Jump to content
This Site Uses Cookies. If You Want to Disable Cookies, Please See Your Browser Documentation. ×

sakura

New Member
  • Posts

    3
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Registration Profile Information

  • Connection to/interest in ballet** (Please describe. Examples: fan, teacher, dancer, writer, avid balletgoer)
    balletgoer, former dance student
  • City**
    San Francisco
  • State (US only)**, Country (Outside US only)**
    CA
  1. This is something I eagerly agree with. Multi-talented Alina Somova comes to mind as someone who challenges the boundaries, but also Makarova and Mezentseva who did it in the past. As for Obraztsova I wish her the very best in her pursuit of illusive perfection and on the stage of her choice She is certainly a vey special dancer, although with somewhat limited diapason, my opinion, of course. I didn't have Somova in mind when I was thinking of dancers breaking conventions while contributing to the artform. Actually someone like Sylvie Guillem fit my definition more so than Alina Somova, whom I happen to appreciate and really like in certain roles or milieus. Also, I fail to see the salience of comparing Somova to Obraztsova in this regard. To say that Somova is multifaceted while Obraztsova is not, in my opinion, is to overlook some obvious weaknesses on Somova's part. I don't believe Somova can do fast footwork/ petit allegro in La Sylphide or Ondine as well as more agile ballerinas, for example. My point is, no ballerina is perfect. Obraztsova is not perfect just as Alina Somova is not perfect. They both have their own strengths and weaknesses, but Somova luckily had an easier path as an artist. While not taking away her hard work and diligence to improve as an artist, Somova has been given more wide range of roles to experiment with artistically, based in part to having right physique in the eyes of Mariinsky powers that be. In the same vein, it is Obraztsova who has had a harder time breaking out of molds or challenging conventions imposed by her home theatre. I, as a former dance student of 15+ years and as a ballet fan, can certainly applaud her ongoing efforts to push herself, the audience, and current Mariinsky dicatates in this direction. Off topic and not directed at you, but one of my pet peeves if when ballet fans pit their favorites against each other, this is especially horrible on Youtube. There, demeaning comments about dancers are regularly posted without regard to tact and also feelings of dancers who might read such comments. I have too much respect for ballet dancers and their dedication to their art AND craft to engage in insults disguised as personal opinions. I hope to upkeep this practice on this forum.
  2. It might be a demunitive nick name for Evgenia (full name). Genya/Zhenya, then Genechka, Genichka? Thank you, YID. Cygnet took pains to clarify the issue by replacing references to Genechka with Evgenia. Obraztsova is undoubtedly the darling of balletomanes (at least a group of them), while Novikova's exquisite beauty and polished technique immensely appeal to regular theatre goers. She is also well respected and much liked by her peers. From what I have seen of Olesya's Raymonda, I am mostly impressed. O-O, of course, is another animal altogether. I also don’t see why Evgenia shouldn’t continue her apparently successful engagement with Stanislavky Theatre in Moscow. After all, Mariinsky is not the only professional company in the world, although, granted, very prestigious. If an artist feels that his or her talent is showcased to better advantage in theatre A, why should he or she be compelled to perform a certain role in theatre B? True art is not about prestige after all. I also don't see why Obraztsova should abandon challenging stereotype casting of O/ O at the Mariinsky. It is after all her home theatre, and I'm sure it has a very special place in her heart. True art may not be all about prestige as you say, but it is partly about attaining excellence and the ever elusive perfection. You've previously opined that the Stanislavsky isn't up to par with even the Mikhailovsky, so are you in essence saying that Obraztsova should feel lucky or be complacent that she gets to dance certain roles only at less worthy theatres such as the Stanislavsky? The true hallmark of a great artist is an unabiding passion for his or her art, all the while challenging the conventions, limitations or boundaries of that very platform itself.
  3. I guess Novikova dancing O/ O is a move in the right direction. But I had seen her perform live twice and wasn't blown away by her stage presence both times....doesn't mean I don't like her dancing but just that I think she has good, solid technique but no "it"/ star factor IMO. I'd seen the MT perform live numerous times in recent years, I agree that the casting requirement for tall O/ O has gotten out of hand, this seems to be a quaintly new, Russian tradition.
×
×
  • Create New...