Buddy

I’ve watched this back to where I started, first each dance, then just segments of each. I had started at 1:53:45 followed by Kristina Kretova (Bolshoi) performing a piece by Mauro Bigonzetti. If you start with these two you might get an idea of why this caught my interest. If you care to view this video you might do best starting there..

This looks rather interesting from the Kazan Opera and Ballet Theatre today . I’ve only caught the last part live, but I’ll try to watch the rest. I particularly liked the one at 2:12:20 danced to John Lennon’s “Imagine.” (Video starts at 10:45) https://vk.com/video/@stageplatforma?z=video-162044955_456239055%2Fclub162044955%2Fpl_-162044955_-2 "On November 7, a gala concert of the festival [Kazan Opera and Ballet Theatre] will take place, in which dancers from the leading theaters of Russia will take part: soloists of the Bolshoi Theater Anna Tikhomirova, Kristina Kretova, Artem Ovcharenko, Igor Tsvirko, soloist of the Boris Eifman Ballet Theater Oleg Gabyshev, soloists of the Moscow Academic Musical Theater named after K.S. Stanislavsky and Vl.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko Elena Solomyanko, Innokenty Yuldashev, Erika Mikirticheva, Denis Dmitriev; Elizaveta Chernova (Evgeny Panfilov Theatre, Perm), Alexander Taranov (Perm Tchaikovsky Opera and Ballet Theatre), Alexander Mogilev (Moscow), Vladimir Varnava (St. Petersburg) and others.The host of the evening is a showman, journalist Vadim Vernik (Moscow)."

“Breaking will feature in the Olympics for the first time at the Paris games in 2024, following other urban sports such as skateboarding. It’s a leap from breaking’s origins in the emerging hip-hop culture of the Bronx in the late 1970s. “The competition to get a place at Paris 2024 is exceptionally fierce. There’ll be only 32 dancers worldwide: 16 male, 16 female. “The breaking scene is strong in the US, as you’d imagine, but also in France, Japan, Korea, China:” https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2022/nov/04/we-train-as-athletes-but-we-dance-as-artists-the-uk-breakdancers-chasing-olympic-gold (thanks to Jan McNulty at BalletcoForum)

This is something about Xander Parish that I posted at another forum and would like to post here as well: Xander Parish has to be commended, I believe, both for his outstanding artistic ability (former Mariinsky Principal) as well as for his organisational skills and determination. In addition, I believe that he’s trying to take the ‘high road’ in what he’s doing here, along with the other artists, working for a better world and for this I have to congratulate him and them. Xander Parish (UK, former principal dancer at the Mariinsky) These are some of the artists that catch my attention and that I’m the most familiar with. Christine Shevchenko (Ukraine, currently with ABT) — I’ve seen her several times and think that at her best she’s a remarkable talent. Jacopo Tissi (Italy, formerly with the Bolshoi) and David Motta Soares (Brazil, formerly with the Bolshoi) — Although I’ve not seen either of them on stage, they are highly accomplished artists. Lizi Avsajanishvili (Georgia, formerly with the Mariinsky) — I have seen her perform as an outstanding Vaganova student and think that she has very fine promise. Joy Womack (U.S., formerly with Astrakhan Opera and Ballet Theatre) — Joy Womack, a center of attention over the years, she’s also capable of some very fine dancing. Anastasia Demidova (Russia, formerly with the Mariinsky) She’s Xander Parish’s wife and she’s from the Mariinsky. Laura Fernandez (Switzerland and Ukraine, formerly with Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theatre). I don’t know that much about her, but she’s obviously highly talented (also formerly Mariinsky) and her experiences this year have been very heart-touching ones. Ilya Jivoyi (Russia, formerly with the Mariinsky) — I’m very curious to see what he might create for this event as a choreographer. As I’ve said before, it’s always been the case for me that exceptional performances can come from any of the artists, being a very pleasant surprise. Also you have to add their recent, often compelling, life stories.

This is a video of Olga Smirnova et Victor Caixeta in rehearsal on World Ballet Day at the Dutch National Ballet this year. It starts at 1:19:00. (thanks to Drew and Sophia at Dansomanie) For a comparison this is Olga Smirnova et Ruslan Skvortsov two years ago, “Onegin #WorldBalletDay 2020 - The Bolshoi Ballet.” It starts at 2:16:50. At quick glance, I would say that she looked softer and more flowing two years ago. On the other hand, she seems more beautifully statuesque in this video. It’s nice to hear her speaking in english. It makes her more accessible for us. She seems relaxed and happy. Larissa Lezhnina looks lovely.

“Due to overwhelming demand for tickets, the one-night-only special ballet performance, Reunited in Dance, will be simulcast for free on Segerstrom Center's Julianne and George Argyros Plaza.” https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwdance/article/Free-Simulcast-Announced-For-Sold-Out-REUNITED-IN-DANCE-This-Month-20221103

Except when it is. 😊 I have seen some beautiful ones. Once upon a time there was this beautiful Swan Queen named Veronika Part.... Thanks for the smile, Vipa.

Gee, I only got to see five of them (ABT Swan Lakes) this summer.

It is written in stone that you can never have enough Swan Lakes (and I do like the Kevin McKenzie one very much) and probably Giselles. 😊

Swan Lake and Giselle look fine to me. They are ones that I would consider traveling across the country to see, especially since I don't think that I'll be going to Saint Petersburg for a few years anyway. Hopefully they'll bring these to California as well.

In February Olga Smirnova will be doing two performances of La Bayadère with Jacopo Tissi at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, Teatro Costanzi, Rome, Italy. https://www.olgasmirnovaballet.com I'm not sure if this has been posted before but it's a nice glimpse.

Yes, California, it does seem like a fine gesture which hopefully will do a lot of good for a group of artists that can certainly use some help at the moment.

These are the opening few sentences to a brief newspaper article describing the event as has been described here already. Still, I thought that these several sentences, that sort of comes from out of nowhere, might be worth including here. “Dance has the power to move audiences through movement. Dance can express emotions when words alone fail. Dance can provide hope in hopeless times.” (I might edit it by saying “ ’seemingly’ hopeless times.” ) https://www.newportbeachindy.com/reunited-in-dance-at-segerstrom-center-on-nov-12-features-dancers-impacted-by-the-war-in-ukraine/

This is something that may or may not have been mentioned. From CBS 60 Minutes…. “Tonight, an update on a story from last May, "Ballet In Exile.” ” “American philanthropist Howard Buffett, son of Warren Buffett, and once the focus of a 60 Minutes profile, was watching. His foundation has granted more than a million dollars to help support the exiled Ukrainian dancers.” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ballet-in-exile-update-60-minutes-2022-10-30/ (thanks to Jan McNulty at BalletcoForum)

I keep that performance in a golden frame, Cobweb. By the ways, thanks everyone for the updates on Elisabeth Beyer. I hope that they give her a chance at something big as soon as possible. I really look forward to seeing her name mentioned here.

A few of the performances in October stand out for me. Based on video clips, Maria Iliushkina’s Raymonda looked very beautiful. She’ll also be performing Swan Lake once again in November. She’s one of the Mariinsky’s loveliest dancer. Oxana Skorik, who also performed Raymonda and will be performing Swan Lake tomorrow, is perhaps the Mariinsky’s loveliest. In fact, she might be the world’s loveliest. Others whom I might put in this category are the Bolshoi’s Alyona Kovalyova (Mariinsky school graduate) and possibly the very young Perm school student, Eva Sergeenkova, whom I’d like very much to see in the Mariinsky. Anastasia Plotnikova (recipient of the Natalia Makarova award for artistry at The Youth America competition (New York, 2019)) from the Mariinsky Corps de Ballet is someone that I continue to wonder if she’ll be another Maria Iliushkina, career and talent wise. Here she is once again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHK8H181cr4 Renata Shakirova’s Giselle looked very impressive. Yekaterina Osmolkina performed Ratmansky’s Cinderella earlier in the month, which is a performance that I would like to have seen. Besides being one of the Mariinsky’s loveliest she can also be remarkably expressive. This role would not be typical for her. I’m not sure of the future standing of this work. It has produced some very fine performances. Nadezhda Batoeva will be performing Swan Lake Saturday. I’ve seen two of her Odette/Odiles and they were very good.

The “Reunited” group represents a very noteworthy part of human activity and identity — art, human values and beauty. To whatever extent it can add to this, I wish it as much success as possible. I’ll be very interested to see what Ilya Jivoy might offer and Xander Parish is also going to perform a work that he, himself, has created. The quality of all the performances could be quite fine. I’ve also found in a group as diverse in publicly recognised artists as this one that there are always some very pleasant surprise performances. As to what artistic direction and identity this group/company might take, there are some very promising possibilities.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have followed the career of Natalia Osipova from her beginnings at the Bolshoi. I even remember a poster at another forum being, I believe, the first to use the expression “Force of Nature.” I was the first (and probably the only) to nickname her “The Bolshoi.” 🙂 She was an aerial phenomenon and lit up the stage like no other in the company. I’ve seen at least two of her modern performances and she is developing a very convincing presence. Her abilities are changing from being a “Force of Nature” to being more of an artist. It’s her choice of material that I think will be critical to her future success. I tend to find her more pleasant and light-hearted choices to be the most successful. Overall, I find her to be highly talented and quite loveable.

One entry on the list has caught my attention, “Ilya Jivoyi (Russia, formerly with the Mariinsky).” He’s now a choreographer who’s been very active with the Mariinsky since 2013. He also works internationally having done most of his new works outside Russia in 2021-2. I would think that he could have a very active career right now at the Mariinsky. Does anyone know more about him ? Here’s what looks to be his official description of himself. https://jivoydance.com My only guess, unless he’s taken a political stand, is that he wants to participate internationally and this grouping of artists sharing his own cultural background is one that he would be very comfortable with. Here’s a recent instagram that he’s posted. “Thank you Chris for your trust, thank you Xander for your huge talent and friendship, thank you Elizabeth for your attention and support, Elina, Masha, dear Gavriel, dear dancers and team members! Thank you!!" https://www.instagram.com/p/CjpMclvoVD1/?hl=en How things seem to come around —- My favorite work by him was presented at the 2017 Mariinsky Festival as part of a work, “The Dreamers,” commissioned by Sergei Danilian (Ardani Artists) in memory of Henry Segerstrom, who had just passed away. It might seem that his association here is a totally artistic one. I also toyed with the idea in my previous post of the “Reunited” group charting some new artistic directions. Again from his Biography : “Educated in one of the best ballet schools in the world – Vaganova Ballet Academy and having extensive experience performing both classical and modern ballets at the Mariinsky Theater, Ilya Jivoy connects his work with the aesthetics and beauty of the Russian Ballet School. Although he rethinks it, tries to find and discover new facets, experiments with the form and content, as well as uses modern theatrical techniques, combined with the fundamental foundations of classical ballet, neoclassicism, contemporary style and modern choreography.” Added: Just found this which will answer part of my question: "But even without a call-up, the drumbeat of conflict was crowding out the cultural spaces, says Ilya Jivoy. A native of St. Petersburg with a 26-year career, Jivoy left Russia with his Ukrainian wife as war broke out." https://www.kuwaittimes.com/ballet-stars-who-fled-russias-ukraine-war-reunite-in-us/

Anything new about the very young and hopefully very promising Elisabeth Beyer ?

Thanks, Drew, for your thoughts and interest. Just from an artistic point of view there are some interesting possibilities. I’m not sure to what extent the group/company will wish to stay together and if it did whether it could find some sort of home at the Segerstrom or would want to. A lot might depend on how well the performance goes. There was a trial one in early October, not announced for public attendance that I know of. Apparently it went well enough that this one has been scheduled. Demand for tickets has been so great that the ground floor at least was sold out (except for some handicap seats) before being available to the general public (still a curious situation, who got those tickets?). Now the upper balcony, originally closed, is being made available with another 240 seats. As I mentioned, the telephone salesperson that I talked to thought that folks might really just want to see some high quality ‘Russian’ ballet. This seems reasonable. Remember the crowds in London that came to see the Bolshoi when it started touring in the fifties. Also folks might be curious as to how the current ‘world situation’ is being reflected in this part of the arts. I have a ticket, second to the top balcony, and would like to see how it goes before I get too interested. Xander Parish might be the senior member and the impetus behind it all. He’s taken on the position of its Artistic Director and is perhaps also capable of being a very competent coach. If the group/company holds together, it could certainly be a focus for the ‘Russian classical style’ outside of Russia. To let my imagination run even further, it could become some sort of hybrid such as the Diaghilev and Balanchine companies. California is certainly a place where something like this could happen. Or it could stay firmly classical. Most of the Mariinsky/Bolshoi ballet that’s been seen at the Segerstrom and all of California has been pure classical and very well received. Still the hybrid idea somewhat ‘intrigues’ me. I have to add my personal feelings that hopefully the ‘world situation’ will allow the arts to flow freely again as soon as possible and that would have a large effect on this sort of thing. I think that this is the current philosophy of the ‘Reunited’ group as well.

I guess that the unusual sales situation, the entire ground floor at least (except for handicap seating) was sold out before seats were even available to the general public, does imply that there’s a definite interest in this event. The sales operator thought that any chance to see a group of prominent ballet dancers from Russia might produce such a response at this time. There are still about 130 seats available (not an estimate of 40 as I was told) in the second to top balcony. Xander Parish has expressed the feeling (his and the other dancers) that the performance will be presented in the spirit of hope, peace and goodwill.

Some important ticket information. There are only about 40 seats left and they’re almost all in the second to top balcony. It seems very unusual because I checked the first day of the announcement and all the regular Ground Floor (Orchestra) seats were “Unavailable.” I assumed that they weren’t on sale yet. Today I finally called and indeed most of the seats (1,400 est.) are taken according to two operators. One suggested that some large groups might have purchased them. Your guess is as good as mine.

This is a video of Dansomania by Vyacheslav Samodurov. It could be called abstract ballet and I’ve seen a lot of these over the years at the Mariinsky. I tend to leave the success of this sort of thing to a few Western ballet companies. I also tend to generally skip the explanations and just go with what I see. Having watched almost all 20 minutes of this video I do tend to like it. The moves are interesting, well designed and well performed. It’s probably a good step towards ‘contemporary’ in ballet from Russia. I could actually find it believable if the names Tharp or Forsythe were attached to the credits. (‘Derivative’? Not sure. Still like it.) See what you think. I prefer starting at about 4:50. (Posted by one of the artists)

Another name has caught my attention on the list of artists that suggests the high quality of performances that might be seen. She’s Lizi Avsajanishvili who left the Mariinsky after about two years, probably last June. Although she’s from Georgia, I haven’t seen any reason to think that it was political. I liked her very much as the lead in a Vaganova production that I saw several years before her graduation. I was sure that she’d have a fine career at the Mariinsky but she left and joined the Corps de Ballet at the Staatsballett in Berlin. I greatly look forward to seeing her. Added: Laura Fernandez, who’s half Ukrainian and half Spanish, on the other hand, has stated to at least one major newspaper that her reason for leaving was definitely because of the political climate that she was noticing all around her.