vrsfanatic

I did not mean to hijack this thread... Just my experience as a teacher and having "known/watched" Wiles, Part and Vishneva as students for years (not my students), they all had different excellent teachers, but the same Vaganova training. Wiles in the US and Part and Vishneva in Russia. Culture does make a difference. My teacher of methodology in Russia would always remind me that the training is the training but that each country should maintain its' cultural identity. Basically she was telling me that my goal to train dancers to look like dancers in Russia was not realistic. It has taken me years to understand her wise words, but they are very true. One can have a class of 12 beautiful students with the same training or teachers but they will not all dance in the same way. Dancers/students are people. The differences in dancers are many, even in Mariinsky. All of the dancers do not look like Vishneva and Part, but they all came from the same schooling. The same can be said about Baryshnikov and others of his generation from Vaganova Academy. The schooling has principles that are obvious, but how it is taught, where it is taught, to whom it is taught and the teacher/student relationship can produce varying results.

Actually Wiles and Vishneva both have Vaganova training. Wiles was schooled at Kirov Academy in DC from childhood to graduation and Vishneva at the Vaganova Academy. They were/are very different people from one another. Personality also has very much to do with the results of what is seen onstage. The Vaganova/Russian expressivity and fluidity of the upper body is world reknown. One can teach the coordination, the mechanical aspects of ballet including the eyes, head, fingers, hands and musicality in school, but after schooling it is left to the company and dancer to continue the growth. Company class is a very different thing from the academic world of ballet. Wiles came to ABT as a youngster working her way up where as Vishneva graduated from school already a star and then came to ABT as an international star The differences are vast, but not really in the training.

Thank you rg for the photos. She looks as lovely as my memory of the Theatre.

Thank you for the lovely link. It was wonderful to see Ms. Page, knowing all that she and her husband have done for the development of ballet in the US. I had only seen still photos of her and of course heard the wonderful stories until this point. As for not being comfortable in front of the cameras, it a very common issue! She was a wonderful person who contributed so very much.

Absolutely!

Actually this is discussed quite well in a book at length in the introduction of Nikolai Tarasov's Ballet Technique for the Male Dancer and a bit in Kostrovitskaya/Pisarev's School of Classical Ballet. As for the division of labor, I do not know, but it may be something that remains difficult to understand in today's society. I am a bit old fashioned in value systems in many ways.

bart, in current renditions (perhaps in the past as well, but I was not around) of Petipa/Ivanov, men do not do consecutive tour fouettes. It may be used as a connecting step from one place to another, but not as a piece in choreography as one would find for women. Men in the upper levels of Vaganova schooling do not train this movement at all in the centre of the class. It will be given at the barre single and/double at 45 and 90 degrees as well as finishing in poses (leg side, front or back as well as with epaulement). The men can do them in the centre of the room, just as the ladies can do consecutive tours in 2nd position (something they also never study). Choreography has been a major influence in the development of schooling. I know the choreography is Etudes, but this example looks unmusical and lethargic to me, male and ladies alike. Not to insult, just an opinion. When done musically, I am able to enjoy this section of Etudes however, when not...

Thank you for the translation.

The system of schooling is called Vaganova. It is taught through out Russia, in all of the government schools as well as the former satellite countries. The history is vast. I could not find a link to the Bolshoi Academy but here is a link to the Vaganova Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia. http://www.vaganova.ru/eng.html

Thank you bart for recognizing Mr. Lieberman, a remarkable man indeed. There are not enough words to express the deep gratitude one feels for all that he has done for ballet education in the US.

Thank you. That was lovely. Such a light jump!

When I was accepted into the pedagogy program, it took 6 months for my acceptance to arrive. School started two weeks later. I scrabbled and arrived on the correct date. Things have changed since 1993 so maybe you will hear more readily than I. It is a wonderful experience. Enjoy St. Petersburg. :blush:

Thank you very much for the wonderful news! :blush:

There is a link if you Google her that leads to quite a few Broadway shows. La Cage aux Folles, Movin Out as well as TV, One Life to Live. She was quite a performer. Hopefully she is still doing well in theatre.

Thank you Hans. I may look, but choreographically I am left empty.

Not finding 3rd movement. It seems to be a repeat of 2nd, but maybe I should just watch 2nd through until the end? Perhaps 3rd comes after that? The reactions I have are more choreographic than Kirov related.

Very, very sad news. May he rest in peace. May his family pass through this difficult time and the years to come knowing that his memory will be honored by many.

Well delibes, this has definitely brought a big laugh to my day. So glad you have posted. I actually had this conversation at work yesterday with two Russian colleagues who came to the same conclusion you have posted. In short, the answer lay in the deep history of Russia and the French influence that Alexander the Great has left the Russian people. I love this! Thank you so very much!

Thank you rg and Catherine the input on how to spell Russian words in English. Is there an official announcement by the Russian government that Vaziev will stay and under what title?

Is there any news regarding Mr. Vaziyev's intentions to stay at the Mariinsky as the Director of the Ballet?

I believe the article states that Mr. Vaziyev has never been given the title of AD of the ballet in the Mariinsky Theatre which seems to be one of the issues at hand. If I have understood the article correctly (hum as well as the discussions of my Russian colleagues), Mr. Vaziyev has held a title similar to the administrator of the ballet of the Mariinsky Theatre. Just out of curiousity, I thought the name was spelled Vaziev in English?

I was able to see two shows this weekend. Saturday evening and Sunday matinee. Saturday I was Center 1st tier, Sunday, a bit off to house right in the orchestra. My opinons of the sets and costumes and lighting changed like night and day from the two views. 1st Tier Center, everything was way to bright and like a cartoon, but from the orchestra, while I may not have particularly liked the costumes, the sets looked better. A lesson learned for me in staging ballet...go up for a different view rather than busily working, working from the table in the center in the orchestra. The dancing for the most part was marvelous for both performances. Reyes/Carreno /Riccetto/Lane/Lopez on Saturday and Wiles/Hallberg/Part/Seo/Radetsky on Sunday. I have my personal preferences for sure, but outside of the hysteria of the Canery Fairies in both shows, I believe in this production they call her Sincerity, the dancing was just lovely. I do not like the coaching nor staging of this variation. As a Veronica Part fan from when she was in 6th year Vaganova Academy, it was a delight to see her excellence in this role. Her artistry is reminiscent of my many evenings in the Mariinsky Theatre. Breathe taking and classical ballet at the highest of levels. Please come back ABT very soon.

Moiseyev was sold out in Miami last week. Not a seat in the house. The show was great BTW. I keep hearing ABT is also sold out in Miami next week.

dacer4ever, yes, please come to visit Ballet Talk for Dancers however please understand we do not advise anyone on issues of weight. The best place to receive sound information on this subject is from your family physician.

Mr. Pykhachev was Ms. Vishneva's partner generally in all of the duet classes (and exams) over the three years I was able to observe. He however in January of 1995, when I left Russia until 1997, was not a blonde. Certainly not as blonde as Mr. Kuznetsov nor Mr. Fadeyev. I have not looked at the DVD in years. Thank you Natalia for the information. I wish we had been able to meet in St. Petrsburg. It is a cherished time for me.