364 replies to this topic

[cubanmiamiboy]

If anything, all this Skorik ordeal has make us divert from our previous candidate, Miss Somova. How sad to think of that Imperial stage stage as that of Sppesivtzeva, Pavlova and Karsavina, and now belonging to the Somovas and Skoriks...

[Birdsall]

I personally would much rather see Somova as Nikiya than Skorik from what I have heard. I think people view Somova as out-of-control due to her hyper-extended joints (hyper-extended more than the average dancer). I have worked with people when I was a Pilates instructor, and hyper-extended joints is something that is very, very hard to change b/c it comes naturally to someone. They are probably even born that way. It is not a matter of "no control." It is that person's body. And although hyper-extension is valued in ballerinas, Somova tends to divide people in their opinions, and I think that is one of the reasons. Her hyper-extension is more than most, in my opinion. Because of that people do not like the way it looks (her grand jetes appear floppy to people for example, or her 32 fouettes look unusual b/c the calf lifts higher than the thigh due to the hyper-extended knee joint). From what I have experienced hyper-extension is not something you can easily change, if at all, b/c people who have hyper-extended limbs only feel like their leg or arm is straight when they hyper-extend. When you tell them to bend the knee or elbow a little so that it looks more straight they feel totally bent and totally unstable (if standing on the hyper-extended leg, for example). So if someone expects her to change her hyper-extension her coach would literally have to be in the wings yelling out, "Bend that knee! Bend that knee!" every few seconds so that the leg looks straight, because when I taught Pilates I could only get hyper-extended clients to stop it with me breathing down their neck. If I worked with a couple at the same time, the minute...no, the milli-second I took my eyes off the hyper-extended person, she would revert back to hyper-extending her elbow (or leg or whatever). This is something that is almost impossible to change. The person feels like her arm or leg is straight only when hyper-extended. If you adjust her arm or leg so that it looks straight to the average person, she feels like her arm or leg is completely bent and it does not feel right.

I say all this b/c what I see in Somova is someone who can actually dance but some people do not like the hyper-extension in her joints. Others are not as bothered by it. There are other complaints they have about her (too high extensions, etc), but this is a dancer who can actually dance the steps. So the two dancers are worlds apart, in my personal opinion.

[fififi]

On the issues (?) of Somova vs Skorik, I totally agree with you, Birdsall. It is just ridiculous to compare Skorik with Somova as they are in different leagues.

[Tiara]

This afternoon skoryk debuted as Nikiya during the Mariisky Japanese tour. Having seen videos of her earlier principal attempts I can only surmise that she has grown tremendously. She has a wonderful physical instrument, long tapered legs, a gorgeous instep and a swan's neck that renders her a fine pure classical line, nothing gimmicky. She was spontaneous and reactive in the first act and I thought she emoted well in the fight scene and in the basket dance though I would have preferred less histrionics at Nikiya's death. The third act is a challenge for many a ballerina and insofar as technique was concerned she acquitted herself well. She negotiated the tricky scarf adagio with confidence and handled most of the technical challenges admirably though I would have liked to see more soul and spirituality in the final act. There were some technical glitches (mainly minor partnering issues and one blotched turn) and there were understandably rough edges narratively and musically but it was overall a fine and sincere performance. I look forward to following her career.

On a separate note, kondarova gave a glorious performance the night before. The corps is on fine form and I was particularly impressed by Petushkova in the Indian dance and among the female corps and corphees Svetlana Ivanova, Daria Vasnetsova, , Viktoria krasnokutskaya, Anna lavrinenko and yulia stepanova.

I am really astonished to read this, because I received an email from my friend who saw this performance and she said how disillusioned she felt that the ballerina who was dancing Nikiya (Oksana Skorik) not only made so many technical errors, but also either totally overacted in some places or in others did not appear to be acting at all. She looks forward to seeing the Mariinsky perform live and has also seen many video performances of Bayadere, and she just said that she could not believe the Mariinsky would allow such an inadequate ballerina to carry the honour of the company abroad.

[Tiara]

As far as I am concerned, the Imperial stage is blessed by the presence of Alina Somova, who is a ballerina of considerable artistry and technique and one of my favourites.

[Mashinka]

Few would agree.

[fififi]

In fact, Alina Somova is my favourite, too. It was extremely unfortunate that the originally scheduled Alina's performance was indeed substituted by Skorik, with which I saw - Japan Arts refused to refund the tickets.

[fififi]

Few would agree.

I disagree. I guess that some individuals simply cannot accept the current fashion in the world of ballet and keep stickinig to the tradisional and classical styles. Still, one is entitled to saying whatever s/he feels like.

[cubanmiamiboy]

I guess Fateev is just as entitled to put on such distortions where artistry used to bee too. You guys are right...we're all entitled to whatever...and "whatever" is getting big..
But whatever...at the end, real art and its best vehicles were and will be put in their right place...and so the opposite too.

[Mashinka]

I guess Fateev is just as entitled to put on such distortions where artistry used to bee too. You guys are right...we're all entitled to whatever...and "whatever" is getting big..
But whatever...at the end, real art and its best vehicles were and will be put in their right place...and so the opposite too.

Well said.

[Tara]

I personally would much rather see Somova as Nikiya

Me too. It has been the only "classical" role I have thoroughly enjoyed her in thus far. I like Alina in plenty of other works and I appreciate the obvious love that she has for dancing ( something either missing or stifled due to fear in Skorik) but her extreme physical attributes distort things too much for my taste in the traditional rep. Somova can do dramatics quite well too- which is another area not seemly strong for Skorik.

Oxana (while way too thin in my opinion) has legs and lines for days and certainly deserves to be on a professional company stage. However she is no "Star" and I strongly believe doesn't even WANT to be one either. I bet she would much prefer to quietly enjoy the life of a corps girl. I wish Fateev would just let her dance and develop at a natural pace and in the proper roles. He is going to ruin her total lifetime potential as an artist by pushing her in this manner. Seems a bit more like punishment than promotion to me :-/

[naomikage]

Well I have not seen Skorik's performances in Japan so it might not be proper to say anything about her in Mariinsky's Japan tour, but judging from my numerous friends who attended her performance and blog entries and Twitter, it seems her Nikiya and Swan Lake O/O was not bad at all. At least, the only mistake she made was that she fell once during her entrance in Swan Lake second act (which was not a dancing scene) and heard that her fouettes were okay. At least, no one was saying that her Odette/Odile and Nikiya was terrible as far as I know. (and I know a lot of balletomanes in Japan who went to see her) and they are saying that Somova was worse (it was of 3 years ago though)

Anyway, I will see her in the gala on Sunday and judge by seeing it.

[cubanmiamiboy]

Worst thing being that they are already labeled, something that I find extremely hard to reverse. They will get down in history as the non capable, less than ready dancers who "might get better" while in an undeserved position. Sad.

[Birdsall]

Oxana (while way too thin in my opinion) has legs and lines for days and certainly deserves to be on a professional company stage. However she is no "Star" and I strongly believe doesn't even WANT to be one either. I bet she would much prefer to quietly enjoy the life of a corps girl. I wish Fateev would just let her dance and develop at a natural pace and in the proper roles. He is going to ruin her total lifetime potential as an artist by pushing her in this manner. Seems a bit more like punishment than promotion to me :-/

Yes, it is very odd that she is being pushed. Even the Korean tour video ad put her face before Lopatkina's as if she is the main star of the Mariinsky even bigger than Lopatkina. That was strange too.

I think it is like punishment, but I just wonder why. Fateyev must know the controversy surrounding her. It probably makes her even more nervous, so it would be best to let her succeed in smaller roles until she is ready.

[Cygnet]

I agree with your points Birdsall, however Somova's issues were never solely based on her hyper-extension. There are
many dancers who have hyper-extended hips, knees and weak pointes (as Somova does), and yet they learn (or try) to control their movements. It's a question of the artistic choices that dancers make. In Somova's case it's always been her catch-as-catch can, on again and (mostly) off technique, plus the lack of turnout that have been her problems from day one. She has used her hyper-extension over the years as a failsafe to compensate for her technical deficiencies. She loves to dance - that's evident, and she has dramatic abilities, however, these aren't the sum total of a performance or interpretations of a gallery of roles in a repertory. Reliable technique is the essential other half of that equation. Skoryk and Somova are two different ladies, and very different dancers, yet they are cut from the same aesthetic cloth that Fateev favors. They have two things in common: Both were pushed into the spotlight prematurely, and both have the favor of the powers that be. To say that one who is fearful and somewhat less satisfying than the other who is fearless, but gets consistently mixed results - even after 8.5 years in the spotlight, is like having to choose between liver and liverwurst. In the end, it's all a matter of one's palate.