Buddy

Natalia, I can't help you much for the moment but I have to say, "Thank you a million!" for bringing Eva Evdokimova into this. What an amazing * Artist! * she was ! If I knew/had known more about her it might possible realign my ballet universe. I think I know who she is here, but could you confirm this with a time location on the video. In fact if you could possibly do this for all of them along with who's performing who that would be great. The descriptions are a little confusing to me. By the way, I wouldn't say "Smirnova vs Skorik." I think that they're both wonderful. If I had to pick an "ethereal" for a Marie Taglioni for the moment I'd probably have to combine Ulyana Lopatkina with Olga Smirnova or Alina Cojocaru or Alina Somova or Diana Vishneva or....

Hi, MadameP. I think for one thing that our focus is probably different and this I respect. I would want to say this, though, that I don't think that we'd be discussing any of these artists if a lot of folks didn't think that had something outstanding to offer. Hope you're doing well and best wishes.

I’ve time at the moment to do video watching and there’s so much of beauty and interest that it’s hard not to keep writing. When I reflect on all the beauty that a day can offer, thinking about and watching (with videos) these amazing artists can be at times a real highpoint because of all the heart touching warmth and appreciation that I feel. A couple years ago when I started noticing Olga Smirnova it was usually in comparison to the Mariinsky’s Oxana Skorik at topics focusing on Oxana Skorik. For the moment the emphasis has shifted but the comparison remains compelling since I see them both as remarkably beautiful artists pursuing parallel carriers. Olga Smirnova, I feel, could be one of history’s greatest ballerinas, perhaps already is. What makes her so special — Dimension. But there’s something else — Pure Beauty of Dance. In this regard I feel that Ulyana Lopatkina may also be one of history’s greatest ballerinas, but the impact and recognition are much different. In the same regard I always return to watch Oxana Skorik and she always manages to hold her own and to excel. Probably not having the consistant intensity, range or impact that Olga Smirnova has, she may not get the same level of recognition, but she has amazing beauty of dance, in certain respects unequaled by anyone. I continue to watch their parallel development with much interest and greatest appreciation. In further regard to Olga Smirnova, there is another area of comparison that I find very embracing. Presence This, for me, is one of her most remarkable qualities. I would like to mention two other ballerinas who effect me greatly in a similar manner. Veronika Part -- She has a definite resemblance in her compelling nature. She’s perhaps more of the air. Her elevated essence seems to permeate everything. Simone Messmer -- I’ve seen so little of her and now that she’s at a new company, The Miami City Ballet, this may involve more changes. She’s one dancer who simply captivates me the minute she appears on stage. At times her performance seems less important than who she is, whom she’s conveying, her persona and her portrayal. I hope to be able to see much more of her, as her artistry should grow and grow. Other artists such as Alina Cojocaru, whom I’ve not seen in several years, come to mind. I would also include the Mariinsky’s Yekaterina Kondaurova and Alina Somova, although they have so many areas that they excel in that it’s hard to focus on just this. They also tend to emphasise their power of ‘Presence’ and portrayal more selectively.

This is something that I consider very important in her identity. All that she does so beautifully seems to radiate from this. She has a fundamental place in her mind, visible in her face, that lovingly knows exactly and expresses so clearly the essential need for and unquestionable value of a woman. Added: I probably should have written, "She *seems to have* a fundamental place in her mind...."

Natalia, the fact that she can do so many things so well moving seamlessly from one to the other in a continuing building process makes her great in my mind. Based on my fifteen years in the audience and video watching, this is how I feel. I’ve seen five of her performances. Two of these were her Swan Lakes in New York City, June 2014, which I considered absolutely outstanding. Her La Bayadere performance at this year’s Mariinsky Festival elicited the feeling that she is Already One of The Greatest Ever.

I was quite unprepared for this one, Natalia. Thank you so much and very best wishes. Added muse: "Of course I, too, admire Smirnova. We're so lucky...." Yes, it's nice indeed to have someone that you want to dream about.

Ok, you two ! I was ready for this one ! If you really want to know -- "Loveliness -- that touches the heart" Yes, I'm smitten -- from my artistically respectful and grandfatherly distance, out there somewhere, among all the most beautiful thoughts of all the beauty of all womankind.

The Beginner’s Guide — A Few Points of Departure Olga Smirnova Aura — envelopes, elevates and transports Presence — “a magical presence” (Merrill Ashley), “an indefinable authority”(Clement Crisp) Expression Facial Expression Soulfulness — (“that touches the spirit”, Clement Crisp) Loveliness -- that touches the heart Beauty of Motion Phrasing Flow Sculpture — Forming Shapes Physical Beauty (“lovely extraterrestrial who landed among us”, Jim Lewis, NY Times) Statuesque Genius Intelligence Perfection of Presentation, of Details Invention Searching — For Meaning, For Method Technical Prowess

Daria Pavlenko -- Mariinsky Principal Dancer With all the fine new talent being featured she’s one ballerina who’s been around for quite awhile who I think does remarkably well in comparison. She’s listed the beginning of this month for several Sacres and two Symphonies in Three Movements. This seems as usual. The most noteworthy role that I’ve seen her listed for in the last year or so is Anna Karenina. The last time I saw her was at a Festival several years ago where she was in a divertissement and seemed as beautiful and fit as ever. The most brilliant that I’ve ever seen her was in two Giselles in Washington DC years ago. I still consider these to be two of the finest ballet performances that I’ve ever seen. It would be so wonderful to see more of her.

Well, some more video watching and I think that I see some of the direction that I mentioned above. In this instance there is more beauty of flow, but rather than really emphasising it she seems to be taking a more statuesque approach. Each move contains a portrait of linear fineness, her long limbs constructing so clearly and so articulately. It’s probably more a refinement of form more than motion. I guess what I have in mind above is closer to Ulyana Lopatkina whose pure beauty of motion is perhaps the finest that I’ve ever seen. I have to call Olga Smirnova a genius. With each work that she performs, she creates a new personal identity and a new way of seeing things, of doing things, a new reality. I could probably list at least ten different outstanding elements that she accomplishes with every performance. A chapter could be written about each of them. Where ever she goes should be an adventure in great artistry.

During the first Bolshoi (meaning “Big,” not the ballet company) tv dance competition Diana Vishneva said that Olga Smirnova had managed to combine the Mariinsky and Bolshoi styles. Olga Smirnova was about Twenty-One at the time. I look at some video clips of her at the Vaganova and I can see already that she was adding expression (what some would call more a Bolshoi characteristic) to her lyrically beautiful training. She was adding dramatic highlights. These days, I would say that her Expression is the dominant part of her approach. Consistant with what I’ve seen at the Bolshoi, the development and expression of the character are very important. At the Mariinsky, I feel that the enchantment of the pure dance is primary. Her ability to do this alone could make her one of the greatest ballerinas ever, perhaps more like Anna Pavlova than Galina Ulanova. Yet, not exactly like Anna Pavlova. My cornerstone reference for Anna Pavlova, from extremely limited film documentation, is the one minute video clip of her dancing Fokine’s Swan. It’s magical. It’s also more transcendental that what Olga Smirnova is doing, but not as much so as what Galina Ulanova did. From my so limited glimpse of Anna Pavlova, she was probably the greatest, not necessarily because of her emphasis, which was remarkable poetry, but because of how she could do it. For the moment Olga Smirnova is more of this Earth. Yet, she has her years of Vaganova training ingrained. In a more recent video glimpse of her training at the Bolshoi, she momentarily practices a sweep of her arms that is breathtaking in the Purity of its Vaganova/Mariinsky-like Beauty and Flow. In my post above I mentioned that she debuted Giselle in February. This would be an excellent chance for her to move in this direction. How much I would love to see more of this as she develops. I say ‘develops’ because she is only twenty-five and everything that she does seems to be part of a building process. Each time that I’ve seen her repeat a work there’s a noticeable progression and development. So it seems very possible to me that she could reemphasise her Vaganova capability any time that she choses. In combination with what she’s accomplished since, it would be a treasure to experience. She would have moved closer to Anna Pavlova, of whom she could become the closest resemblance in ballet history. Or she could even move towards Galina Ulanova. It would be more likely and dream fulfilling that she could settle somewhere in-between. Some day there is also the possibility that she could move into areas of dance, theater and expression well beyond the scope of ballet. This is a very possible and exciting prospect.

A perception that I would like to elaborate on for a moment about Olga Smirnova’s performance is her Presence and her Dance. Her Presence, her persona, is probably always the dominant element. At the beginning of this work it’s used to define her character in terms of the story. Character development is perhaps the main purpose of Act I. Then the dancing becomes more and more important ending in almost pure dancing in the last Act. But even in this it’s her Presence that dominates. As beautiful and interesting as her Dance is, it’s her Presence, her persona, that defines it and gives it its identity and its aura. And the key element here is her remarkable Facial Expression.

Such good news about such a positive response ! Thank you, Balletfreak. And thank you, Mme. Hermine, for your suggestion.

I just tried to send a donation using this email address: help-karina-soldatova@yandex.ru, and received this message, "this recipient is currently unable to receive money." Could anyone please help me with this? Thank you.

I'd like to express my strongest support for anything that we can do to help her, and thank everyone here for their support.

Olga Smirnova Her performance becomes more and more perhaps the highlight of the Festival in my memory. This is somewhat a summary of my feelings. To describe my Walking Home, Floating in The Heavens I think of of her as “Angel Wings” Angel — “An Indefinably Authority” “That Touches The Spirit” * Wings — To Elevate, Flow Through Our Senses, Carry Us Along Act I Above all she creates — A Presence She’s part of this world “an indefinable authority” “that touches the spirit” and a woman in love the artistic beauty of her Dance echoes her Presence The Palace Scene moves her from here to to a transcendent place Last Act She’s now an elevated being in a place of ‘spiritual transcendence’ still tied to this world by love Her Dance becomes primary its flow and artistic magnificence create the dream and the aura that perhaps remain the strongest memory and linger on as the deepest feeling * (two quotes from Clement Crisp)

She didn't appear that I know of, Natalia, and I saw all the performances. Drew is correct about A Midsummer Night's Dream. https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/company/ballet/first_soloists/dancers1/shapran1 (look under her photo for this information) Added: Some other dancers who’ve been prominent at recent Festivals, who did not appear this year would be Ulyana Lopatkina, Diana Vishneva, Oxana Skorik, Alina Somova, Olesya Novikova. Kimin Kim and Vladimir Shklyarov.

More video watching and more beauty. Again back to what I call phrasing or control of the body in motion. In watching one of her Vaganova videos I notice how calm her upper back remains while her legs are quite active or dramatic in positioning. She has very noticeable suspensions of flow in her upper body and a very sculpturesque grandeur. In a much more recent video this is much less noticeable, more subtle. I tend to like them both. If you want to see a very brief example of this Vaganova style (2011) go to 4:50. Also look at the hypnotic wonder of her face in the part that follows. She ends by saying, "I want to believe in something good, something filled with light." (Video posted by the Vaganova Academy)

So what’s it all about ? Probably it’s about Love A Man's for A Woman for All Her Beauty All Human Love “the sweet love between the moon and the deep blue sea” the tides, the flow The Dancer The Beauty The Enchantment The Dream "Oh, that's so sweet!" said Five-Year-Old Aimie to her Five-Year-Old Twin Brother, Ami

Thanks again, Fraildove and MadameP. I guess, for me, the relevance of all these height statistics to this discussion, is that Olga Smirnova seems much taller to me than she might actually be (along with perhaps other ballerinas) —- to her (and their) great credit !

Thanks, Fraildove. I recall a discussion we once had about the style differences of the major companies in Russia. We were talking about Svetlana Zakharova, but now we have Olga Smirnova as well. If you’d care to comment on her ’company style’ sometime I’d be delighted to hear what you have to say. I hope that your company is doing very well. As an aside, one of the companies you mentioned was the Perm Ballet, who performed Swan Lake this year at the Mariinsky Festival, the first company to do a complete Swan Lake. The best that I can remember is feeling that the Perm dancers were very precise, almost Opera de Paris from the ankles up. This is a rather incomplete description, but I did enjoy their performance very much. In regard to articles about Ulyana Lopatkina’s height, the best I can do for the moment is this. “Lopatkina said that right now she herself is the tallest ballerina in the Kirov.” February 24, 2011 http://russiapastandpresent.blogspot.ch/2008/04/interview-with-uliana-lopatkina.html

6'1'' , just as I thought. Thank you ! I do believe that Ulyana Lopatkina is 6'-1''. Thanks for the other insights. Added: Ulyana Lopatkina is 1.75 m or 5'-9" according to Wikipedia. I recall an article saying 6'-1''. If I can find it I'll let you know.

Thanks, MadameP. I thought that was the case. Also she doesn't seem to travel, possibly to be closer to her family. And apropos to our latest discussion at the Mariinsky Festival topic, bring your tape measure if you disagree. I claim that she's tall or (bowing to my total lack of objectivity in her presence) at least seems tall. Also one more quick comment about what, in the case of Olga Smirnova, I call phrasing. She has the ability in the middle of a flow to stop or highlight motion for a fraction of a second for dramatic (or ethereal, my preferred word) effect.* It can leave me breathless. * I find this most noticeable in her facial expression.

I’m now into video reality rather than what I’ve just seen on stage. The one advantage is that you can study details that would have raced by on the stage. The other side is that the reality may be slightly altered or diminished. What I’m noticing is the importance of Aura. This I believe was also a major factor when seeing her live. From videos I’m also noticing the importance of her phrasing — the timing and positioning. I mentioned the idea that a key element in the concept of épaulement — ‘subtle contrasts and oppositions,’ may be a key element of her entire performance. This may be true, but I think even more important is the idea of ’subtle nuances’ of any kind. She seems to excel at this. In regard to what might have happened if she had stayed at the Mariinsky and developed with the support that she’s received at the Bolshoi, I’ve been looking at a few old Vaganova clips, featuring her more delicate and refined nature. I get ‘tingles of excitement’ when I think of what a subtly ethereal goddess she might have become in the manner of Ulyana Lopatkina. I don’t mean to diminish for an instant what she is doing now, but this is an alternative direction that I find exciting to think about. As I also mentioned, I think that this place is now being principally taken at the Mariinsky by Oxana Skorik, whose beauty of dance is remarkable. Whether she can develop into an ‘ethereal’ is yet to be seen. I’ve definitely seen the potential. I also mentioned the similarly beautiful dancing of Yekaterina Osmolkina, but I totally forgot about Alina Somova. That’s probably because she’s performing less. She tries so many things that it’s difficult to focus on only one, but in flowing beauty of dance she is also one of the Mariinsky’s finest.

It's quite remarkable, MadameP, how all these 'not tall' ballerinas, become performing giants on the stage. I would have thought of most of them as being taller if I hadn't seen them off the stage. I have a generalised theory that smaller (or smaller looking) ballerinas have to project more. I've even found many of them to be extremely sunshiny. When I see bundles of energy, expression and radiance, such as Renata Shakirova or, away from the Mariinsky, Natalia Osipova and Alina Cojocaru, I get this feeling. Yekaterina Osmolkina is very interesting to me because she doesn't particularly project. She has a rather contained, not expansive, presence and yet her performing beauty is so lovely that I'm riveted to her.