#bolshoio theater

[ballet-symphonie]

I don’t understand why they are making kokoreva debut as Swanilda AND debut the lead in Nureyev two or three shows. I like her a lot, she is very promising but now she is starting to be literally everywhere and getting more exposure than what she should get. I still remember how people cringed over Sevenard having debuts in trios because she was having too many but now no one saying anything about Kokoreva. Funny.

She’s the next hot thing, she’s got soloist written all over her. It won’t take very long for that promotion. A Bolshoi grad with this much potential hasn’t happened in a WHILE. She’s talented, charismatic and the management is logically eager to support home grown talent as opposed to SPB imports (a popular criticism of many Muscovites. Kokoreva dancing a lot looks good for both BBA and BT. She’s incredibly talented and I hope she keeps progressing well.

With all the covid related issues, who knows how long she’s been rehearsing and to what extent. We’ll never really know the answer to that. Also it’s not like Swanilda or Masha is outside her wheelhouse technically or artistically. Most Kitri’s are good Swanilda’s as well...and she debuted the harder ballet first. She’s shown a charming, cute, girly character suitable for her young age and her repertoire reflects that. Also, I think her role in Nureyev is a soloist role, not principal (that would be the Diva role in Nureyev).

Also there was a lot more politics behind Sevenard and she had a LOT more exposure both in and out of the ballet world. The family dynamics of her situation were on a whole different level, Sevenard was really overexposed and came into the theater with a target on her back (that had been there for a while at VBA to be quite honest). It’s not a good comparison.

[ballet-symphonie]

Bolshoi Asks

I love your thoughts on bolshoi future promotions. A different take to that game: who do you feel will go from corps to soloists soon? My bet is Kokoreva. Also, contrary to what I initially thought I now feel Trikoz will stay in the corps for a while,they’re not giving her the exposure to make me think there is a promotion in the air.

Kokoreva for sure. I was never sold on Trikoz, she really can't seem to shake the ‘fresh graduate’ vibes in my opinion. She would suit the repertoire of Kovaleva due to physique similarities but doesn’t have the stability yet. I am intrigued by what I have seen of Vlada Zakharova, but she needs more opportunities and promotions. I am more curious about why the seem so reluctant to promote any men to soloists. There are currently only 6 male soloists compared to 15 female soloists.  I think Alexei Putintsev, Mark Chino and Kim Elfimov should have been promoted after some impressive performances from all three. 

Is it alleged that vaziev has preference towards students from vaganova or students with the long limbed aesthetic? At first I thought it was toward vaganova students but there are up and comers who are coming from bolshoi

IMO, the increase from Vaganova graduates was due to the lack of exceptional talent coming from the Bolshoi school. This drought, so to speak, caused Vaziev to look elsewhere for new talent. If you look back, there really has not been an exceptional female graduate from Bolshoi school the past 5-6 years until Kokoreva. The Mariinsky was also rather stagnant at the time (in terms of repertoire) so many top VBA grads were drawn to Moscow for a combination of better pay, better rep, and more soloist opportunities. A notable exception is someone like Kovaleva who was rejected from MT due to her height. 

Vaziev certainly seems to like the long limbed aesthetic, there are numerous people doing well at BT without being so extremely skinny/ long proportions such as Sevenard, Tikhomirova Shrainer, Zhiganshina and even Kokoreva. Of course there are Krysanova and Nikulina too, but they weren’t promoted under Vaziev’s administration. I think that the Bolshoi is definitely more open to a ‘wider’ range of body types, especially when directly compared to the Mariinsky. 

[ballet-symphonie]

As much as I like Sevenard...those turned in transitions have got to go.