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Do we want this win to be the catalyst for Svetlana Savelieva to get more soloist roles? Yes. Will it be? I don’t know!

#russian ballet #dancer updates #mariinsky ballet #svetlana savelieva

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Sigh. YAGP. Sigh. Let’s see how many turns you can all fit in a minute long variation.

#random musings

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About time! That’s a role she could actually do well in

OMG Maria Bulanova is debuting Kitri on May 5th!!! So excited!! This is such a perfect role for her.

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Do you think Sofya Valiullina can progress further with Bolshoi? Especially with new hires/graduates coming into the company soon. Not sure what the consensus is in Russia but from what I see majority of Russian comments on Instagram and YouTube of her performances are rather negative. I know it is impossible but I really think she is so perfect for so many ballet companies outside of Russia. I can see her at Royal ballet. Also, any news of Kuprina ?

Tough question re: Sofya. It depends on how many graduates are going to Bolshoi and how many of them have soloist potential. Kamila Sultangareeva will definitely be one of them. I still have high hopes for her bc she is being given soloist roles, but you’re right in assuming that it might die down this coming year. It really depends on who’s coming!

Tbh I want to see more Vaganova graduates in America too. I really thought it would’ve been awesome to have Jaden Grimm in ABT or SF Ballet. Sofya in Royal Ballet would be such a dream, her repertoire would increase drastically!

More VBA graduates should consider Vienna State Ballet too, it’s now under Alessandra Ferri’s leadership!! There are also so many companies outside of Russia that would serve them all well. Berlin, Munich, Dutch National, Paris!

As for Yaroslavna, I saw her dressed up like she was going to class back in January/February. This was on her instagram story but that was it. No hints at a return to stage so I’m definitely worried about that.

#russian ballet #patrice answers #bolshoi ballet #sofia valiullina #yaroslavna kuprina

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#russian ballet #bolshoi ballet #maria koshkaryova

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#russian ballet #bolshoi ballet #maria koshkaryova

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Just saw clips of Maria Koshkaryova's debut as Swanilda in Coppelia. She looked good in them! She is very much a natural Swanilda and I found her to be quite charming in them. I think it was a good principal role for her! I think they need to give her less ballets but ones that are better suited for her nature. Not every dancer needs to dance everything while under the age of 21 haha.

Agreed, very natural! She was charming in the role but I think she was a bit shy, too timid. I feel like there were times when she could have given more energy into the steps! But again she’s so young haha

Those fouettés were very clean though. Clip above for people who haven’t seen

#patrice answers #russian ballet #bolshoi ballet #maria koshkaryova

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zhelonkina is listed as a classical teacher for the graduation class in 2019!

https://web.archive.org/web/20190711081311/http://vaganovaacademy.ru/vaganova/obrazovanie/spo/raspisanie/SPO-I-II-III.pdf

(this is the 2018-19 timetable! if you can't read cyrillic, zhelonkina is listed as the teacher in the second row under 8/IIIB. the other graduating teachers that year are sitnikova, tsiskaridze, and vasilieva)

Oh wow I do not read Cyrillic but good to know. I just distinct remember Khiteeva was in Sitnikova’s class and Savelieva was in Vasilieva’s. I didn’t realize there was a third class! I wonder who her students were. Thank you for showing me this

#russian ballet #patrice answers #vaganova

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Miyu Tobata from Marina Vasilieva’s class 2024

#russian ballet #vaganova #ballet

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Somebody please let me know, is this the first time Irina Zhelonkina is handling a graduating class?

IG: igorkolb

#russian ballet #vaganova #Vaganova ballet #vaganova ballet academy #VBA

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Marina Vasilieva’s class looked very strong in the classical exam. I, particularly, noticed how Miyu Tobata stood out in both barre and centre exercises. I have yet to learn more about the other students but will do my diligent research soon.

Early call but Miyu looks like a perfect candidate for Mariinsky.

Alicka Barinova has also been getting a lot of soloist roles and I expect her to eventually choose Mariinsky 😆

#vaganova draft #vaganova #russian ballet #miyu tobata

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Secured tickets to SF Ballet’s Swan Lake featuring Natalia Osipova. I wonder what happened to Jacopo Tissi as he’s pulled out of the event.

#ballet #Natalia osipova

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Masha Bulanova is rehearsing Aurora 👀 I wonder if I’m late to the news or

#russian ballet #dancer updates #maria bulanova #Masha bulanova

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I do feel like Mariinsky's Pharaoh's Daughter is like their "fun" ballet. the choreography is very simple for what their dancers are capable of, the costumes are extremely elaborate (and the dancers seem to post them a lot so I guess they must really like those costumes), there are so many soloist roles that a lot of the corps/coryphees get new chances, there are 8000 children onstage, and there's no real tragedy in the story. I have no proof of this but I wouldn't be surprised if the corps smiles when they see that ballet on the roster for the next month. It just seems like the mood is a lot more chill than performing, say, La Bayadere. I have no proof of this of course, just the vibes.

Fair take! The costumes are a work of art and the sets. I never considered the vibes 🤔 I do think you can say the same about soloist roles with the Bolshoi version too. Fun ballet is like a positive way to think about it though haha.

Speaking of fun ballets, Chopiniana/La Sylphide and La Fille Mal Gardée are all pretty fun too! But are also quite technical.

#patrice answers

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Another reason why I think Bolshoi does a better Fille du Pharoan:

The ending scene of Mariinsky’s Fille du Pharoan is CRAMMED with every single VBA kid as a caryatid posing, running around with their hands high, and the tiny students blowing kisses in the front. It looks like a school gala-eg “let’s put in as many kids as we can in the ending scene”😂

Meanwhile, Bolshoi has slightly older kids (like 13-15 year olds) coming out and doing some simple partner work in the coda, but it’s mostly corps that’s dancing. Plus the tempo is nicer.

If you know exactly what I’m talking about, let me know, because the Mariinsky version bothers me in so many ways besides this one🤦🏻‍♀️

It’s a cheap way to end it lol I agree. The Bolshoi version is just far superior, more refined, and technically harder 😅 Basically more at par with the ballets we know and love.

Besides the costuming and sets of Mariinsky’s, I really didn’t like the revival.

#patrice answers

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Not sure if you like Ines Mcintosh or not. But she's debuting Kitri on April 22nd and Giselle on May 22! So happy for her to get two big principal debuts after her promtion to Première danseuse. I think she would be great at both but I hope we get to see rehearsal videos!

I love Ines McIntosh! But I don’t get a lot of content of hers 😭 Those are two very big debuts aaaaaahhhh

#patrice answers

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Deep Dive: Elizaveta Kokoreva’s Debut as Carmen

21 February 2024 — Elizaveta Kokoreva took on the role of the femme fatale, Carmen, last February. In both opera and ballet, this is a titular role often given to a more experienced singer/dancer. So what do you do when you're a young 23-year old given a role of a woman that should not possess any form of naïveté? You do what you can and you nail it anyway, if you are Elizaveta Kokoreva.

Starting with the well-known variation, I really think she did diligent research here. All of her movements were clear and nuanced. Nothing is too brash, she accents on the right steps, and yet, her movements were still fluid throughout.

Perhaps, my only correction in this variation is in the first diagonal. When she flicks her wrist the first few times, you can see an elegant connection coming from her shoulder up to her finger tips. Right at the very last flick, that connection is lost and you can only see the movement reduced to her wrists. This makes it look a bit flimsy instead of powerful, like the accompanying music.

She does redeem herself in the second diagonal, though. She knew her profiles, and she knew when to involve her audience. Carmen is a very conducive role to entice your audience with and I think she was very Vishnevasque in this variation because of that.

If these frames align for you, it is very pleasing to watch. I would like to think that Lisa studied and focused on Ulyana Lopatkina and Maya Plisetskaya for this role. Mostly, Ulyana as the variations are almost identical when you watch them side by side.

As for the toreador pas de deux, this is where it looks most challenging in my opinion. Is Mikhail Lobukhin perfect for this role? Yes, absolutely. Was this the right casting for him? No, I don't think so. It was absolutely difficult to be convinced of this partnership. It's not so much as the age gap (yes that is part of it), as much as it is their respective stage presence. Mikhail is absolutely intimidating, powerful, and enigmatic in every role he is in. Match him with the youngest prima, you'll see signs of inexperience.

Technique-wise though, Lisa still holds her own. She danced this beautifully, but all I can see is a young dancer. If you look at the bottom frames, it's hard to discern if Carmen is seducing the toreador or if it's the other way around.

On a positive note, this partnership with Daniil Potaptsev, works. I throughly enjoyed their pas de deux together. The call and response was both comedic and convincing.

Is someone were to ask me where I would cast Lisa, I would immediately say Chopiniana, Giselle, and possibly Aurora. She just has a naturally cheerful disposition that is fitting for these types of roles. I would never guess that she could be casted as Carmen.

After watching her debut, I think this is a viable cast, but I also think it can only get better from here.

#russian ballet #bolshoi ballet #elizaveta kokoreva #ballet review