Vaganova Academy Graduation Performances

[angelica]

Smirnova looks very intriguing...but what a trip Asylmuratova is--the loving mother you can never satisfy.

"Tiger Mother"

[valentina11]

New names are on the list of the Mariinsky corps de ballet - they include from the Vaganova graduates Irina Tolchilshchikova, Ekaterina Bondarenko, Yulia Kabatova, Elizaveta Kaukina. Galina Rusina and Tatiana Goryushkina new on the reserve list. We knew already that Olga Smirnova goes to Bolchoi but: Kristina Shapran is also not in the Mariinsky, as far as this list says anyway. Neither, for this matter, is Alexandra Somova.

I don't see new names from the men, but I could have just made an oversight.

[Cygnet]

Congratulations to the new hires ! Vladislav Makarov and Yarolsav Ryzhov were accepted. It's interesting that both Smirnova and Shapran the two strongest females, and the strongest male, Sergei Strelkov, opted out. We'll soon see where Strelkov and Shapran end up.

[Helene]

Many thanks, valentina11!

[Solnishka79]

According to the Mikhalovsky Roster, it looks like Sergei Strelkov has joined the company as a second soloist. Nothing about Shapran or even Somova.

[Solnishka79]

Kristina Shapran is listen in the corps of the Stanislavsky Ballet in Moscow.

http://www.stanmus.ru/people.html?grp=3

[bianca]

From what I know Alexandra Somova is in Mariinsky but website doesn't confirm that.

[Cygnet]

Bianca wrote:

From what I know Alexandra Somova is in Mariinsky but website doesn't confirm that.

Alexandra Somova wasn’t hired by the *Mariinsky, nor any of the following Petersburg companies: The Mikhailovsky, The Tkachine Ballet (St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre), Leonid Jacobson’s company, Boris Eifman, or the Hermitage. *(Mariinsky site was upgraded/reconfigured Tuesday).

http://www.mariinsky.../ballet/mimans/

http://www.mariinsky...ballet/reserve/

http://www.mariinsky...let/kopsballet/

http://www.mikhailov...ballet-company/

http://www.spbt.ru/o...sts22/?lang=eng (Tkachine & Kolesnikova’s troupe)

http://www.eifmanballet.ru/en/ensemble

http://rus-ballet.co...tic-corps-1.htm (The Hermitage troupe).

http://www.jacobsonballet.com/

Meanwhile in Moscow, Filin is beginning to push Olga Smirnova forward. Her debut performance with the company was in the pas de trois in “Swan Lake” on October 14:

http://www.bolshoi.r...ynid26=2680#dyn

She danced the second variation in the Grand Pas Espagnole to Obraztsova’s Bolshoi debut as Kitri in the “Don Q” reconstruction last Sunday, October 16:

http://www.bolshoi.r...ynid26=2682#dyn

Smirnova makes her debut as Myrtha in “Giselle” on Nov. 6. This will be her first major assignment:

http://www.bolshoi.r...ynid26=2716#dyn

After this, she’s cast as a maid of honor in the premiere of the new production of “Sleeping Beauty,” (Grigorovich’s version, with new scenery and costumes) on November 18. This will be Zakharova and David Hallberg's performance:

http://www.bolshoi.r...ynid26=2704#dyn

Then Smirnova will upgrade to her debut as Lilac Fairy for Ekaterina Krysanova & Semyon Chudin's performance, November 24:

http://www.bolshoi.r...ynid26=2708#dyn

[Cordelia]

Olga Smirnova's Don Quixote variation is up on YT. The user elga 1525 also has Obraztsova's Dulcinea variation from the same performance. Smirnova fits in well with Bolshoi, her dancing is very authoritative.

[Natalia]

I found this lovely YouTube clip of an "Alexandra Somova" practicing a 'Paquita Pas de Trois' variation in class, presumably while studying at the Vaganova:

I could picture her dancing the Panaderos of Raymonda! Hopefully she'll get into a company.

[alexaa1a]

Alexandra Somova, in her own words, said that she is dancing now for Mariinsky Ballet.

She was hired by a company in St Petersburg, and the best company.

[vrsfanatic]

Thank you for posting this. Not the best I have seen unfortunately. I don't mean to stir up controversy but that was not the quality I am accustomed to from Vaganova Academy nor Mariinsky (the studio is Mariinsky). Maybe she put it together without the benefit of coaching from a qualified person? It really bothers me that the music is completely wrong. Sorry to say, not a big from me.

[Natalia]

Thank you for posting this. Not the best I have seen unfortunately. ....

Vrsfanatic, that's why I think that this variation -- albeit classical -- does a better job in showing her character-dance qualities. She has grown and seems to fit more of the character mold...Marie Petipa roles.

Alexaa1a wrote:

Alexandra Somova, in her own words, said that she is dancing now for Mariinsky Ballet.

Most reassuring.

[Lidewij]

I found another video featuring Smirnova rehearsing with Marina Kondratieva.

To watch it, go to this page, scroll to the right in the box of thumbnails, and click the one where you see a girl with a light blue top and white sweat pants.

[valentina11]

Smirnova looks more Bolshoi than Mariinsky!

I find it strange that Shapran went to dance corps in this company... but there you are!

[mumwang]

Smirnova looks more Bolshoi than Mariinsky! I find it strange that Shapran went to dance corps in this company... but there you are!

According to the Stanislavsky Ballet twitter person Shapran is actually a soloist with the theatre. (in a reply to bellafigura's twitter, the stanislavsky twitter said that although she is listed in the corps she is actually a soloist "Some of the dancers listed as Artists on the website are actually soloists.")

Since Zelensky is now the director of both the Stanislavsky and Novosibrisk theatres, Shapran danced Sugar Plum in the Novosibrisk Nucracker on 23 dec.

http://www.opera-novosibirsk.ru/afisha/index.php?caf:e=4&caf:id=2762

She is also scheduled to participate in a moscow/petersburg gala alongside dancers like obtrasova, matvienkos, krysanova, osipova/vasiliev.

http://www.avito.ru/items/sankt-peterburg_bilety_i_puteshestviya_balet_stars_gala_zvyozdy_dvuh_stolits_17_fevr_50936235

She is also supposedly rehearsing Lacotte's Sylphide.

Smirnova recently danced the Thais pdd with Chudin at the Bolshoi gala to honour Roland Petit.

http://www.forum-dansomanie.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1073&start=1485&sid=b13f130689c9e3876261935cac858292

Both young woman seem to be eagerly pushed by their respective theatres (perhaps thats why they chose to leave St Petersburg). Hopefully in the not too distant future both Shapran and Smirnova with their very different styles/talent well be able to make their mark.

[Lidewij]

Another video has turned up of the Little Humpbacked Horse. In the description I see the names of Olga Smirnova and Kristina Shapran, but when I look back in the thread Shapran has not danced this? So maybe someone else can recognise the dancers

I can't seem to find out how to embed a video in my post, so here's a simple link to the video.

[Natalia]

Thanks, Lidewij. Shapran did not dance this LHH Suite at all but she danced Nikiya in 'Shades' at the same concert. From my post #11 to this thread -- full casting of this, the 3d and final 2011 Graduation Concert -- the casting of this clip should be:

PART I: In honor of the 140th Birthday of Alexander Gorsky: Revival of the Underwater Scene of The Little Humpacked Horse (chor. Gorsky, staged by Yuri Burlaka/music by Pugni, Drigo & Asafiev)

Water Goddess - Olga Smirnova

Water God - Nikita Nazarov

Ocean & Two Pearls pas de trois - Takano Enen, Arina Varentseva & Ksenia Ananieva

Two Corals - Yulia Kobatova & Anastasia Asaben

Little fish/sea urchins - ensemble of students

[mumwang]

Shapran was injured and did not dance the bayadere performance on the 26th. Smirnova danced in her place as well as her own thais pdd. Due to this, Eliazaveta Kaukina danced in replacement of Smirnova for LHH. She is the dancer (water goddess) featured in the video.

I'm interested if Shapran ever danced LHH because in a Dancing Times review of the graduation performances Igor Stupinikov cited her as "splendid" in this piece. To the best of my knowledge she did not perform this role but I am wondering if she danced it at a rehearsal, or at another performance? Thanks

[Natalia]

The film of Shapran dancing Nikiya is on YouTube and was pointed out earlier in this thread. She was listed for Nikiya at only the performance of the 26th. Perhaps the YouTube film was made at a dress rehearsal?

[mumwang]

Yes the youtube film was made at a rehearsal. The photos on Stanislav Belyaevsky's facebook on the graduation performance were also taken at the rehearsal.

Shapran is not featured as the lead in LHH in those photos either so i'm wondering when and where she danced the role that lead to Stupinikov's comment? Thanks

[Lidewij]

And another video of these performances has appeared. This time the entire performance of June 19th:

http://www.youtube.c...bed/aDxTj-UrYDM

edited to add: my personal favourite is the girl that dances the first Paquita variation The second dancer's build reminds me more of Alina Somova so I think that must be Somova Jr.? So the girl I like is Ksenia Shevtsova?

I would like to know for sure, so please help me out if you know

[Helene]

Many thanks for the link, Lidewij!

Here is a direct version of the link; if you double click on the __________ above the video, you'll get full YouTube controls:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDxTj-UrYDM

I, too, hope someone can ID the dancers.

[alexaa1a]

The YouTube video states June 20, 2011. Looking at the Mariinsky website for the month of June, 2011, http://www.mariinsky.ru/ru/playbill/playbill/?year=2011&month=6 , the only ballet performed on that day had these 4 leading ballerinas, Alina Somova, Viktoria Tereshkina, Ekaterina Osmolkina and Ekaterina Kondaurova. None of those two girls are any of these 4 ballerinas. If you look at that web address listed above, Vaganova performed on the 18th, 19th and 26th. Based on the ballets in the video, this was the second performance on June 19. Going from left to right on Helene's still from the video, they are Alexandra Somova, Alina's sister and a 2011 graduate from Ludmila Kovaleva's graduating class,which included Kristina Shapran and Olga Smirnova; Daniil Lopatin, who graduates this year and is a student of Gennadi Selyutsky and finally Ksenia Shevtsova, who graduates this year from Irina Sitnikova's graduating class.

[vrsfanatic]

Thank you for the information on the dancers. I kept wishing you would say it was not from Vaganova Academy at all! I still have not been able to get past the 1st piece. Hopefully it gets better.