#Russian ballet

[vintage-russia]

Russian ballerina Tamara Karsavina,Saint Petersburg (1907)

Photography by Alfred Eberling (1872-1951)

[souvlakic]

russian ballerina

[emotionalshawtysinthisbitch]

still miss it tho

[666candies]

Anna Pavlova, 1925

[ballet-symphonie]

Will Maria Khoreva eventually move to Bolshoi? Or an European company? Would she be appreciated more?

Hmm Bolshoi....I don't think so. If she wanted to move to Moscow, she would have done it right after she graduated. To be quite honest, I'm not sure she could compete with the power, grandeur, and presence of some of their younger stars. I think if she went right now, Kokoreva and Sevenard might just eat her alive. And honestly, there's no motivation for her to go to Moscow, her family, and her connections are much stronger in SPB. At one point the Bolshoi's rep and new productions were significantly stronger than MT, and this could have been a temptation but with the war and the licensing struggles, the repertoires are so similar that it hardly matters.

I would love for her to go to Europe, perhaps to Berlin or even to Amsterdam or London. Her current problem is not that she's unappreciated, is that she can't stay healthy long enough to actually grow and develop as an artist. She's only 24, yet she's had 3 (?) pretty substantial injuries already, which leads me to think that the current performance block scheduling system at Mariinsky is unsustainable for her. I think working outside Russia might introduce her to different ways of working and cross-training, as well as a much more diverse repertoire. I think she'd blossom in Forsythe and Cranko's work or even Juliano Nunes or Medhi Walerski's work with different coaching.

She seems to love all the galas and traveling she does...I think Europe could tempt her at some point. What is she going to do in MT, dance Giselle, Nikiya and O/O on loop for the rest of her career? I wonder if a European theater can get her to come to guest for a production, I don't believe she's done this yet to my knowledge. I think if she gets a taste of a different company's day to day life for a longer period, things could be interesting

[patricedumonde]

Let's play a game: I’ll name common famous dancers and you say what that says about that person:

If my fav dancer is:

Anna Pavlova—

Alessandra Ferri-

Carla Fracci-

Maria Taglioni-

Sylvie Guillem-

Maria Khoreva—

Diana Vishneva—

Gallina Ulanova-

Marianela Nuñez—

Maria Bulanova —

Altynai Asylmuratova-

Ulyana Lopatkina—

Olga Smirnova-

Ekaterina Maximova -

Evgenia Obraztsova -

Nicoletta Manni—

Natalia Ospipova -

Sofya Valiullina-

Maya Plisetskaya-

Svetlana Zakharova

Alina Somova —

Alexandra Khiteeva—

Victoria Tereshkina—

Renata Shakirova —

Galina Ulanova-

Maria Koshkaryova-

Maria Iliushkina—

Eleonora Saveyard-

Elena Svinko-

Svetlana Savalieva -

Nina Kapstova-

Elisabetta Nallin—

Angelina Vorontsova -

Yulia Makhalina—

May Nagahisa -

Kristina Shapran—

Camilla Mazzi-

Oxana Skorik-

So I've been wanting to answer this one but boy this is a long list but I'll try my best.

If this is your favorite dancer, then you:

Anna Pavlova - are swan obsessed

Alessandra Ferri - have impeccable taste and you love her interpretation of Juliet

Carla Fracci - are Giselle obsessed

Maria Taglioni - are dead

Sylvie Guillem - love trail blazers, and appreciate a mix of classical ballet and contemporary

Maria Khoreva - are chronically online

Diana Vishneva - love an objectively (nearly) perfect dancer

Gallina Ulanova - are an old soul

Marianela Nuñez - love a clean turn and a well rounded dancer

Maria Bulanova - love jumper and turners

Altynai Asylmuratova - nostalgic of Kirov days and love a dancer who can do a good Medora and Nikiya

Ulyana Lopatkina - love love love Russian ballet

Olga Smirnova - also love Russian ballet but you weren't old enough to see Ulyana Lopatkina in her prime

Ekaterina Maximova - love passionate dancers and good Kitris

Evgenia Obraztsova - love a charming stage presence

Nicoletta Manni - are well researched and love a technically proficient dancer

Natalia Osipova - love bravura roles but you also appreciate seeing dancers who grow tremendously out of their box

Sofya Valiullina - are new here lol! But you love a technically proficient dancer

Maya Plisetskaya - are deep into your research and you love strong dancers

Svetlana Zakharova - are obsessed with naturally gifted dancers.

Alina Somova - Love hyperextensions

Alexandra Khiteeva - Love a killer port de bras!

Victoria Tereshkina - are obsessed with strong dancers who can do no wrong!!!

Renata Shakirova - Love a versatile dancer

Maria Koshkaryova - are new here! But you're Vaganova obsessed.

Maria Iliushkina - Love dancers with emotional depth

Eleonora Sevenard - learned about her from when you got into Vaganova in 2017 and you've been obsessed ever since

Elena Svinko - (I'm sorry I don't know her well enough)

Svetlana Savalieva - a hopeless romatic and believes she deserved a fair chance into soloist territory!

Nina Kapstova - are a fan of absolutely flawless dancers

Elisabetta Nallin - are new here!

Angelina Vorontsova - prefer Mikhailovsky over Mariinsky and Bolshoi, and you're probably better off for that. Respect.

Yulia Makhalina - are ME and are CORRECT, but seriously though. You have good taste and you wished there were more clips of her out there.

May Nagahisa - love a perfect Aurora interpretation

Camilla Mazzi - don't love a perfect Aurora interpretation. Yeesh it got spicy here.

Kristina Shapran - You have faith in Mariinsky's next generation of principal dancers

Oxana Skorik - are Catherine Pollak. LOL. But actually, you have good taste and you just weren't around during Yulia Makhalina's time.

[elegantballetalk]

But Ballet isn't niche. Just look at balletcore

I disagree. I don't think people outside of the ballet world are able to go further than Nutcracker or Swan Lake. Perhaps they've heard of Giselle. Maybe. They might have seen Black Swan, and have their own conception of ballet.

ballet is so weird that it has niche body standards! Extremely thin bodies aside, just look at how idealised S legs are. No one who does ballet would ever appreciate them in the same way.

For example: I think it's sociologically interesting when pockets of people in a certain niche form specific standards. I was watching a Mariinsky ballet with my boyfriend, and he found arched feet horrendous. He called them bulbs, but to me, they were wonderful, and I couldn’t look away from certain dancers’ feet. Similarly, with hyperextended knees, I loved the S-shape, but to him, it just looked bent. He even asked me why they had chosen a ballerina with "wonky legs." When I explained that this was actually a plus in ballet, he was confused, especially because of the arabesque line. To him, it didn’t make sense that the foot went "fishing" upwards. He would have preferred a pure continuation of the line, I guess. (I actually agree with this, but the fish foot actually aids turnout so there's a reason why its done)

This difference in perception highlights how niche communities, like ballet, cultivate their own beauty standards that can seem utterly alien—or even off-putting—to outsiders. My boyfriend’s reaction is a perfect example of how these specialized aesthetics clash with broader cultural perceptions.

For example, what ballet aficionados admire as arched feet (or those "bulbs" as he called them!) are prized for their ability to create dramatic lines and enhance movement. To him, though, they might look exaggerated or unnatural because he’s not conditioned to view them as beautiful within the context of ballet. Similarly, hyperextended knees—coveted for their ability to create that striking S-shape—might appear "bent" or incorrect to someone used to seeing straighter, more symmetrical legs as ideal.

His comment about the "fishing foot" in arabesques is particularly interesting because it shows how the hyper-idealized shapes in ballet can actually defy conventional ideas of straight, harmonious lines. The upward curve I love is a hallmark of classical ballet aesthetics, but it’s also a kind of stylization that requires a trained eye to fully appreciate.

What’s so cool about this is how it shows that "beauty" is learned and contextual. In ballet, the peculiarities we admire—like hyperextensions and arched feet—are celebrated precisely because they amplify the art form’s unique visual language. To an outsider, though, they might seem counterintuitive or even awkward: they loose meaning.

It’s a reminder that every niche culture, from ballet to fashion to modern art, creates its own internal logic of what’s desirable or aspirational. To someone on the outside, it can look baffling, but to those on the inside, it’s pure magic. And honestly, my boyfriend's perspective adds a layer of humor and humility to the mix—after all, who doesn’t love a good debate about fishing feet versus perfect lines over a Mariinsky performance? 😊

[tikitania]

Saw this interview with Alexandra Khiteeva on IG, so I ripped it and uploaded to YouTube and utilized the closed-captioning translation feature. Nothing earth-shattering in there but I did learn that 1) her mother wanted to be a ballerina but was not accepted into Vaganova, and so her mother dreamed this for her daughter. Luckily, Khiteeva also wanted to be a ballerina. 2) Anyuta was a dream role for her. 3) She was almost rejected from Vaganova because her hips are “too wide,” but a teacher at the academy fought for her, so she was accepted but had to repeat her 5th year.

Repeating that year was probably a blessing, so she didn’t have to graduate in the shadow of Khoreva, Bulanova, Niukina, and Ionova. Interestingly, her career has been the most interesting so far. Although I do hope to see Bulanova in more leading roles!

[heather--moors]

and tomorrow i will wake early again

[mariaspir]

Why do we not see any Russians in Prix de Lausanne? Specifically from VBA and BBA.

Russians were always discriminated against in PdL (in my humble opinion). We all remember Alena Kovaleva in 2016, well she didn't even make it to finals, despite being one of the best in classical and contemporary as well. People were quite perplexed at that, especially after Alena became a first soloist, shortly after joining the Bolshoi.

In 2020 Lizi Avsajanishvili and Vladislav Hodasevich were officially announced as VBA's candidates of the year, Lizi never did because of injury, Vlad didn't make it to finals, just like Alena. He's currently in MT corps, doing minor solo parts (and he deserves more).

The only dancer from VBA who ever got a prize was Laura Fernandez Gromova, who participated in 2015 and didn't make it to finals, but won Best Contemporary and Best Swiss in 2016 after studying in VBA for the year. That was seen as a political move, telling the Russians that their own are not what Europe wants, even if they can take a mediocre dancer and turn them into a star.

After that slap in the face VBA stopped sending their students. They did usually send 1 or 2 from the top of the final grade, but I'm guessing students also felt that there's no point. The whole world is watching them anyway.

[vintage-russia]

Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova (1910s)

[souvlakic]

i just wanna be a prima ballerina

[emotionalshawtysinthisbitch]

but i love the pain

[havlasha]

Shakirova is FINALLY a Prima!!

[ballet-symphonie]

Hi Ale,

Since you’re Italian, can you explain why some of the Italian ballet stars aren’t as famous as the Russian or American dancers? Eg Virna Toppi, Susanna Salvi, Nicoletta Manni?

The only Italian dancers who’ve basically made themselves international stars in the ballet world by are/were Ferri, Fracci, Bolle and now Tissi.

I honestly think that it it’s because of two reasons:

1. how they market themselves. American dancers use social media to get big (Isabella Boylston, Skylar Brandt, Tiler Peck) and for Russia it’s basically based on if you align yourself with Putin policies (Polunin, Zakharova, Gracheva, Shipulina is married to a vocal supporter, I think Zhiganshina posted a pro-Russia thing too?) or not (Smirnova, Osipova)

None of the Italian dancers really have a way to get themselves known in the international world imo. Italy is known for opera, food, and painting, I wouldn’t see ballet at La Scala unless there was a Russian there. (Side note: I loved how La Scala didn’t invite Zakharova for their recent Swan Lake, but they hired Smirnova instead😂it’s your loss, Sveta!)

2. I hate saying this, especially during the war, but Russia is basically the hot spot of ballet right now because of their rigorous training, the quality of good dancers, and sink or swim mentalities. Most people regardless if they’re in the ballet world don’t really see Italy as a ballet hotspot. Russia is THE place for ballet. Same with their ice skating, gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics. They put the best time and effort into those who’ve given up their childhood to train.

Is there any other reasons why Italian stars aren’t big worldwide?

Hmm I have a lot of mixed thoughts to your points here.

As someone who's currently in Italy, Roberto Bolle is absolutely a household name. Nicoletta Manni and to a slightly lesser extent, Timofej Andrijashenko are both quite popular and well known. Manni is everywhere, even more so after their proposal at the Arena di Verona went viral. You can see her in advertisements, on the posters of La Scala, and frequently in the news. Nicoletta was just titled as "Officer of Merit" of the Italian Republic and publically recognized by our president, Sergio Mattarella. A few days later, she received the "Women of the Year" award by a promiemnt womens rights group called "Associazione Nazionale Donne Elettrici".

Italy has a diverse and robust culture and ballet at La Scala has historically been a part of that. Many Italian dancers and arts organizations are not as social media crazy as in other countries, we're more concerned with the art form and preserving its nature and longevity - not advertising it as something it's not or playing it up to match fickle trends. The historical importance is why La Scala has been a cultural center of high arts for centuries now, so many international stars speak so highly about it and desire to perform here- ballet, opera, and orchestra. Also, disrespectfully, if you wouldn't go see the ballet La Scala without a Russian headliner, then let someone else have your ticket. You don't know what you're missing.

2. I actually don't think Russia is the hotspot for ballet currently. The quality of training has declined at both BBA and VBA, and both of their main companies are being drastically mismanaged under politically messy leadership. The quality of good dancers remains, but most are from an older era. Furthermore, the training in Russia is quickly becoming dated, their dancers are not graduating with the skills to succeed in a repertoire that goes beyond Petitpa (and often lately, even the Petipa leaves a lot to be desired)

More importantly, ballet in Russia is not evolving or innovating. There are so few premieres with merit nowadays. A decent Coppelia and a stolen Pharoah's Daughter and some unremarkable, dated neoclassical pieces. Russian ballet has not taken off during the war, it's dying. MT's and BT's licenses to perform works are expiring left and right, BT has been performing Ratmansky's work without permission and credit to bolster their repertoire. Furthermore, no foreigners are coming to create commissions, many talented Russian choreographers have left the country such as Ilya Zhivoi and we're long past the golden age of Soviet innovation on stage.

In my opinion, the current hotspots are where new works are being created to great acclaim, and ballet is finding new audiences and new heights. The UK, with the Royal, English National, Akram Khan, Wayne McGregor, Matthew Bourne, Rambert, and fantastic curation by Sadler’s Wells. Canada, with the National Ballet's exciting rep, Medhi Walerski and Ballet BC and their collaborations with École supérieure de ballet du Québec, Crystal Pite's Kidd Pivot. Germany And then of course, New York with Kyle Abraham, Lauren Lovette, and Robert Battle at Paul Taylor, Yin Yue and her company YYDC, GALLIM, and the multitudes of creation spaces like ABT's Incubator, DANCE LAB NYC, and that's before we even get to the commercial scene.

[patricedumonde]

Starting a thread here if anyone wants to participate.

I cannot get enough of Alexandra Khiteeva’s dancing. I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited about a rising dancer before. Maybe I’m a bit biased because I really started following Russian ballet when she graduated from Vaganova but seeing her potential on that graduation performance to now seeing her take principal roles. It just makes me incredibly proud of her.

Her Clemence variation is just perfection, she can do Kitri easily, and she absolutely kills it as Gamzatti too. What an absolute gem.

I never feel like her performances are exhibition of tricks too. She’s just pure grace and artistry and I don’t think she gets enough credit from the public.

Curious to know which dancers you all follow. We all have that one dancer that makes us love ballet even more and that’s Khiteeva for me. As always, feel free to reply or leave anonymous messages. 😆