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Is Alyona Kovalyova "Zvezda" material ??


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Vaganova 2016 graduate taken up by Balshoy (aka Bolshoi), being given small solo roles

by Vaziev. I have found some videos on YT, links posted below. She was selected for Prix

de Lausanne 2016 but did not make it to the finals, strange. This junior member sees some

potential here and likens her to a current top Balshoy prima at the time of her Vaganova

graduation ..... but will not say to whom so as not to invite ridicule ! Would like to hear the

views of our learned membership.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJgn8eakQ9s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0N0jukp0Ro

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4nUaZqkBso

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO9gDuJj5-k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq8D4aY4SwA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2sJgf_ltpI

 

Edited by mnacenani
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I saw her in Diamonds (and she is to do another Diamonds in early April) and she has GORGEOUS arms and lines generally with those LONG legs, and flow of movement, as well as real ballerina presence.  Technically she was flawless in that difficult role.  She has great all-round technique, and is surprisingly fast for such a tall ballerina.  She looks fabulous also - such a pretty girl!  I think the main trouble the Bolshoi will have will be in finding a suitable partner for her.  She is extremely tall, at least 5'9" and her partner, Alexander Volchkov, really was not quite tall enough for her, in my opinion, although he's a fairly tall man.  She really needs Belyakov or Rodkin.  I love to see these young ballerinas given chances!  

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Rodkin !!  Would be a fabulous match imho. Last saw Rodkin as Solor and he was excellent : flawless

tech and characterisation imho. Vaziev really has a problem : how to develop great young talent like

Shrayner and Kovalyova and God knows how many others, while keeping the likes of Alexandrova and

Zaharova on board ! I do hope Urin will not cave in - from what Masha posted recently it seems she went

over the head of Vaziev.

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Zakharova still dances most (all?) of her leading roles.    In Alexandrova's case, she has been given her performances for the rest of the season, and it is notable that, although she was cast in Bright Stream, Legend of Love and others, she was not cast in either Corsaire or Don Quixote, so maybe she will not in direct competition with the rising young ballerinas in those and other more technically demanding roles. 

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9 hours ago, Drew said:

I don't think I can pretend to be learned, but she looks very lovely in several of those videos. (Though still young of course...)

 

I would agree that she's indeed lovely and has a beautifully airy elegance. I would guess, mnacenani, that you have Svetlana Zakharova in mind. I do see definite very fine qualities that they share. I also find resemblances, sometimes almost identical, to Nina Kaptsova, whom I've been captivated by and wish could see much more of.

 

Added: Another young dancer, still a student at the Vaganova, that has made a similar impression from video glimpses, is Eleonora Sevenard.

 

 

 

 

Edited by Buddy
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4 hours ago, mnacenani said:

Zvezda = Etoile

 

Just to be clear for our non-native speakers, Zvezda means literally star like star in the sky or "movie star."When talking about actual ranks in ballet, the Bolshoi and Mariinsky use "Balerina" for women and "Premier" for men and their English sites just call them principals. 

 

And, given that their head of PR has an incredible command of three languages, I trust her judgement. 

Edited by Deflope
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9 hours ago, MadameP said:

Zakharova still dances most (all?) of her leading roles.    In Alexandrova's case, she has been given her performances for the rest of the season, and it is notable that, although she was cast in Bright Stream, Legend of Love and others, she was not cast in either Corsaire or Don Quixote, so maybe she will not in direct competition with the rising young ballerinas in those and other more technically demanding roles. 

 

I thought the video of Alexandrova's Pas Des Eventails in the last Corsaire she danced with the Bolshoi (within the year if I remember correctly) looked far superior to video of the younger Krysanova in the same role during the same run.  Not necessarily technically far superior--though Alexandrova was more than equal to the technical challenges--but in all the details that make a ballerina a ballerina.

 

It's only video evidence, true...but I remain a little skeptical she isn't still capable of dancing a wonderful Medora. Especially since Corsaire benefits a great deal from leads who have big, extrovert personalities--as Alexandrova does. (I saw her dance it live at the London Coliseum when the production was new--fabulous performance that really brought the ballet to life as the opening night cast had not quite managed to do.)

 

 It's Vaziev's company (under Urin) and his tastes/choices will prevail. Presumably he has more than enough talent on his hands and It's no surprise he tilts to "his" dancers, especially those he is developing, or that many of those dancers are "Vaganova" products. But I can't pretend I'm happy about any disrespect or appearance of disrespect to a ballerina of Alexandrova's caliber.  No matter how talented the up-and-comers are...and no doubt Kovaleva looks talented.

 

Edited to add: I've noticed that in English the Bolshoi always calls its principals "Prima Ballerina" ...likewise the Mariinsky. (I mean in interviews etc.)  Have I misunderstood?

 

 

Edited by Drew
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12 hours ago, Buddy said:

 

I would agree that she's indeed lovely and has a beautifully airy elegance. I would guess, mnacenani, that you have Svetlana Zakharova in mind.

I do see definite very fine qualities that they share. I also find resemblances, sometimes almost identical, to Nina Kaptsova, whom I've been capti-

vated by and wish could see much more of.

 

 

 

 

YES - you're spot on Buddy ! Overjoyed to find that a Gold member agrees with my take on Kovalyova !

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6 hours ago, Natalia said:

Kovalyova is absolutely exquisite! Aristocratic looks and manner that I love. She has a Yulia Makhalina air about her.

Didn't she dance the lead in the Vaganova Acad FAIRY DOLL this past June?

 

Yes dear Natalia - the video of her Fairy Doll is among what I posted from YT above.

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11 hours ago, Deflope said:

Just to be clear for our non-native speakers, Zvezda means literally star like star in the sky or "movie star."

When talking about actual ranks in ballet, the Bolshoi and Mariinsky use "Balerina" for women and "Premier" for

men and their English sites just call them principals. And, given that their head of PR has an incredible command

of three languages, I trust her judgement. 

 

"Zvezda" is a metaphor I like to use to denote "top rank" - borrowed it from "Etoile" which POB uses to denote top

rank. I am hopeful our members will warm to it in due time. In reference to another post above : POB officially terms

their top dancers "Etoile" and the promotion to Etoile is announced on stage after a performance. However, I fully

agree with Vaziev that nowadays almost everyone is an "Etoile" at POB and the rank no longer has the "cachet" it

once had. Have been an Arop member for many years but I don't go to see ballet in Paris any longer. Having disco-

vered what classical ballet can be in Russia anything in London or Paris seems second best. No wonder someone

said "POB dancers dance like civil servants" which in fact they are, and you may remember Millepied got into hot

water for saying the Paris CdB should do better than look like "flowers on wallpaper" !! :D:clapping:

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10 hours ago, Natalia said:

Kovalyova is absolutely exquisite! Aristocratic looks and manner that I love. She has a Yulia Makhalina air about her.

 

Didn't she dance the lead in the Vaganova Acad FAIRY DOLL this past June?

Agree she is exquisite! I love her, too!  She has been cast in a number of coryphee type roles within the company already, and one of the dream variations in Raymonda.  Vaziev has a good eye for talent!  

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4 hours ago, MadameP said:

Agree she is exquisite! I love her, too!  She has been cast in a number of coryphee type roles within the company already, and one of the dream variations in Raymonda.  Vaziev has a good eye for talent!  

 

MmeP & mnacenani,

 

Agreed. The $64,000 Question: Why did the Mariinsky allow yet another highly-promising graduate to escape to Moscow or beyond? Or perhaps there is an agreement among the directors of the big Russian companies to "spread the wealth"? They all attend each other's academies' graduations, I've noticed, looking for talent.

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1 hour ago, Natalia said:

 

MmeP & mnacenani,

 

Agreed. The $64,000 Question: Why did the Mariinsky allow yet another highly-promising graduate to escape to Moscow or beyond? Or perhaps there is an agreement among the directors of the big Russian companies to "spread the wealth"? They all attend each other's academies' graduations, I've noticed, looking for talent.

Easy answer to that one - Fateyev does not have an eye for talent. 

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On 13 Mar 2017 at 3:41 AM, MadameP said:

I saw her in Diamonds (and she is to do another Diamonds in early April) and she has GORGEOUS arms and lines generally with those LONG legs, and flow of movement, as well as real ballerina presence.  Technically she was flawless in that difficult role.  She has great all-round technique, and is surprisingly fast for such a tall ballerina.  She looks fabulous also - such a pretty girl!  

 

You've covered a great many qualities. Overall, from the videos posted by mnacenani, I would definitely have to agree with you.

 

"Such a pretty girl!" -- Indeed! And such a lovely breath of fresh air. 

 

Natalia wrote -- "Kovalyova is absolutely exquisite! Aristocratic looks and manner that I love. She has a Yulia Makhalina air about her."

 

For me it's immediately the face, Natalia. No matter what I think of a performance by Yulia Makhalina, who is exceptional, all I have to do is look at her face and I go silent. Alyona Kovalyova's is quite similar. They both radiate sunshine.

 

Thank you, mnacenani. Alyona Kovalyova is completely new to me, yet I'm already starting to think history. 

 

Comparisons with Svetlana Zakharova and Olga Smirnova are primary. Just as Svetlana Zakharova is perhaps the senior 'luminary' to Olga Smirnova, I can see Olga Smirnova becoming some day the senior 'luminary' (age 24!) to Alyona Kovalyova (who hasn't really started yet!).

 

Whereas Svetlana Zakharova represents perfection, compared to Olga Smirnova's depth of expression, Alyona Kovalyova is now the junior representative of perfection. I can easily imagine the day when Olga Smirnova will be the next Bolshoi 'prima' with Alyona Kovalyova as her heir apparent. Different styles, certainly, but equally compelling.

 

One caveat. If the Vaganova keeps churning out stars at the rate that it's presently doing, then there's no telling how many new surprises will be in the spotlight. I'll once again mention Vaganova student Eleonora Sevenard as another possible contender. 

 

Natalia, you mention a very interesting thing. How many stars from the Vaganova/Mariinsky that have gone to other companies and why did the Mariinsky let them get away?  Svetlana Zakharova, Evgenia Obraztsova, Olga Smirnova and now Alyona Kovalyova immediately come to mind. I'm sure that's there's a very different reason for each of them, but it does seem to indicate that there's so much talent at the Vaganova/Mariinsky that it's quite a job for the company to do it all justice. 

 

So one quick last comparison -- Olga Smirnova and Alyona Kovalyova, since they may well represent the next generation of Bolshoi greats. I see Alyona Kovalyova as having a slightly airier manner than Svetlana Zakharova, but they both represent the pure beauty of dance. As she becomes more refined and beautiful in the manner of Svetlana Zakharova, I hope that Alyona Kovalyova keeps her youthful joyfulness as well. 

 

Olga Smirnova reaches into your essence. As well as being a statuesque goddess of dance, she's mentally compelling. Powerfully so. This will be the possible contrast -- Olga Smirnova, the mistress of expressive drama and motion, and Alyona Kovalyova, the princess of air and artistic refinement.     

 

 

Edited by Buddy
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