mnacenani

Imho Tsiskaridze has more "substance" than most people give him credit for. When he was appointed as rector of Vaganova I thought it was due to his connections only, and was quite upset when our beloved Asylmuratova left, but found out later that while dancing at the Balshoy he was also teaching at ballet schools in Moscow and beyond. I watched his webcast interview at Prix de Lausanne last year and thought here is someone who knows what he is talking about. I will try to find and post that interview - in the meantime here is the recent RT docu featuring him and Shakirova : https://rtd.rt.com/films/ballet-a-la-russe-e1/

Have never seen Novikova live yet, and neither Aksana Skorik who I am tracking. Had tix for Legend of Love on 28th Feb with both Novikova and Skorik cast, was in Moscow couple of days before to see Ivan the Terrible at the Balshoy but had to return home from Moscow ..... so frustrating. And once again will not be able to go to the Mariinsky ballet festival week, will be holed up at a trade show in Frankfurt doing PR and chatting up our principals .......

That makes quite a few of us then thinking we have witnessed Рождается звезда ..... birth of a star !

Many thanks dear Buddy ! I am four months into a Russian language course and I passed my second stage exam and will start the third stage next week, at the end of which (2 months) it is said I will be able to speak extremely basic Russian when I fly over to see ballet. God knows it's quite hard at my ripe old age with a porous brain ! Now : I have seriously taken up Russian classical ballet since this time 3 years ago, and am trying to catch up by seeing as many classics as I can in Moscow and Peterburg. You cannot imagine how elated such a person can be and what a boost it gives his self-confidence when he thinks he has discovered something and posts it and it gains the acceptance of senior membership. First time I saw Kovalyova on the videos I posted I immediately thought of the young Zaharova but did not dare say so until you seconded my thought. Thanks to everyone who participated and best wishes.

Some reviews of "PROJECT POLUNIN" currently at Sadler's Wells London : http://www.telegraph.co.uk/dance/what-to-see/toe-curling-waste-project-polunin-sadlers-wells-review/ https://www.ft.com/content/40e0399c-096c-11e7-97d1-5e720a26771b http://www.theartsdesk.com/dance/project-polunin-sadlers-wells http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/arts/project-polunin-dance-review-precocious-talent-needs-better-material-a3489926.html http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/project-polunin-at-sadlers-wells-rmfzfdbqg?shareToken=2a479debad7711cff6c0b6558fffaa11 https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/mar/15/project-polunin-backstage-dancer-natalia-osipova-in-pictures http://dancetabs.com/2017/03/project-polunin-icarus-tea-or-coffee-narcissus-and-echo-london/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/dance/what-to-see/toe-curling-waste-project-polunin-sadlers-wells-review/ https://www.ft.com/content/40e0399c-096c-11e7-97d1-5e720a26771b http://www.theartsdesk.com/dance/project-polunin-sadlers-wells http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/arts/project-polunin-dance-review-precocious-talent-needs-better-material-a3489926.html http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/project-polunin-at-sadlers-wells-rmfzfdbqg?shareToken=2a479debad7711cff6c0b6558fffaa11 https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/mar/15/project-polunin-backstage-dancer-natalia-osipova-in-pictures http://dancetabs.com/2017/03/project-polunin-icarus-tea-or-coffee-narcissus-and-echo-london/

Seems this series is continuing with the 7th episode posted under RT link above !

Seems the series is continuing - noticed a 7th episode has been posted at RT link above !!

While on the subject : "e" and "yo" (e with two dots) both exist in Cyrillic and are separate sounds. Westerners know her as Diana "Vishneva" but in Russia she is "Vishnyova" Свет = Light "Светлый Ручей" = Bright Stream (excuse my showing off - just passed my second stage exam this evening )

Dear MadameP just discovered a very recently aired 6-part ballet docu by RT channel, featuring among others Shakirova (in first episode I think). Also posted this link under docus : https://rtd.rt.com/tags/ballet/

Very recently aired, links to the 6 episodes below on linked page : https://rtd.rt.com/tags/ballet/

A recent interview with Tissi : http://www.balletinsider.com/en/archive/solo/6409

"Zvezda" is a metaphor I like to use to denote "top rank" - borrowed it from "Etoile" which POB uses to denote top rank. I am hopeful our members will warm to it in due time. In reference to another post above : POB officially terms their top dancers "Etoile" and the promotion to Etoile is announced on stage after a performance. However, I fully agree with Vaziev that nowadays almost everyone is an "Etoile" at POB and the rank no longer has the "cachet" it once had. Have been an Arop member for many years but I don't go to see ballet in Paris any longer. Having disco- vered what classical ballet can be in Russia anything in London or Paris seems second best. No wonder someone said "POB dancers dance like civil servants" which in fact they are, and you may remember Millepied got into hot water for saying the Paris CdB should do better than look like "flowers on wallpaper" !!

Yes dear Natalia - the video of her Fairy Doll is among what I posted from YT above.

YES - you're spot on Buddy ! Overjoyed to find that a Gold member agrees with my take on Kovalyova !

Zvezda = Etoile

Rodkin !! Would be a fabulous match imho. Last saw Rodkin as Solor and he was excellent : flawless tech and characterisation imho. Vaziev really has a problem : how to develop great young talent like Shrayner and Kovalyova and God knows how many others, while keeping the likes of Alexandrova and Zaharova on board ! I do hope Urin will not cave in - from what Masha posted recently it seems she went over the head of Vaziev.

As a latecomer to classical ballet I really cannot comment on technique - can only notice glaring faults (like Stepanova not being able to do a proper 32 fouettée on the three occasions I saw her dance the Medora-Ali pdd). But expession, presence, mime I crave for : she must make me believe she IS the Sylph, or Nikiya, or Kitri and not an "impersonator". Shakirova is no Zaharova but when I saw her as Kitri at Mariinsky she WAS Kitri.

Vaganova 2016 graduate taken up by Balshoy (aka Bolshoi), being given small solo roles by Vaziev. I have found some videos on YT, links posted below. She was selected for Prix de Lausanne 2016 but did not make it to the finals, strange. This junior member sees some potential here and likens her to a current top Balshoy prima at the time of her Vaganova graduation ..... but will not say to whom so as not to invite ridicule ! Would like to hear the views of our learned membership. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJgn8eakQ9s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0N0jukp0Ro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4nUaZqkBso https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO9gDuJj5-k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq8D4aY4SwA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2sJgf_ltpI

Dear Natalia I had tunneled into the Russia-only webcast of Sleeping Beauty but the livestream broke up and changed resolution so often I cannot say anything about any of the cast. I really liked Shrayner as Silfida at October's gala (and not only I) but her Diamond Fairy might not have worked. I am going to pose a similar question on another young dancer under separate post and would love to hear your view.

Thank you Jayne ..... I am always hoping that there will be something in my posts that merits some degree of attention other than how I spell Большо́й in Latin lettering

Dear naomikage and Mashinka : we have had this discussion before a couple of months ago. I am not Anglo-Saxon and am on a fairly intensive language course and don't want to be bound by the incorrect pronounciation of Russian names adopted in the West. It is pronounced "Balshoy" in Rus- sian, and written as "Bolshoy" not "Bolshoi" which I hope will one day go where "Bombay" and "Peking" went. Please do excuse me regarding this issue.

Having read Ismene's translation of this interview I totally sympathise with Vaziev, I have the feeling that he is the medicine Balshoy needed badly after the turmoil of 2013. I just cannot believe Vaziev told Masha Alexandrova "I wanted to harm you" as she recounted in the Kultura chat with Sati Spivakova, but then balletmistress Natalya of our local ballet academy says she has seen and heard Russian ballet directors saying such things and worse to dancers. Evidently a modus vivendi has been found, since Masha danced on Tuesday as far as I know. Does anyone have any feedback on Tuesday's Bright Stream ??

"These aren't my requirements, they are the requirements of classical dance. And either we obey them or we don't. Otherwise these ballets simply expose you - all your inadequacies are on show. Sadly, within the theatre world you often find performers' ambitions get out of hand. Let's not imagine that in the sunset of a stage career one can go on dancing the ballets you did 15 years ago. Everyone has a different physicality and different physical gifts. This is a fact for even the greatest. You know Baryshnikov danced his last Don Q at the age of 33?" Vaziev as quoted in the translation of his recent interview on Ismene Brown's blog (link posted under Bolshoi - excellent inter- view well worth a read imho). Methinks one can find above a clue regarding Masha's falling out with Vaziev. As dear as Alexan- drova and Zaharova are to my heart, I have to admit neither of them can go on dancing Kitri for much longer. I think their technique is as yet flawless, but they may not "look the part" in a year or two.

http://www.ismeneb.com/blogs-list/170305-vaziev-monitors-bolshoi-studios-by-cctv.html Recent interview with Vaziev as posted by Ismene Brown