides technique. Shows you don't have to be a Zakharova clone in order to command attention. Such harmony and gorgeous lines in her dancing right down to linking steps and that is a rare quality since many top ballerinas just go from step to step with certain disconnect. I think she could fit in well with Royal Ballet or maybe she likes Bolshoi more because she wishes to stay in Russia? Any company should be grateful to have her.

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Thank you for this extraordinary news, Elena.

BRAVA, GENYA!!!

Here is her bio and pic on the BT site (still only in Russian, this is so new):

http://www.bolshoi.ru/persons/ballet/899/

Just in time for her debut in ANYUTA tomorrow...then SYLPHIDE on the 8th!

Wouldn't it be smashing if we see her here in DC, as one of the Swanildas in Vikharev's beautiful reconstruction of Petipa/Ceccheti's COPPELIA? That would be the cherry atop the sundae. smile.png And maybe in one of the upcoming Ballet in Cinemas presentations? Sounds like a win-win situation.

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Svetalan Siplatova has left the mariinsky corps to join the Polish National Ballet as a soloist. A vaganova graduate of 2008, I remember her as a standout in the corps during the mariinsky japan tour in 2009. Physically gifted I had thought that she would have a solid career at the mariinsky....and she did dance many solo parts. Hopefully she will be able to live up to her potential in her new company.

http://www.teatrwielki.pl/en/polish_national_ballet/solisci/svetlana_siplatova.html

(youtube video featuring the new recruits to polish national ballet)

In other news, Valaria Martyniuk has being promoted to second soloist. Well deserved and a tad overdue in my opinion. She was a wonderful kitri when the mariinsky toured to Singapore. Anastasia Nikitina has also being promoted to corphee

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/company/ballet/troupe/

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And also, it seems that Keenan Kampa is going to join as a coryphee in May.

http://archive.const...9268419726.html

Wow! She must be very special! I'll look forward to seeing her!

Thank you, elianam, and welcome to BalletAlert!

I'm not sure that the worthy corps ladies who have patiently waited their turn at the Mariinsky to become Choryphees share those thoughts. Among these are the brilliant Oksana Marchuk, the star of the Vaganova Class of 2010, who was among those taken into the corps the year that Kampa graduated. Also awaiting their turn are other recent grads featured in solo roles in the last two years, such as Stepanova, Frolova, Batoeva, Krasnokutskaya, Tiliguzova, etc.

I checked the multiple castings of this week's Boston Ballet mixed bill and don't see Kampa anywhere in the mix of featured dancers.

http://www.bostonbal...ts/casting.html

She is in her 2nd yr in the corps there. Then again, perhaps they seek a TV Reality-Show star (Kampa's pilot already on internet..."Hanging with the 'Rinas")

http://vimeo.com/27038174

and/or someone to help garner publicity for the October USA tour (Calif and DC) and it has nothing to do with dancing. Hmmmm....

As for Cheprasova's departure, that is very sad.

So when will Kondaurova be named Principal? That's what the world awaits.

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