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volochkova talks about the bolshoi


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Thanks for posting that news clip. I was interested to hear Volochkova speak so highly of Grigorovich. But then later I read that she danced with the Grigorovich Ballet after she left the Bolshoi. . .

Slightly off topic but I loved this quote from an article about the Volochkova scandal:

The star dancer of the Bolshoi ballet Nikolai Tsiskaridze reproached Miss Volochkova on numerous occasions for improper and loud self-advertisement during performance tours.

"Anastasia Volochkova: A Perfect Scandal". english.pravda.ru. 9 October 2003

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It is not surprising that Nikolai Tsiskaridze reproached Volochkova for improper and loud self-advertisement. There was time, about 10 years ago, when Volochkova enjoyed protection of wealthy friends and could have for her gala concerts enormous adverts spanning the whole width of Moscow streets, with huge name on them: ‘Anastasia Volochkova’ and petite letters below: ‘with Bolshoi Ballet dancers’. Nikolai was absolutely right to protest against this kind of posters degrading her Bolshoi’s colleagues as backup dancers.

However, when some male dancers refused to dance with the ‘uncomfortable’ ballerina, Tsiskaridze was the only one who told the Director that he will continue partnering her and started rehearsing duet from ‘Raymonda’ with her. During this rehearsal she was called to the Director’s office and informed of her dismissal. It was confirmed by both of them in numerous interviews.

There is an inaccuracy in this article: “Her most recent partner, Yevgeni Ivanchenko, cannot dance with her fearing possible back injury.” The fact is that Ivanchenko, a tall, strong and skilful partner, gave Volochkova a lot of support. Being a Mariinsky’s dancer he travelled with her to Krasnodar and other cities and partnered her in various galas. He was loyal to her.

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Tsiskaridze has always been extremly fair-minded. Volochkova was never un-liftable, but she was allowing her ego to get out of control. She started out as an exceptional talent but sadly she preferred to aspire to become a diva rather than to become a ballerina.

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I spoke to several Russian friends about this interview, and they did not feel that the Grigorovich years were "clean". They recall plenty of rumors of sexual favors with government officials in return for lobbying Yuri for roles. On the other hand, sometimes people with less than pristine work histories are telling the truth about scandals. No one believed Jose Canseco for years about the "juicing" in baseball.

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Quote:

"They recall plenty of rumors of sexual favors with government officials in return for lobbying Yuri for roles."

Rumours should remain rumours.

The reality was that when watching the Bolshoi Ballet’s performances under Grigorovich nobody was questioning why that particular dancer was given a role. It was given only to those who deserved it. Just remember the names who were shining in the years of his directorship: Maximova, Vasiliev, Kondratyeva, both Fadeyechevs, Timofeyeva, Bessmertnova, Liepa (both), Semenyaka, Lavrovsky, Vladimirov, Sorokina, Gordeyev, Pavlova, Godunov, Adyrkhaeva, Mukhamedov, Mikhalchenko, Taranda, Semizorova, Klevtsov, Golikova, Vetrov, Ananiashvili, etc. etc. The full list would be enormous.

It is not for nothing that those times are remembered as ‘the Golden Age of the Bolshoi’ - because Grigorovich’s standards were so high. The quality of performance was his goal and he was achieving it by working with talented dancers. He had an eagle eye for talents.

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It is not for nothing that those times are remembered as ‘the Golden Age of the Bolshoi’ - because Grigorovich’s standards were so high. The quality of performance was his goal and he was achieving it by working with talented dancers. He had an eagle eye for talents.

Except that by the time of its U.S. tour in 1990 the company's performances were greeted with headlines like "'Bolshoi' means big, 'bolnoi' means ill."

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Thank you, Jayne. Fascinating if appalling article from the New Yorker. "People with less than pristine histories" would be the very most polite way of describing Volochkova--has there ever been a more vulgar, cheesy, egomaniacal, whorish, brazenly opportunistic 'ballerina?' Rarely does one see any public figure so blatantly out for the main chance at all times and in every way. I am sure you are correct about the Grigorevich years--but solo's list of former Bolshoi luminaries is a good argument for the quality achieved at that time vs. this. It is not hard for me to believe that Volochkova tells the truth about the 'escorting,' sex-for-roles, rich patrons' interference, etc (according to most stories about her not generated by herself, she ought to know about sugar daddies and the exchange of favors, not to mention shameless self-promotion) but it is almost impossible to believe that a woman who does 'kiss my tutu' ads and poses for soft-porn photos thinks she is fooling anyone with her protestations of her own virtue and high aesthetic standards!

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Volochkova needs to move on re her dismissal from the Bolshoi. It seems that she hasn't, and unfortunately (IMO),

she's using what has happened to Filin to draw attention indirectly to herself. She hasn't been in the Bolshoi frame

for almost a decade. That doesn't mean she doesn't have a right to speak out; it's just that the timing, not to mention the subject has nothing to do with Filin's situation. The late Ekaterina Maximova offered her own assessment on Volochkova. It's her final benediction on the subject, if you will. "Coda" was kind enough to post this in 2003 at the height of the media blitz on her firing.

http://balletalert.i...ss/#entry110158

When I hear the name "Volochkova," I think 'Russia's answer to Kim Kardashian.'

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If you are self centered and self absorbed, there is no such thing as the proper time and place. Any time, place or medium where you can get your name into the headlines becomes the appropriate forum. That's how such people operate. LOL re the Kim Kardashian comment.

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Hello, Puppytreats!

After my words: “Rumours should remain rumours” -

you asked: “do the innocent, vulnerable, or naive not merit protection?”

My answer is: Absolutely! Everyone needs protection, especially the innocent, vulnerable, or naive.

I was puzzled why my phrase about rumours prompted your question?

It wasn’t written in defence of improprieties (God forbid to do so) but just as my personal attitude to rumours. They place us on a shaky ground: who knows the original source of the rumours, who let them out and why, who passed them on and perhaps embroidered them and who is trying to reap benefits from those rumours. I personally prefer not to discuss them publicly. This was the only meaning of that phrase.

Hello, Cygnet!

How interesting that you gave a link to my translation made 10 years ago when I had more time and was writing here as ‘Coda’. When after a long gap I tried to write something here again, all my desperate efforts to ‘sign in’ proved to be futile and I had to re-register as ‘Solo’. So we met again.

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