MadameP

I just want to say that Pharaoh's Daughter is a wonderful ballet.  Fabulous choreography, scenery, great spectacle, really good opportunities for soloists and corps 

49 minutes ago, canbelto said:

If you're going to use "not a Vaganova grad" then you can apply the same standard to Timur Askerov, Maria Shirinkina, and a number of Mariinsky dancers who are not Vaganova grads. As well as the number of Bolshoi dancers who are not from the Moscow school. 

You are missing my point.  I am talking about young dancers who were never corps and were immediately brought in at second soloist level, despite having no Vaganova training.  At only 18 this very young ballerina was first a trainee and then brought in as a soloist.  Shirinkina (Perm) was certainly a coryphee before she was promoted to second soloist and I think corps also, but her  promotion to second soloist was after she had been in the company for many years.  Skorik was certainly coryphee.  Ostreikovskaya was corps and now still soryphee.   I know of no Bolshoi dancers presently in Mariinsky  who were brought in at second soloist level while in their teens.   Are you talking about Bolshoi theatre here?  With regard to Timur Askerov and a few others, again, none were 18 and brought in as a second soloist; they already had experience dancing solo roles for other companies.    I wish that some Vaganova graduates could be given the opportunities and promotion of May Nagahisa.  

27 minutes ago, Mashinka said:

I find it offensive to call sponsorship 'corruption'.   In the UK there are both corporations and individuals (and I know a couple of the latter) that are prepared to sponsor across the board in the arts world,  whether it's productions or individuals.   Greasing the wheels isn't the same as greasing the palms.

May Nagahisa is a lovely dancer and deserves to flourish and without Kimin Kim, almost wholly trained by ex Kirov dancers in Korea,  the company's male ranks would look as dull as ditch water.

I have said nothing about May Nagahisa's capabilities as a dancer.  My point is that she is not a Vaganova trained dancer, and there are Vaganova graduates who never could get her opportunities or early promotion.  And re the dire male principal ranks, I agree, and the fact that Ermakov, Zverev and Stepin have not LONG been principals is just ridiculous and tragic. 

10 hours ago, Laurent said:

Ivanova, an outstanding talent, was given by Vaziev La Sylphide and Aurore parts in her first and second years. A colleague of mine in her review spoke about Ivanova's Aurore in glowing terms.

I had forgotten she had some early opportunities, and also rehearsed Giselle, but unfortunately did not dance because of injury.  She is an outstanding adagio dancer in particular, the best Lady in Young Lady and the Hooligan I saw, and in Awakening of Flora, for me she was the outstanding dancer, notwithstanding Osmolkina was dancing as Flora!

19 hours ago, Buddy said:

I do too, Charlie. To me, she's such a beautiful dancer. If anyone knows anything please post.

Originally Petukhova was going to Tallin, but I subsequently heard she might go to Bolshoi.  She is not on either roster at the moment.  I liked her also, Buddy - she has a lovely soft, lyrical quality.  

9 hours ago, naomikage said:

Could you tell us the reason why do you think so?

There are  dancers still in the corps, such as Marchuk and Frolova,, and dancers who are still coryphees - Nikitina, Ivanova, Krasnokutskaya - MANY! - who never had roles at the age of 18 or promotion out of the corps at that young age.  Where are the opportunities for these products of the Vaganova training system?   

3 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Agreed. So is Kimin Kim, who arrived in Russia with hefty sponsorship. But it’s still a form of corruption and unfair. Who among home-grown talent was passed for promotion because she didnt have a rich sponsor greasing the wheels?

Yes.  This is my point, CharlieH, and, as I said, I do not want to slap down a young dancer - but no matter how good she might or might not be,  nevertheless it IS corruption and there ARE so many young and not so young dancers who have been completely overlooked because they did not have a sponsor.

I have seen her also as a shade and as Florine.   I don't want to slap down a young girl at the start of her career, but I can't help wishing both her roles and her promotion had been given to a Vaganova graduate.  Really her promotion is a slap in the face to all of them.    

Just now, Mashinka said:

Stepanova's lack of musicality would definitely disqualify her.

? She is one of the most musical ballerinas I have ever seen!  

5 minutes ago, Quinten said:

Back from vacation and trying to catch up with doings at the Bolshoi.  That Raymonda -- what on earth happened with the casting?  I saw before I left that Kovalyova and Tissi were scheduled for a matinee debut and then suddenly they were dancing two of the three scheduled performances. I see from the website that Kovalyova did not actually perform, that Tissi debuted with Mary Allash and that Stepanova, who had been originally scheduled for one performance actually performed twice.  I hope that Kovalyova was not injured! Bravos to Allash and Stepanova for saving the day! But why did this happen?

Kovalyova was injured.

Agree with Obraztsova and Osmolkina, and would like to add Stepanova and Novkova also.  

I just read that ELEVEN graduates have entered Mariinsky this year!  They are: Maria Bulanova, Anita Voroshilova, Anastasia Demidova, Lada Ivanova, Daria Ionova, Anastasia Nuikina, Maria Khoreva, Rustam Azizov, Ilya Mogilnikov, Ervin Zagidullin Vakhtang Herkhulidze.

Today May Nagahisa has been promoted to Second Soloist.  She jumped from the Trainee position straight to Second Soloist, bypassing corps and coryphee categories.   

May Nagahisa promoted to Second Soloist

1 hour ago, Drew said:

It would never occur to me that Tsiskaridze wasn't "in command" so to speak or the person in charge; I just wondered a bit that no-one ever mentions Ayupova when she does have an important appointment at the school. I'm actually a little surprised to read that Vaganova doesn't get "all of her attention" -- or at least the lion's share -- given her position there...

I do remember her as quite a wonderful ballerina...

It's difficult for anyone to give anything their full attention when they have two separate roles/appointments in different establishments!  

Hope we see Maria Khoreva in a principal role soon.  She is off to a good start!

Although Zhanna Ayupova was a wonderful ballerina in her time and is also an excellent coach and teacher, she does NOT have ultimate responsibility for anything at Vaganova. In everything, the decision is Tsiskaridze's. Zhanna has a second position at Mikhailovsky Theatre, where she coaches a number of important dancers, including Angelina Vorontsova. She also travels a great deal, assisting with the mounting of various productions.  She simply doesn't have the time to give Vaganova all of her attention, neither does she have the contacts, or the strings to pull to get the repertoire that Tsiskaridze has managed to acquire for the Vaganova students.  She is very much a second in command to Tsiskaridze in every aspect of the Academy, despite her title. 

8 hours ago, Laurent said:

Tereshkina observed every single accent, this alone is a rarity today; her exaggerated, ostentatious, manner, however, made her less appealing in my eyes than, for example, Khoreva, who was dancing one of the variations (said to be from the late 19th century ballet Gretna-Green (!?!) but, in reality, being the Dulcinea variation of Dudinskaya).

I agree.  Actually, I wonder at much of Tereshkina's casting at MT.  For me, she is no Aurora or Giselle or Odette (Odile MAYbe) and no Raymonda.  The list goes on.  Technically she is strong, but she doesn't represent Vaganova style to me, and maybe that is because she was not wholly Vaganova trained.  I cannot remember now whether she had 4 or 5 years at Vaganova, but certainly not the full course.  I find her often, as you say, ostentatious, and I also find her hard,  She just doesn't have that somewhat rarified Vaganova refinement.   Khoreva DOES  in my opinion.   Very talented girl.

3 hours ago, Buddy said:

I hope that you're right, MadameP, but I'm totally unconvinced.

 Canbelto, if what MadameP says is true than this picture appears much less offensive. But, considering the controversy surrounding this man and his ego I would not have have let such a picture be taken no matter what the intent.

Again, I'd be glad to be proven wrong, in particular for the students' sake.

Buddy - it's a REHEARSAL photograph!!!  That's all!

Tsiskaridze oversees the whole of the running of Vaganova.  He coaches, teaches, rehearses, chooses repertory,is involved in the selection process of tis students and their examinations - he is involved in every aspect of Vaganova  The quality of its current crop of graduates is the direct result of this.  Bravo Tsiskaridze, I say!

Maria Khoreva variation from The Awakening of Flora.

Maria Khoreva is the top graduate for me - as I've said elsewhere, so I won't repeat myself!  She could be dancing principal roles right now.

Maria Khoreva is an outstanding graduate - beautiful lines, great musicality and expression, technique.  She has everything.  She is an immensely talented ballerina.  

On 6/12/2018 at 11:38 PM, Laurent said:

Disgraceful? Ridiculous? Two hours ago the best perhaps in recent memory graduation concert has ended. As a spectacle it was an equivalent of three shows at l'Opéra, Royal Ballet, or at any American company, with the exception of New York City Ballet. 

I think Tsiskaridze is doing a magnificent job at Vaganova - not just in terns of the calibre of graduates produced, but also the quality of its productions.  His choice of repertoire alone for graduation performances is wonderful...  

Maria Khoreva's Paquita variation -  what many know as the "alternative" Dulcinea variation or Dudinskaya variation ... outstanding graduate.  

On 6/11/2018 at 8:35 PM, Gnossie said:

Absolutely agree. 

Osmolkina is the purest representer of the Vaganova style, and so is Obraztsova even if she is at the Bolshoi now, Ostreikovskaya although a Perm product, represents the Mariinskly style. The only Prima of the company that does represent the Vaganova style is Madame Pavlenko (her Saint Petersburg haters can go to hell, thanks all the best!)

Among the men, Steppin is the only one to be considered Baranov's heir, a true prince.

Yermakov is Ruzimatov's heir. 

Sergeyev (should have been promoted 50 years ago) and Batalov (I'm crying right now) are also pure Vaganova style. 

Gnossie -  Osmolkina and Filipp Stepin were the first to spring to my mind as being the purest representers of Mariinsky style, as I wrote originally.   Of course there are others.   I do agree about Obraztsova also, and also Ivanova mentioned above.  Ivanova is a WONDerful ballerina.  I love Novikova also.   I  Batalov was denied so much - disgusting.  Yermakov though ... to my mind, he cannot be compared with Ruzimatov.  Ruzi was one of a kind - a flamboyant original, which Ermakov is not.

I think the link between Vaganova and Mariinsky is of the utmost importance.  Mariinsky needs to keep the purity of its style, and it needs its Vaganova graduates to do that. As for who is the bearer and keeper of the St Petersburg style ... Osmolkina?  Filipp Stepin among the men.