12 replies to this topic

[Natalia]

American Joy Womack, who spent three years at the Bolshoi Ballet's academy in Moscow, is among the graduates performing at the recent graduation concert...well, not just 'performing.' She was the star of PAQUITA GRAND PAS!

Mario Vitale Labrador also featured. Both Joy & Mario turned heads here in DC, when the Bolshoi Academy performed in 'Proteges III' at the Kennedy Center a year ago.

Clips here: http://www.youtube.c...ser/fiordililia (scroll down until you see Paquita; Joy in bright red tutu)

One will note with great interest that this concert featured mainly Petipa-era classics (Paquita, Naiad & the Fisherman, Harlequinade, and such)...unlike the Vaganova Academy, devoting one-third of the evening to Nacho Duato. (!!!) If there ever was a doubt, this just confirms that Moscow is the new bastion of classicism in Russia.

[Drew]

Duato? at the Vaganova Academy graduation? Who makes these decisions? If they want 20th-21st century choreography--to show they are not just training Petipa dancers--fair enough: there is plenty of more than genuinely classical, if you prefer neo-classical, choreography to turn to...Heck, even from the Soviet era, they could pull something that would seem less pointless at either training or showing off their dancers than Duato. And I write that as someone who rather liked the one Duato ballet (that is, "dance work") she saw; I am not anti-Duato by any means. But context, please.

P.S. One afterthought: perhaps they are trying to make sure their dancers catch the eye of the Duato-directed Mikhailovsky? With the idea that that could be a main source of jobs for them?  I could sort of understand that way of thinking. Still, although I try not to pick sides,  I think that on this one I'm "team Bolshoi."

P.P.S. Big congratulations to Joy Womack...

[Natalia]

Indeed, Drew. As for the 'context' part, I noticed that the Vaganova Academy web now lists the following three troupes among its 'official partners' -- at the top of the list, in this order:

Mariinsky Theater
Mikhailovsky Theater
Boris Eifman Theater of Ballet

Source, Vaganova Academy web (only the Russian version of the site): http://www.vaganova....?id=105&pid=265

So there we have it. The Mikhailovsky (Kekhman/Duato troupe) has a hand in the 'results' of the school. (In the past, it was unofficial -- those not selected to the Vaganova tried to get jobs in other Petersburg troupes -- but now it is 100% official.) Once the 'divertissements' third of the program is revealed, will we see portions of Eifman ballets? (I've seen Eifman attending these concerts for years but he has never tampered with -- imposed his works -- on the programs presented. He simply goes to enjoy and possibly spot a dancer or two who may be offered a place in his troupe, if said dancer is not lucky enough to be offered a place at the Mariinsky.)

And I have no problem with 20th-C CLASSICAL or neoclassical works being in the program of a top ballet academy's graduation concerts. In the past, bits of Balanchine (Tchai pdd, Tarantella), Bryantsev (Spirit Ball pdd) and Yakobsen (Blind Girl, etc.) have been featured. Large excerpts of the mid-century Gayane were featured in the last two concerts. But this? Sorry, this is an insult to classicism and to everything that the Vaganova Academy has represented.

By the way, I began a thread on the 2012 Vaganova Academy concert here (within the Kirov-Mariinsky forum):
http://balletalert.i...ation-concerts/

[aurora]

According to her twitter feed, Joy has been offered contracts as a soloist at the Mik or corps of the Bolshoi and is currently trying to decide...

[Helene]

Natalia, on 06 June 2012 - 04:06 PM, said:

Clips here: http://www.youtube.c...ser/fiordililia (scroll down until you see Paquita; Joy in bright red tutu)

Here are the direct links:

Solo:


Finale:


End of finale:


Her posture is so plumb:  her core looks rock solid.

[Paul Parish]

Fantastic performance -- exquisite phasing, subtle use of the head, beautiful shoulders, arms. All the turns in the variation should have ended croisee before the releves in arabesque, some didn't, but it was still no problem -- she makes excellent choices onstage, which shows she takes some risks and has  ballerina temperament. Wow!

[bart]

Helene, on 17 June 2012 - 01:31 PM, said:

Her posture is so plumb:  her core looks rock solid.

Paul Parish, on 17 June 2012 - 02:03 PM, said:

Fantastic performance -- exquisite phasing, subtle use of the head, beautiful shoulders, arms. Wow!

This is thrilling..  It's rare to find someone who can convey upper-body subtleties and perform strong turns with equal skill.

Aurora mentions that Ms. Womack is considering two offers.  Which would be the better choice, given the differences between the two companies -- a corps position with the Bolshoi or a soloist position with the Mikhailovsky?

[Helene]

I'd pick corps with the Bolshoi.

[duffster]

Yes I totally agree that the Bolshoi would be the better choice,  as Mr Filin seems open to giving young dancers opportunities.

[Natalia]

Joy, go with the corps at the Bolshoi! Great repertoire with greater respect for The Classics than there is in Duato-landia.

[Cygnet]

Joy, the Bolshoi is the place to be.

[iamthewaves]

Austin local news is reporting that she'll be joining the Bolshoi:
http://austin.ynn.co...russian-company

[Natalia]

Joy's own Facebook page now confirms that she's with the Bolshoi:
http://www.facebook....or#!/joy.womack

Also, her fellow-American-student at the Bolshoi Acad, Mario Vitale Labrador, has joined the Mikhailovsky Ballet as a Soloist, according to this:
http://www.facebook....oVitaleLabrador