Yulia Stepanova

[SFCleo]

Bows and autograph signing.

[MadameP]

I too went to the Stepanova/Rodkin Swan Lake last night. It was a great evening for all Yulia Stepanova fans and although I have seen her dance Odette-Odile several times with the Mariinsky, this was her Bolshoi debut in the role. There is much to say, and so apologies in advance it this is somewhat rambling (!).

To start with the first act, Denis Rodkin has all the hallmarks of a Perfect Prince - handsome, tall, strong, courteous in manner. The first act showed off his somewhat stately technique and natural presence on stage as well as graceful arms. The jester, ,Gusev, was light and frolicsome, for want of a better word, without being too irritating. He pulled of his final grande pirouette magnificently and to predictable applause. I liked Kokhlova's charming prince's friend, with fast light pointework, but Ana Turazashvili was miscast in my opinion with little charisma and stiff arms and spiky fingers. Rodkin partnered both of them ably, however!

This was Yulia's debut though and many of the audience near me were excited to be seeing her for the first time. They applauded her entry and not surprising. She did look absolutely exquisite, and her undulating swan arms throughout were just amazing! She has soft, flowing movement and everything seems easy for her, with effortless extensions and beautiful lines in arabesque. She and Rodkin complement each other physically very well. She was a tender, feminine swan with expressions that were so natural and just made perfect sense, and she interacted well with all the other characters on the stage.

The adagio in particular was real poetry and flow of movement, met by great applause and cheers. She does have wonderful legato movement quality, but she is also technically superb. Her tiny frappes sur le cou de pied at the end of the adagio were delicate and precise and that section ended with single, double and then quadruple pirouettes.

I have to say, that Denis Rodkin's partnering was exemplary throughout, and the high lifts especially were just so strong and easy. However, I have seen him dance many times before, and I did feel he was slightly hampered by the smaller stage. His grands jetes en tournant in particular lacked the ultimate stretching out of back leg, although they were high and easy.

The corps in general were well rehearsed and not a pointe shoe to be heard. Congratulations on that! They do not have the arms of their Mariinsky counterparts, but nonetheless, they were good. The four little swans danced with great precision and well synchronised in their dance but later on in the scene their arms were all over the place. I have to say that I found two of the three big swans decidedly lacking, especially Marchenkova, who displayed the most awful flailing, vulgar arms throughout. Horrible. The same mannerism also prevailed in her Spanish bride variation later.

I do hate what Grigorovich has done in particular to the first white scene, where Odette and the prince are interrupted far too much by the Evil Genius., Igor Tsvirko, who displayed animalistic evil throughout and strong technique. I also wonder what has happened to the lake? The backcloth is murky brown.

The Black Act for me is very successful. I love the different variations for the brides with their retinues. Of the Brides, I enjoyed Yana Parienko the most. She to me represents good Bolshoi style, and she was strong, exuberant, stylish in her Polish dance. Loved her. The Russian bride, Yakusheva, was also excellent and musical, with charm and amplitude of arms and nice use of her head.

Rodkin was acting well in this act and the Black Swan pd2 was fabulous. Yulia's difficult variation with its succession of single and double pirouettes was performed technically perfectly and with musicality also and her fouettes also were strong. She did single, single, double six times, and then singles until the last double, which she sailed round and then nailed dead perfectly in 5th. Characterisation was old fashioned glamour and seduction and Rodkin fell for it hook line and sinker!

The last act contains some nice choreographic patterns for the swans, and the despairing Odette of Yulia was very moving. However, The ending of this version leaves much to be desired, with Odette apparently dying behind one of the irritating gauzy shells that feature in this production, while a sorrowing Rodkin is marooned in front . The people sitting near me were bewildered by this ending and actually asked "has it ended?" Having said this, the ballet was a triumph in artistry for Yulia Stepanova and she was met with cheers and much applause and two beautiful bouquets of flowers. I heard many people say they had never seen anything like it, and several mentioned Yulia's beautiful arms.

I waited at the stage door afterwards and Yulia was full of smiles and very happy when she came out accompanied by her coach, Lyudmila Semenyaka, and Denis Rodkin. Great evening! Great debut for Yulia, and I hope for a promotion for her very soon!

[Drew]

... However, The ending of this version leaves much to be desired, with Odette apparently dying behind one of the irritating gauzy shells that feature in this production, while a sorrowing Rodkin is marooned in front . The people sitting near me were bewildered by this ending and actually asked "has it ended?"

That was my reaction the first time I saw this version--I couldn't believe some of Tchaikovsky's most thrilling music had been lopped in that fashion.

[alexL]

That was my reaction the first time I saw this version--I couldn't believe some of Tchaikovsky's most thrilling music had been lopped in that fashion.

Same here. In fact, most New York audiences that I've spoken with felt the same way. There was a delayed applause when the curtain went down because everyone was confused whether the ballet had ended or not.

[Mashinka]

Saw her in Don Q and thought her pretty nondescript, actually thinking of getting rid of my Corsaire ticket now, the lack of musicality bothered me more than the lack of personality.

[Birdsall]

I am sure her many fans would love to have your Corsaire ticket, so you will probably be able to sell it to someone.

[Helene]

I don't much care about diverse opinions about a dancer or performance, but the forum rules hold:

Posting what you couldn't through a friend or overheard lobby talk -- don't even go there.

If you have a problem with a post, report it, and don't discuss the discussion.

[Birdsall]

I don't much care about diverse opinions about a dancer or performance, but the forum rules hold:

Posting what you couldn't through a friend or overheard lobby talk -- don't even go there.

If you have a problem with a post, report it, and don't discuss the discussion.

I understand those are the rules, BUT I am no tattle tale. I do not like to report people without giving the person a chance to edit or correct (although I agree it is not really my place), and I think that is the human and right thing to do morally even if it breaks the rules, but that's fine. I have had problems with co-workers in the past, but I never go to the "boss" before first giving my co-worker a chance to correct herself or himself or apologize. But since you brought my attention to the rules I guess I should do that in a private message in the future.

[volcanohunter]

Poor musicality--dancing way behind the music--is a problem among many of the Bolshoi's women, particularly those of an adagio bent. It's maddening. I blame the coaching they receive, because it isn't an issue among the character dancers or allegro specialists.

Ticket demand for the performances is high, of course, but it seemed to me that the queues for returns were not quite as long as they had been three years ago, perhaps because the poky little box-office/gift-shop setup during the building's renovation is not exactly convenient. I returned 13 tickets for resale--because I was very dissatisfied with casting and decided to bolt town well ahead of schedule. It was a cumbersome process that took nearly 45 minutes to complete, but I'm fairly certain the Swan Lake and Corsaire tickets had re-sold online by the time I left the box office. The Flames of Paris tickets re-sold within 36 hours, but that ballet hadn't sold out until this week, so I'm not surprised it took longer. The man who was handling my tickets remarked that I was returning some of the best seats in the house, which indeed they were, and that this would speed up the re-sale process. (Poor man. When he looked up from his computer and asked whether he could help me, he had no idea what was about to befall him. I was sorry I hadn't brought a small box of chocolates as compensation.)

[Helene]

I understand those are the rules, BUT I am no tattle tale. I do not like to report people without giving the person a chance to edit or correct (although I agree it is not really my place), and I think that is the human and right thing to do morally even if it breaks the rules, but that's fine. I have had problems with co-workers in the past, but I never go to the "boss" before first giving my co-worker a chance to correct herself or himself or apologize. But since you brought my attention to the rules I guess I should do that in a private message in the future.

You are welcome to PM the person if they have PM privileges.

If you don't want to report something, then you're always free to let it stand. It's not up for discussion on the board.

[SFCleo]

FWIW, there is a thread called "Bolshoi 2016 London Tour" and another called "Bolshoi Under Vaziev" to discuss matters like audience behavior and Bolshoi dancing style.

I would be interested in seeing videos in which Yulia appears to be dancing unmusically or not with the beat (two different things, actually). As a musician, I've always been impressed with her musicality, i.e. Her ability to use the music in her dancing. To my eye, there is a sophistication in her dancing - a lack of "beatiness" -- that may be mistaken by some as not being "on" the music. Among solo musicians, it's ok to play with the beat for expressive purposes so long as you get to the down beat in time (if you are not intending to make a ritard.) But let's talk specifc videos about Yulia! Thanks!

[volcanohunter]

The picture and sound of online videos can be woefully out of whack. Sometimes this is clear if there are audible footfalls, sometimes it isn't, and sometimes the picture and sound are, in fact, synchronized. But it seems to me that watching videos is an extremely unreliable way of judging a dancer's musicality or lack of it.

[MadameP]

FWIW, there is a thread called "Bolshoi 2016 London Tour" and another called "Bolshoi Under Vaziev" to discuss matters like audience behavior and Bolshoi dancing style.

I would be interested in seeing videos in which Yulia appears to be dancing unmusically or not with the beat (two different things, actually). As a musician, I've always been impressed with her musicality, i.e. Her ability to use the music in her dancing. To my eye, there is a sophistication in her dancing - a lack of "beatiness" -- that may be mistaken by some as not being "on" the music. Among solo musicians, it's ok to play with the beat for expressive purposes so long as you get to the down beat in time (if you are not intending to make a ritard.) But let's talk specifc videos about Yulia! Thanks!

I have seen Yulia dance on stage many times - at Mariinsky, at Bolshoi, in London - as well as having been fortunate to see her rehearse and in class, both at Mariinsky when she was there, and at Bolshoi Theatre. I am mystified by any comments or even implications that she might be unmusical. She is not. In this last most recent performance I have seen her in, her Bolshoi Swan Lake debut, she clearly danced "on" the music, both in her adagio work, and , specifically, in the way even her pirouettes were timed exactly with the beat of the music, so if one merely equates musicality with "dancing in time to the music" then, yes, she is exceptionally musical. However, musicality also encompasses embodying the mood of the music, being able to phrase a sequence of movements appropriately with the line of the music, being able to dance with attack when the music requires or with seamless flow of movement, being able to embody the mood of the music through the movement of the body. This is what I saw in Yulia Stepanova's Odette-Odile - this to me is musicality in a dancer.

[SFCleo]

It would be just too weird if videos consistently show a dancer in time with the music and errors appear only in live performance. If 100% of a huge number of videos show a dancer moving in time with the music it seems to me that this is highly probative of her ability to do so, consistently. Of course nobody dances musically in time with the music all the time, so there must be videos of this dancer showing tempo errors, but I have never seen one.

I really think the burden is on those who say this dancer is unmusical to show us a video where this is the case.

[MadameP]

It would be just too weird if videos consistently show a dancer in time with the music and errors appear only in live performance. If 100% of a huge number of videos show a dancer moving in time with the music it seems to me that this is highly probative of her ability to do so, consistently. Of course nobody dances musically in time with the music all the time, so there must be videos of this dancer showing tempo errors, but I have never seen one.

I really think the burden is on those who say this dancer is unmusical to show us a video where this is the case.

Yes, of course it is impossible for any dancer to dance EVERY SINGLE step in time - if you are seeing "dancing in time with the music" as the sole requisite for a musical dancer. Clearly nerves, on the night mishaps, slight inaccuracies of technique etc, must play a role and SOMEtimes some steps may be not quite in time, but overall, this is obvious, and it is plain to see when a dancer is "hearing" the music and dancing with it.

[Buddy]

I would be interested in seeing videos in which Yulia appears to be dancing unmusically or not with the beat (two different things, actually). As a musician, I've always been impressed with her musicality, i.e. Her ability to use the music in her dancing. To my eye, there is a sophistication in her dancing - a lack of "beatiness" -- that may be mistaken by some as not being "on" the music. Among solo musicians, it's ok to play with the beat for expressive purposes so long as you get to the down beat in time (if you are not intending to make a ritard.)

In response to this informative and supportive view I took a look at a fairly recent video clip representation. I’m very impressed with how she responds to the music. There’s so much to watch and so much to take in, that I can only give an initial and partial description. What I notice for the moment is how she seems to feel the music. It seems to pass through her. She responds to the instant as well as dances in a prearranged manner. Both show her interpreting or using the music in a most sensitive way. She does not seem to always be on the beat, but as SFCleo has said of some musicians, she works with the beat, using variations for personal artistic expression.

I’ve been watching a similar video clip of Oksana Skorik and have been very impressed for many of the same reasons. I would like to touch on this at her own “Dancers” topic.

http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/36167-skorik/page-32#entry372569

[Drew]

Completely agree that musicality is different from dancing 'on' the music. ALSO completely agree that video is not the best place to judge musicality--though one may feel one is getting a flavor. If the sound and image aren't perfectly coordinated, then that is one problem...I would add that the 'textures' of movement through which a great dancer responds to music are often lost on video. (Sorry if that's a little numinous.)

It intrigues me, too, that judgment's of musicality are where lovers of dance often disagree the most. (Heck, lovers of classical music too). I don't doubt some people know more (a lot more) about music than, say, I do. But even among deeply knowledgeable people, one person's 'exquisite rubato' can be another person's 'draggy self-indulgence.'

As it happens, although I have enjoyed a lot of video of Stepanova (and the teensy bit I have seen her dance live), the video of her debut as Queen of the Dryads in the new Bolshoi DQ is not what I personally would choose as an example of musicality. For all the reasons mentioned earlier in the discussion -- about video, debuts, particular performances, the variation itself (which is unfamiliar to me) -- I don't draw any great conclusions from that ... But when someone who has seen her recently and live in the same role finds the performance unmusical, I'm certainly not inclined to dismiss it out of hand.

I'm grateful to everyone sharing their reactions to Stepanova's live performances. Those who love her, those who don't, and those for whom the jury is out. For myself, I wish I had been there for the Swan Lake...

[SFCleo]

Live performances of any art form always provide much more information about the performer's artistry than video does, but that doesn't stop classical musicians from comparing videos of musicians playing the same piece. Let's do the same here, comparing video performances of the QoD variation:

Here's Shipulina:

Smirnova:

and Stepanova:

I don't have the vocabulary to discuss steps and would very much appreciate being educated about what (in detail) these dancers are doing differently and which are successful.

[Drew]

Live performances of any art form always provide much more information about the performer's artistry than video does, but that doesn't stop classical musicians from comparing videos of musicians playing the same piece. Let's do the same here, comparing video performances of the QoD variation:

[. . . ]

I don't have the vocabulary to discuss steps and would very much appreciate being educated about what (in detail) these dancers are doing differently and which are successful.

I can't give this quite the time it deserves, but I enjoyed all the ballerinas you selected. I will mention that I think Shipulina -- not the most heralded of Bolshoi ballerinas -- has a consistency across the variation that I appreciate. To my eyes, at least, she did the least fudging of fifth positions, negotiated all the different difficulties the least unevenly etc. of the three ballerinas. (I only watched through once. I might see other things if I watched again.) She also picked up some good speed in her turns.

I'm a firm believer that a variation and, even more so, a ballerina is more than the sum of all these kinds of details. And all these details are exactly what video comparisons encourage one to notice and underline. Kudos all the same to Shipulina. I hope I can see her live one day.

The other two videos are also lovely in different ways. In the opening phrases of the variation, especially, I think Stepanova and Smirnova show off distinctively lush upper bodies that I like a lot--both of them sort of revel in the epaulement (that is, the way they pose their head and shoulders in relation to the rest of the body)--but Stepanova (to my eyes) looks more natural at those moments. Fully stretched out but still sort of soft in a way that seems appropriate. It's quite clear that she is a little messy in the first sequence of double pirouettes with her arms en couronne (when she is doing the turns with the arms overhead)--sounds like that may have gotten cleaned up by the time she danced in London.

[Birdsall]

I agree with Drew about the fifth position issue, but I find Shipulina's arms very stiff compared to Smirnova and Stepanova. Smirnova has a very regal, almost haughty personality on stage, in my opinion, which works well in this role. However, I feel Stepanova is very regal while still giving off sweetness. Out of the three Stepanova has the most beautiful flowing arms. Smirnova's arms would look stiff compared to most Vaganova dancers (I know she graduated from Vaganova), but at the Bolshoi she looks flowing. I do think Stepanova looks at very slight moments (like 5th after a turn and right before one of the arabesques) a bit hesitant but I would take her any day over the others.

[Birdsall]

I want to remind people that Stepanova is a soloist being compared to two Principals and she has been under scrutiny for a while and there are a lot of anti-Stepanova people due to what I think is their negative reaction to an online personality who loves her dancing but just because people may not like that person, they shouldn't kick Stepanova, in my personal opinion.

[SFCleo]

Thank you Drew and Birdsall for responding with your interesting thoughts!

This was not intended as a contest about who is the best ballerina but rather to explore musicality and/or lack thereof. I chose videos of the same variation in order to compare apples with apples.

Each of these wonderful ballerinas has put her own stamp on the Bolshoi Queen of the Dryads variation, expressing the music in different ways. Although in general I prefer Vaganova style, I have to say that Shipulina is overall the most successful in conveying the choppy choreography of this variation as a continuous flow. As Drew says, there is a consistency across the variation. One section of the variation leads to the next and somehow this makes the tempo seem faster than in the other two videos, although I think it might be actually slower. It's as though Shipulina has the entire variation in her head and is therefore able to "explain" to us how the parts relate. We don't get bogged down. I'm pretty sure she's been dancing this variation for years and that certainly is an advantage she has over the other two ballerinas. As an exponent of Bolshoi style she has a bit of a hard edge which makes her a more imperious queen here, a valid interpretation if less than satisfying to those who prefer a kind and merciful persona for this role.

Smirnova prepared this role for the Bolshoi in Cinema recording, and it shows. There is nothing wrong technically with her performance that I can see (although she like the other two was not totally solid with those 5th position endings in the diagonal -- the broadcast transmission showed her practicing that section of the variation during the intermission, so it must be very difficult indeed!) Her phrasing is very smooth throughout yet somewhat featureless compared with Shipulina's. Just now comparing it again with Shipulina, the tempo seems faster. And there's that funny bit at the end of the diagonal where the orchestra usually does an accelerando but not for Smirnova. The accelerando doesn't really fit this choreography anyhow and Smirnova or her coach were somehow able to get rid of it. The flow of this variation in this case is achieved by a faster and more even tempo overall and less emphatic phrasing, but in my view is still less convincing than Shipulina's approach. Oh, and by the way, I find the look in Smirnov's eyes somewhat unsettling -- she reminds me of a 30's silent movie queen, not the vibe I'm looking for in this character!

And now to our sweet and gentle queen, Stepanova. Stepanova has performed the Mariinsky choreography for many years, a far more difficult yet easier to watch version (see video below), and as others have remarked, this video is of her debut in the Bolshoi version. It's the least finished of the three, but is clearly superior in conveying the character. The tempo is about the same as Shipulina and it's obvious that Stepanova was not given the freedom that Smirnova was permitted -- there's that POB-type pushing or dragging of the toe just above the floor (very technical term ) before each pirouette in the diagonal and the arabesques that Shipulina does but not Smirnova, for example. This is a "move" I've never seen Mariinsky dancers perform so it must have felt as awkward as it looks. More successful is Stepanova's pirouette at the end of the first diagonal, well timed to the accelerando, which however is not as marked as in the Shipulina version. In the next section, Stepanova beautifully expresses the more playful nature of the second theme, providing needed contrast that is missing in the other two videos. She has yet to fully overcome the choppiness of this variation but we need to remember that this is a work in progress -- I just wish I could see it live once she has refined it!

As shown in these videos, each of these ballerinas dances this variation musically in her own way. In my view, musicality can and should be discussed with reference to both videos and live performances so long as we compare apples to apples.

Here's Stepanova dancing the Mariinsky version:

[Birdsall]

I miss the Italian fouettés when watching the Bolshoi version!

[SFCleo]

I miss the Italian fouettés when watching the Bolshoi version!

Italian fouettes seem to be out of style at the Bolshoi. Have no idea why, they are just wonderful when done well.

[Birdsall]

It could depend on whether the Mariinsky's DQ or the Bolshoi's DQ is based more on Petipa or Gorsky. Petipa originally choreographed DQ but most versions come from Gorsky's version so one company might be more faithful to Gorsky and one might be a combination of Petipa and Gorsky. Just a wild guess.