Footage of Karsavina doing classwork in "Glory of the Kirov"

[Solor]

After the topic of the Black Swan PDD and the Karsavina photos as Odile I got to thinking about the footage of her doing barre work and various other classroom stuff in the film "Glory of the Kirov". Of all of the different clips offerred in that film the footage of Karsavina fascinated me most of all. Unfortunatly the footage has that sort of 'sped up' quality that alot of old footage from the period has. Luckily I was able to pause my DVD player and adjust the slow-motion in order to get the footage to play at the right speed. Other parts of this footage is played in slow motiuon in the film, and again I was able to speed up my DVD player in order to get the correct speed.

I was really intigued by the level of technique - for example when doing grand battement (pardon me if my spelling of 'ballet french' is incorrect!) Mlle. Karsavina was very wobbley, when doing her entrachat sixes she landed almost in 3rd position, with her heels barely touching the floor (shin-splints? My teacher Marat Daukeyev used to SCREAM at me when doing various brise voles and entrechat quatre/trois/six/de voile or royales for not putting my heels all the way down). When doing her tour jetes I was really suprised at how much she leaned forward (once in class when I was about 10 yrs. old I leaned to far forward when executing a GRAND tour jete if there ever was one and I fell flat on my face!). The other thing that suprised me, which I have also noticed when watching very old footage of dancers, was the way that Karsavina held her arms - it seemed that in those days there wasnt as much emphasis put on 'correct' positioning of the arms? Maybe the technique wasnt as evolved?

I have taught class to some students who were maybe about 20 or so. They werent technically polished by a long shot but they could execute almost any combination given to them; they were very coordinated. It got me to thinking how much they danced exactly like the ballerinas I have seen in very old footage of say Vecheslova or Karsavina, etc.

[Hans]

I actually think (and please bear in mind that this is merely my opinion and not based on any type of historical research) that we over-polish the arms today at the expense of spontaneity and unaffectedness (and sometimes even some natural grace!). I haven't seen this footage for quite some time, but remember that Karsavina had completed her schooling before Vaganova became influential at the Imperial Ballet School (or whatever it was called at the time), and that her training was therefore modeled on the older Romantic French style with arabesques that leaned forward as opposed to the rigidly upright Italian arabesque. Vaganova, as you may know, advocated a compromise between the two positions--an arabesque that leaned forward to allow for a straight jambe qui travail and greater height, but also tensed at the waist so that the back muscles were engaged and there was some opposition involved. Karsavina did take Legat's classes after Christian Johansen died & I am not sure how much he and Vaganova may have discussed their ideas about technique (if at all) but Karsavina may be performing an early form of this arabesque that included the lean forward but with enough tension in her back to keep her from falling over.

I also think it's important to keep in mind that many technical advances were still being made at that time (consider that when Balanchine choreographed "Stars and Stripes" it was unusual to have an entire corps of men who could all do a double tour, and there are many ballerinas today who cannot do entrechat-six) so one should not expect such advanced steps to be as polished as they are today.

However, there were those in Karsavina's time who found her technique to be imprecise; she was better known for her qualities as a dance-actress, so she may not be the best example of what the imported Italian ballerinas were capable of technically. As an example of Karsavina's effect on audiences regardless of her less-than-stellar technique, consider contemporary reports that she eclipsed the great Nijinsky in "Le Spectre de la Rose," a role that today's technically accomplished dancers do little with artistically.

[Alexandra]

Hans, this is one of the most beautiful answers that has ever been posted on this board! Thank you! (And thanks to Solor for a very good question!)

[leonid17]

I actually think (and please bear in mind that this is merely my opinion and not based on any type of historical research) that we over-polish the arms today at the expense of spontaneity and unaffectedness (and sometimes even some natural grace!). I haven't seen this footage for quite some time, but remember that Karsavina had completed her schooling before Vaganova became influential at the Imperial Ballet School (or whatever it was called at the time), and that her training was therefore modeled on the older Romantic French style with arabesques that leaned forward as opposed to the rigidly upright Italian arabesque. However, there were those in Karsavina's time who found her technique to be imprecise; she was better known for her qualities as a dance-actress, so she may not be the best example of what the imported Italian ballerinas were capable of technically.

Tamara Karsavina graduated in 1902. In 1894, Enrico Cecchetti wrote the Manual for exercises for theatrical dance for his class of senior girls at the Imperial Theatre Ballet School. Cecchetti was also influential as a teacher later in Karsavina's life. Whilst in Milan during the 1880's he witnessed the classes of Coppinni who had established a regime of classes Monday through to Saturday which Cecchetti would later employ. Another important teacher active in Milan was Caterina Beretta and it is probable to say the least that Cecchetti witnessed her teaching method. Karsavina would visit Caterina Beretta early in her career to gain strength in her technique. I don't think their is any doubt as to the question of Karsavina as an artist and a beautiful young woman of the Imperial stage. The attainment of her strength in technique in her early years

was referred to in a negative sense in reviews of her performances on the Imperial Stage. I cannot remember when this footage was made, but many dancers achieve things on stage they cannot always achieve in class and vice a versa.

[Mme. Hermine]

is there any class footage existing of her contemporaries?

[Solor]

I actually think (and please bear in mind that this is merely my opinion and not based on any type of historical research) that we over-polish the arms today at the expense of spontaneity and unaffectedness (and sometimes even some natural grace!).

Funny you should mention this leonid. I just recently bought the DVD of the horrific ABT/MacKenzie (spelling?) production of "Swan Lake" filmed in Washington DC, which had wonderful dancing from all involved. For all of Gillian Murphy's wonderful tours (her Black Swan variation was wonderful!) and her really emotional performance, her arms really spoiled an otherwise superb performance, at least in my opinion.....there was something about them that I couldnt quite put my finger on - something that seemed over polished, yet at the same time under-polished. I noticed this as well when I watched her in the ABT "Le Corsaire" film, in her 3rd Oldalisque waltz variation. She also does that 'loose thumbs' thing where the thumbs are sort of hanging from her hand - I used to do this as a kid, untill a teacher of mine put some rubberbands around my hand to keep my thumbs securely fastened to my hand. I never had a loose thumb again!

Please dont misunderstand me from my original post guys - I LOVE footage of the Ballerinas of old, the technique, regardless of its "imperfections" if you will, takes on a life of its own. I just think its sad that there is so little footage of it

There are some students in my more or less adult/advanced class who will never become professionals, but had they lived about 90 or so years ago they would at the least achieve Soloist status! Perhaps for recital I should put together a little 19th century Grand ballet interlude, something "Little Humpbacked Horse Underwater Scene-ish". Theres a few older girls in my class who would litterally take the audience back through time!

[Hans]

To clarify, when I stated that Karsavina's training was based on the French model, I was merely echoing what she wrote in "Theatre Street."