If there is an art that can conquer everyone’s heart without exception, penetrate the soul, fill it with joy, empathy, make it rejoice or cry, while capturing the entire auditorium - then this is the art of ballet.
Classical Russian ballet is not only famous ballerinas, dancers, but also composers who wrote specifically for Russian ballet. To this day, all over the world, Russian ballerinas are considered the best, the most slender, hardy, and efficient.
Ulyana Lopatkina - famous prima ballerina Mariinsky Theater. Inspired by the work of G. Ulanova and M. Plisetskaya, she forever connected her life with ballet and entered the choreographic school. However, upon admission she was given a very modest assessment. She fully revealed herself in the pre-graduation class. Everyone saw in her dance not only impeccable technical mastery of the dance, but also character, grace, and zest. Talent or the fruits of a lot of work? Later, in one of her interviews, she admits: “Stars are not born!” Which means, after all, hard work and will determine success. This is actually true. Ulyana Lopatkina is a very hardworking student, only this ability allowed her to become a real virtuoso in ballet.
Ulyana Lopatkina is a stately ballerina with individual style performance and with a certain attitude towards the hero, the audience, and oneself. Maybe that’s why she now has Maria Taglioni’s medallion, which was in the custody of the great Galina Ulanova and given to Ulyana Lopatkina, according to her will.
Much has been said and written about the beauty and grace of Maya Plisetskaya.
The whole world admires Maya Plisetskaya. Often the movements of her flexible arms and body are compared to the flutter of the wings of a swimming swan, the transformation of a girl into a bird. Odetta, performed by Maya Plisetskaya, eventually became a world legend. A critic of the Parisian newspaper Le Figaro assured that her hands in Swan Lake move “not humanly” and that “when Plisetskaya begins the wave-like movements of her hands, you no longer know whether these are hands or wings, or whether her hands turn into the movement of the waves along which the swan floats away.”
Vladimir Vasiliev can rightfully be considered a legend of the Russian Ballet. The only ballet dancer who was awarded the title “Best Dancer of the World” by the Paris Academy of Dance and who was declared by critics to be “the god of dance,” “a miracle of art,” and “perfection.” At one time he introduced a new technique, which, combined with his characteristic deep artistry of its execution, is still considered the standard of male dance.
Ekaterina Maksimova is a famous Soviet ballerina, whose work has taken its rightful place among the masterpieces of this art. Her images had an amazing quality: they combined childlike inspiration, purity and the actions of an adult personality. This feature was achieved by the extraordinary lightness and grace of Maximova’s choreography, whose design was characterized by tones of light and joy. Each dancer's appearance on stage was an ode to lyricism and youth. Thanks to the teacher of the choreographic school, E.P. Gerdt, Ekaterina Maksimova focused not only on the impeccable performance of the dance, but also on conveying the whole range of feelings that excite her heroine. Inner world the created images were conveyed by special facial expressions and special acting talent.
Natalya Bessmertnova is the most romantic ballerina of the twentieth century.
A master of lyricism, she captivated not with the technical “collapse” of thirty-two fouettes, but with the atmosphere (now they will say - the aura) of the dance. Her art is the strongest impression that will last a lifetime. The ability to take the viewer for several hours into a world where there is nothing mortal, this is precisely why her fans and admirers adored her.
The dancing abilities and artistry of Lyudmila Semenyaka first appeared in the choreographic circle of the Zhdanov Palace of Pioneers.
At the age of 10 she entered the Leningrad Academic Choreographic School. Vaganova, at 12 - made her debut on the stage of the Kirov Opera and Ballet Theater in the solo role of little Marie in the ballet “The Nutcracker”.
In 1969, she was awarded III prize at the First International Ballet Competition in Moscow.
From 1970 to 1972 she worked at the Kirov Opera and Ballet Theater. She continued to study under the guidance of Irina Kolpakova.
In 1972, Yuri Grigorovich invited her to the Bolshoi Theater. In the same year, the artist successfully debuted in the Bolshoi Theater play Swan Lake.
In 1976 she won 1st prize and gold medal I International Ballet Competition in Tokyo, and in Paris Serge Lifar presents her with the Anna Pavlova Prize of the Paris Academy of Dance.
Svetlana Zakharova was born in Lutsk on June 10, 1979. In 1989 she entered the Kiev Choreographic School. After studying there for six years, she took part in the Vaganova-Prix competition for young dancers in St. Petersburg. Received second prize and an offer to switch to graduate course to the Academy of Russian Ballet named after A. Ya. Vaganova. In 1996, Zakharova graduated from the academy, being among the first graduates of Elena Evteeva, a former famous ballerina of the Mariinsky Theater. That same year she was accepted into the Mariinsky Theater troupe and already in the next season she took the position of soloist.
In April 2008, Svetlana Zakharova was recognized as the star of the famous Milan theater La Scala.
She performed in Moscow, St. Petersburg, London, Berlin, Paris, Vienna, Milan, Madrid, Tokyo, Baku, New York, Amsterdam, etc.
About M. V. Kondratieva
“If Terpsichore existed in reality, Marina Kondratieva would be her embodiment. You don’t know and can’t catch when it falls to the ground. Either you see only her eyes, then her light graceful legs, then only her expressive hands. Together they tell wonderful stories in compelling language. But then a barely noticeable turn of the shoulder - and she’s gone... and it seems like she wasn’t there at all. She, like an early pink cloud, appears and then melts before our eyes.”
Kasyan Goleizovsky, ballet dancer, outstanding Russian choreographer
“Her dance evoked in me associations with Japanese painting, with the finest and most expressive strokes, with transparent strokes of watercolor paints.”
Lyudmila Semenyaka, People's Artist of the USSR
“Kondratieva’s highest professionalism is admired not only in her solo performances, but also in duets and ensembles with other soloists. Being a reliable partner is also an art. And how to achieve it remains a secret for many.”
Maris Liepa, People's Artist of the USSR
“Purity and lightness were inherent not only in her dance, but also in her soul. Of course, this was the real Muse.
Yaroslav Sekh, dancer of the Bolshoi Theater
There are special, “star” people in art, endowed, in addition to talent, hard work, charm and creative power, with some kind of light and flight. About Maris Liepa: he is in flight, in jumps, long, as if protracted, across the entire space of the stage. Like a straightened spring. On the day of the performance, in the morning, it was compressed like a spring, and it was important not to lose this state, the spring was activated when the curtain rose.
Thirteen-year-old serious Riga boy: first participation in a competition in Moscow. The first pas de deux from The Nutcracker. First success. Only from that moment did he decide that ballet was his destiny
He was passionate, passionate in every form. . Liepa skips to class with his students, light, indistinguishable from them, young ones, in the crowd. And he also teaches easily and passionately, falling to his knees, lighting himself up and praising, praising uncontrollably, because he knows: ballet is a gigantic work.
He lived his life like a torch or a star - it flashed and went out. He probably wouldn’t be able to survive, to fade away. He knew how and wanted only to live. “I feel like a race car driver, I’m flying and flying and I can’t stop.” "When I leave the Bolshoi, I will die." The Bolshoi was his only theater. He was a maximalist, a romantic. And ballet was his only destiny.
Of course, these are not all the stars of Russian ballet who have shone and are now shining on many stages around the world. But it’s impossible to talk about them all at once in one message. Thank you for attention.
The dance style of this ballerina cannot be confused with anyone else. A clear, carefully honed gesture, measured movement around the stage, the utmost laconicism of costumes and movements - these are the features that immediately distinguish M. Plisetskaya.
After graduating from the Moscow Choreographic School, where Plisetskaya studied with teachers E. P. Gerdt and M. M. Leontyeva, from 1943 she worked at the Bolshoi Theater. From the very beginning creative path Plisetskaya’s special artistic individuality emerged. Her work is distinguished by a rare combination of purity of line with imperious expression and rebellious dynamics of dance. And her excellent external characteristics - a long step, a high, light jump, rapid rotations, unusually flexible, expressive hands and the finest musicality - once again confirm that Plisetskaya not only became a ballerina, but was born one.
Anna Pavlovna Pavlova(February 12, 1881 – January 23, 1931), Russian ballerina.
Pavlova's art is a unique phenomenon in the history of world ballet. For the first time she turned academic dance into mass appearance art, close and understandable even to the most unprepared public.
Legends envelop her entire life from birth to death. According to the documents, her father was a soldier of the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment. However, even during the ballerina’s lifetime, newspapers wrote about her aristocratic origins.
Galina Sergeevna
Ulanova(January 8, 1910 – March 21, 1998), Russian ballerina.
Ulanova’s work constituted an entire era in the history of world ballet. She not only admired the filigree art of dance, but with every movement she conveyed the state of mind of her heroine, her mood and character.
The future ballerina was born into a family where dance was a profession. Her father was a famous dancer and choreographer, and her mother was a ballerina and teacher. Therefore, Ulanova’s admission to the Leningrad Choreographic School was completely natural. At first she studied with her mother, and then the famous ballerina A. Ya. Vaganova became her teacher.
In 1928, Ulanova brilliantly graduated from college and was accepted into the troupe of the Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater. Soon she becomes the leading performer of the roles of the classical repertoire - in the ballets of P. Tchaikovsky “Swan Lake” and “The Nutcracker”, A. Adam “Giselle” and others. In 1944 she became a soloist at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow.
Marius Ivanovich Petipa(March 11, 1818 - July 14, 1910), Russian artist, choreographer.
The name of Marius Petipa is known to everyone who is even slightly familiar with the history of ballet. Wherever today there are ballet theaters and schools, where films and television programs dedicated to ballet are shown, books about it are published amazing art, know and honor this person. Although he was born in France, he worked all his life in Russia and is one of the founders of modern ballet.
Petipa once admitted that from birth his whole life was connected with the stage. Indeed, his father and mother were famous artists ballet and lived in the large port city of Marseille. But Marius’s childhood was spent not in the south of France, but in Brussels, where the family moved immediately after his birth in connection with his father’s new appointment.
Marius's musical abilities were noticed very early, and he was immediately sent to the Great College and Conservatory to study violin. But his first teacher was his father, who taught a ballet class at the theater. In Brussels, Petipa appeared on stage for the first time as a dancer.
He was only twelve years old at that time. And already at sixteen he became a dancer and choreographer in Nantes. True, he worked there for only a year and then, together with his father, went on his first foreign tour to New York. But, despite the purely commercial success that accompanied them, they quickly left America, realizing that there was no one there to appreciate their art.
Returning to France, Petipa realized that he needed to get a deeper education and became a student famous choreographer Vestrisa. The classes quickly yielded results: in just two months he became a dancer, and later a choreographer at the ballet theater in Bordeaux.
Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev(March 31, 1872 - August 19, 1929), Russian theater figure, impresario, publisher.
Diaghilev did not know his mother; she died during childbirth. He was raised by his stepmother, who treated him the same as her own children. Therefore, for Diaghilev, the death of his half-brother in Soviet time became a real tragedy. Perhaps that is why he stopped striving to return to his homeland.
Diaghilev's father was a hereditary nobleman, a cavalry guard. But due to debts, he was forced to leave the army and settle in Perm, which at that time was considered the Russian outback. His house almost immediately becomes the center of the city's cultural life. Parents often played music and sang at the evenings held in their house. Their son also took music lessons. Sergei received such a diverse education that when he ended up in St. Petersburg after graduating from high school, he was in no way inferior in knowledge to his St. Petersburg peers and sometimes even surpassed them in terms of erudition and knowledge of history and Russian culture.
Diaghilev's appearance turned out to be deceptive: the big provincial man, who seemed like a bumpkin, was quite well read and spoke several languages fluently. He easily entered the university environment and began to be listed as a student at the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University.
At the same time, he plunged into theatrical and musical life capital Cities. The young man takes private piano lessons from the Italian A. Cotogna, attends a class at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, tries to compose music, and studies history artistic styles. During the holidays, Diaghilev made his first trip to Europe. He seems to be looking for his calling, turning to various fields of art. Among his friends are L. Bakst, E. Lanseray, K. Somov - the future core of the World of Art association.
Vaslav Fomich Nijinsky(March 12, 1890 – April 8, 1950), Russian dancer and choreographer.
In the 1880s, a troupe of Polish dancers performed successfully in Russia. It was staffed by husband and wife – Tomasz and Eleanor Nijinsky. They became the parents of the future great dancer. Theater and dance entered Vaclav’s life from the first months of his life. As he himself later wrote, “the desire to dance was as natural to me as breathing.”
In 1898 he entered the St. Petersburg Ballet School, graduated in 1907 and was accepted into the Mariinsky Theater. The outstanding talent of a dancer and actor immediately brought Nijinsky to the position of prime minister. He performed many parts of the academic repertoire and was a partner of such brilliant ballerinas as O. I. Preobrazhenskaya, A. P. Pavlova,.
Already at the age of 18, Nijinsky danced the main roles in almost all new ballets staged on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater. In 1907 he danced the White Slave in the Armida Pavilion, in 1908 the Slave in Egyptian Nights and the Young Man in Chopiniana staged by M. M. Fokin, and a year later he performed the role of the Hurricane in the ballet Talisman by Drigo directed by N. G. Legat.
And yet, in 1911, Nijinsky was fired from the Mariinsky Theater because, while performing in the ballet “Giselle,” he voluntarily put on a new costume made according to a sketch by A. N. Benois. By appearing on stage half-naked, the actor irritated the members of the royal family sitting in the boxes. Even the fact that by this time he was one of the most famous dancers of Russian ballet could not protect him from dismissal.
Ekaterina Sergeevna Maksimova(February 1, 1939 - April 28, 2009), Russian Soviet and Russian ballerina, choreographer, choreographer, teacher, People's Artist of the USSR.
This unique ballerina has not left the stage for thirty-five years. However, Maksimova is still connected with ballet today, since she is a teacher and tutor at the Kremlin Ballet Theater.
Ekaterina Maksimova received special education at the Moscow Choreographic School, where her teacher was the famous E. P. Gerdt. While still a student, Maksimova received first prize at the All-Union Ballet Competition in Moscow in 1957.
She began her service to art in 1958. After graduating from college, the young ballerina came to the Bolshoi Theater and worked there until 1988. Small in stature, perfectly proportioned and surprisingly flexible, it seemed that nature itself was destined for classical roles. But it soon became obvious that her capabilities were truly limitless: she performed both classical and modern roles with equal brilliance.
The secret of Maximova’s success is that she continued to study all her life. The famous ballerina G. Ulanova passed on her rich experience to her. It was from her that the young ballet actress adopted the art of dramatic dance. It is no coincidence that, unlike many ballet actors, she played a number of roles in ballet television performances. Maximova’s unusually expressive face with big eyes reflected the most subtle nuances when performing comedic, lyrical and dramatic roles. In addition, she brilliantly performed not only female, but also male roles, as, for example, in the ballet performance “Chapliniana”.
Sergey Mikhailovich Lifar(April 2 (15), 1905 - December 15, 1986), Russian and French dancer, choreographer, teacher, collector and artist.
Sergei Lifar was born in Kyiv into the family of a prominent official; his mother came from the family of the famous grain merchant Marchenko. He received his primary education in hometown, having entered the Kiev Imperial Lyceum in 1914, where he underwent the training necessary for a future officer.
At the same time, from 1913 to 1919, Lifar attended piano classes at the Taras Shevchenko Conservatory. Having decided to devote his life to ballet, he entered the public school arts (dance class) at the Kyiv Opera and received the basics of choreographic education in the studio of B. Nijinska.
In 1923, on the recommendation of the teacher, together with four of his other students, Lifar was invited to audition for the Russian Ballet troupe of S.P. Diaghilev. Sergei managed to pass the competition and get into the famous team. From that time on, the difficult process of transforming a novice amateur into a professional dancer began. Lifar was given lessons by the famous teacher E. Cecchetti.
At the same time, he learned a lot from professionals: after all, the best dancers in Russia traditionally came to Diaghilev’s troupe. Moreover, without having own ideas, Diaghilev carefully collected the best that was in Russian choreography, supported the search for George Balanchine and Mikhail Fokine. Scenography and theatrical scenery were engaged famous artists Russia. Therefore, gradually the Russian Ballet turned into one of the best teams in the world.
A few years after the death of Maris Liepa, it was decided to immortalize five of his drawings in the form of medallions. They were carried out under the guidance Italian master D. Montebello in Russia and are sold at Liepa memorial evenings in Moscow and Paris. True, the first circulation was only one hundred to one hundred and fifty medallions.
After graduating from the Riga Choreographic School with V. Blinov, Maris Liepa came to Moscow to also study at the Moscow Choreographic School with N. Tarasov. After graduating in 1955, he never returned to his historical homeland and worked in Moscow almost his entire life. Here he received recognition from fans and his fame as an outstanding ballet dancer.
Immediately after graduating from college, Maris Liepa joined the troupe of the K. Stanislavsky Theater, where he danced the role of Lionel in the ballet “Joan of Arc,” Phoebus, and Conrad. Already in these parts the main features of his talent were revealed - a combination of excellent technique with vivid expressiveness of each movement. The work of the young artist attracted the attention of leading ballet specialists, and since 1960 Liepa became a member of the Bolshoi Theater team.
Matilda Feliksovna Kshesinskaya(Maria-Matilda Adamovna-Feliksovna-Valerievna Krzesinska) (August 19 (31), 1872 - December 6, 1971), Russian ballerina.
Matilda Kshesinskaya was petite, only 1 meter 53 centimeters tall, and the future ballerina could boast of her curves, unlike her thin friends. But, despite her height and somewhat overweight for ballet, the name of Kshesinskaya for many decades did not leave the pages of gossip columns, where she was presented among the heroines of scandals and “femme fatales.” This ballerina was the mistress of the last Russian Tsar Nicholas II (when he was still heir to the throne), as well as the wife of Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich. They talked about her as a fantastic beauty, and yet she was distinguished only by her unusually beautiful figure. At one time, Kshesinskaya was a famous ballerina. And although the level of talent was much inferior to, say, such a contemporary as Anna Pavlova, she still took her place in Russian ballet art.
Kshesinskaya was born into a hereditary artistic environment, which for several generations was associated with ballet. Matilda's father was a famous dancer and a leading artist in the imperial theaters.
The father became the first teacher of his youngest daughter. Following her older sister and brother, Matilda was accepted into the choreographic school, after which her long service in the imperial theaters began.
On April 18, the famous dancer, choreographer, choreographer, theater director and actor, teacher and People's Artist of the USSR Vladimir Vasiliev will celebrate his 75th birthday. The role of Spartacus, created by Yuri Grigorovich specifically for Vasiliev, became a symbol of the national ballet of the Bolshoi Theater in the second half of the 20th century. “At the age of 28, he made a role that immediately stood in that select series of general cultural and timeless significance, where Anna Pavlova’s Swan, Galina Ulanova’s Juliet, Maya Plisetskaya’s Carmen,” wrote Asaf Messerer, ballet dancer, choreographer and uncle of the unrivaled Maya Plisetskaya .
Even at the chreographic school, a unique duet of Vladimir Vasiliev and Ekaterina Maksimova formed -
his wife and constant partner, a ballerina, for whom he created ballets, concert performances and films. This duet has been repeatedly recognized as “golden”, “the best in the world”, and called “a legend of the 20th century”. But does everyone remember that, in addition to television recordings of ballet performances in which Vasiliev participated, such as “Spartacus”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “The Nutcracker”, “Stone Flower”, “Cinderella”, his biography also included artistic paintings , films-ballets? These are “The Tale of the Little Humpbacked Horse”, “Spartacus”, “Gigolo and Gigolette”. Since 1971, Vasiliev acted as a choreographer, staged a number of ballets on the Soviet and foreign stage, as well as the television ballets “Anyuta” and “House by the Road” to the music of V. A. Gavrilin. In the film “Fouette,” Vladimir Vasiliev acted both as a choreographer and as a co-director. Well, the great Franco Zeffirelli himself invited Vasiliev and Maksimova to the film version of La Traviata!
Mikhail Baryshnikov
But to another the most famous dancer, one of the most famous representatives of male dance in the 20th century, born in the USSR - Mikhail Baryshnikov - Joseph Brodsky himself dedicated several poems: “Classical ballet is a castle of beauty...” and “We used to water the lawn from a watering can...”. Baryshnikov’s name is even mentioned in the book “Needful Things” by Stephen King.
In cinema, Mikhail Nikolaevich had the opportunity to play several roles. But in his biography there is interesting story, associated with the teleplay “Fiesta”, staged by Sergei Yuryevich Yursky, based on the novel “The Sun Also Rises” by Ernest Hemingway. When Baryshnikov made his debut on the stage of the Kirov Theater,
It turned out that the stage had not seen such a dancer for a long time. There was talk in the city that this young student was perhaps equal in talent to Vaslav Nijinsky and Rudolf Nureyev. And Sergei Yursky took an unexpected step - he invited ballet dancer for the dramatic role of Matador in his play “Fiesta”. How can a dramatic artist prove that he is a bullfighter? Of course, the issue here is primarily one of plastic. A ballet actor was what was needed. It was Baryshnikov who could best play real Spain. But in 1974, Mikhail Baryshnikov did not return from a tour in Canada and became a defector. As was then expected, everything connected with his name had to be destroyed. In particular, there was a film with a recording of the play “Fiesta”, but on Leningrad television, editor Elena Nisimova hid the film, thanks to which the recording was preserved in the archive.
And abroad, Mikhail Baryshnikov played in several films, such as “White Nights”, “Jack Ryan: Chaos Theory”. He was nominated for an Oscar for his supporting role in The Turning Point. The film was submitted to eleven award nominations, but received none. In one of the scenes of this film, Mikhail Baryshnikov performs Vladimir Vysotsky’s song “The Crystal House.” The dancer also starred in the last episodes of the last season of the series “Sex in big city"in the role of Carrie Bradshaw's next lover - Russian artist Alexander Petrovsky. Immediately after their meeting in the story, Petrovsky invites the journalist to the Russian Samovar restaurant in New York, which, by the way, is owned by Baryshnikov.
Maya Plisetskaya
A whole era in our art, outstanding personality, a brilliant ballerina, a talented actress and interesting woman- it's all about Maya Plisetskaya. She is always modern. And during her active creative life, the ballerina, and now, is a standard in everything. It is Maya Mikhailovna who personifies the Russian Ballet for many. And it is difficult to find a person in the world who does not know this name. Otherwise, an asteroid would not have been named in honor of Plisetskaya, and the Moscow musical rock group “Klyuchevaya” would not have composed a song called “Maya Plisetskaya,” which became a hit and business card groups for many years. And there is no more symbolic name, inextricably linked with ballet and choreography. And even with cinema.
For the first time on the silver screen famous ballerina appeared in 1951 in Vera Stroeva’s film “ Big concert" And then, of course, there were filmings in the ballet films “Swan Lake” and “The Tale of the Little Humpbacked Horse.” Prima of the Bolshoi Theater was invited to the film-opera “Khovanshchina”. She took an active part in the television adaptation of the ballets Bolero and Isadora, The Seagull and The Lady with the Dog. In 1974, Maya Plisetskaya and Bolshoi Theater soloist Alexander Bogatyrev starred for television in the number “Nocturne” to the music of F. Chopin, from the ballet “In the Night” by the outstanding American choreographer Jerome Robbins.
In the very famous film adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's novel Anna Karenina directed by Alexander Zarkhi in 1967, Maya Plisetskaya played the role of Betsy. Then Maya Plisetskaya starred as singer Desiree in the film “Tchaikovsky” directed by Igor Talankin. In 1976, director Anatoly Efros invited the ballet star to the television film “Fantasy” based on Ivan Turgenev’s story “Spring Waters”. The ballerina brilliantly played the role of Polozova. The action of the film was “commented” by choreographic duets staged by choreographer Valentin Elizariev. And director Jonas Vaitkus in 1985 invited her to his film “Zodiac”, where Maya Mikhailovna played the muse of Mikalojus-Konstantinas Čiurlionis. In addition, the Bolshoi Theater prima starred in many documentaries.
Galina Ulanova
And, of course, one cannot even remember the “goddess of dance” Galina Ulanova. Until now, the phenomenon of the ballerina's talent remains a mystery. She received almost all the awards that existed in the USSR, as well as awards from other countries. Among the unofficial awards are various titles that critics and viewers awarded her:
“the soul of Russian ballet”, “an ordinary goddess”. And composer Sergei Sergeevich Prokofiev called Galina Sergeevna “the genius of Russian ballet, his elusive soul and his inspired poetry.” In her dance there was always reticence, understatement, detachment and self-absorption. Ulanova was the same in life - she rarely appeared in public and kept to herself.
After finishing her ballet career, she began working as a teacher. Over the years, she studied with such famous dancers as Ekaterina Maksimova and Vladimir Vasiliev, Lyudmila Semenyaka, Nikolai Tsiskaridze and many others. During her career, she starred in six films, most of which were documentary in nature: “Ballet Soloist”, “Masters of the Russian Ballet”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “Giselle” and documentaries.
Alonso Alicia(b. 1921), Cuban prima ballerina. A dancer of a romantic nature, she was especially magnificent in “Giselle.” In 1948 she founded the Alicia Alonso Ballet in Cuba, which later became known as the National Ballet of Cuba. Stage life Alonso herself had a very long career; she stopped performing at the age of over sixty.
Andreyanova Elena Ivanovna(1819-1857), Russian ballerina, the largest representative of romantic ballet. The first performer of the title roles in the ballets "Giselle" and "Paquita". Many choreographers created roles in their ballets especially for Andreyanova.
Ashton Frederick(1904-1988), English choreographer and director of the Royal Ballet of Great Britain in 1963-1970. Several generations of English ballet dancers grew up on the performances he staged. Ashton's style determined the characteristics of the English ballet school.
Balanchine George(Georgy Melitonovich Balanchivadze, 1904-1983), outstanding Russian-American choreographer of the 20th century, innovator. He was convinced that dance needed no help literary plot, scenery and costumes, and most importantly - the interaction of music and dance. Balanchine's influence on world ballet is difficult to overestimate. His legacy includes more than 400 works.
Baryshnikov Mikhail Nikolaevich(b. 1948), dancer of the Russian school. Virtuoso classical technique and the purity of style made Baryshnikov one of the most famous representatives of male dance in the 20th century. After graduating from the Leningrad Choreographic School, Baryshnikov was accepted into the ballet troupe of the S.M. Kirov Opera and Ballet Theater and soon performed leading classical roles. In June 1974, while on tour with the Bolshoi Theater troupe in Toronto, Baryshnikov refused to return to the USSR. In 1978, he joined J. Balanchine's New York City Ballet troupe, and in 1980 he became artistic director of the American Ballet Theater and remained in this position until 1989. In 1990, Baryshnikov and choreographer Mark Morris founded the White Oak Dance Project, which over time grew into a large traveling troupe with a modern repertoire. Among Baryshnikov's awards are gold medals at international ballet competitions.
Bejar Maurice(b. 1927), French choreographer, born in Marseille. He founded the troupe "Ballet of the 20th Century" and became one of the most popular and influential choreographers in Europe. In 1987, he moved his troupe to Lausanne (Switzerland) and changed its name to “Béjart Ballet in Lausanne”.
Blasis Karlo(1797-1878), Italian dancer, choreographer and teacher. Led dance school at the La Scala theater in Milan. Author of two famous works on classical dance: “Treatise on Dance” and “Code Terpsichore”. In the 1860s he worked in Moscow, at the Bolshoi Theater and ballet school.
Bournonville August(1805-1879), Danish teacher and choreographer, was born in Copenhagen, where his father worked as a choreographer. In 1830 he headed the ballet of the Royal Theater and staged many performances. They are carefully preserved by many generations of Danish artists.
Vasiliev Vladimir Viktorovich(b. 1940), Russian dancer and choreographer. After graduating from the Moscow Choreographic School, he worked in the Bolshoi Theater troupe. Possessing a rare gift of plastic transformation, he had an unusually wide range of creativity. His performing style is noble and courageous. Winner of many international awards and prizes. He was repeatedly named the best dancer of the era. His name is associated with the highest achievements in the field of male dance. Permanent partner of E. Maksimova.
Vestris Auguste(1760-1842), French dancer. His creative life was extremely successful at the Paris Opera until the revolution of 1789. He then emigrated to London. He is also famous as a teacher: among his students are J. Perrault, A. Bournonville, Maria Taglioni. Vestris, the greatest dancer of his era, possessed a virtuoso technique and a large jump, had the title "god of dance."
Geltser Ekaterina Vasilievna(1876-1962), Russian dancer. She was the first ballet dancer to be awarded the title "People's Artist of the RSFSR". A bright representative of the Russian school of classical dance. In her performance she combined lightness and swiftness with breadth and softness of movements.
Goleizovsky Kasyan Yaroslavovich(1892-1970), Russian choreographer. Participant in the innovative experiments of Fokin and Gorsky. Musicality and rich imagination determined the originality of his art. In his work he sought a modern sound of classical dance.
Gorsky Alexander Alekseevich(1871-1924), Russian choreographer and teacher, ballet reformer. He strove to overcome the conventions of academic ballet, replaced pantomime with dance, and achieved historical accuracy in the design of the performance. A significant phenomenon was the ballet "Don Quixote" in its production, which to this day is in the repertoire of ballet theaters around the world.
Grigorovich Yuri Nikolaevich(b. 1927), Russian choreographer. For many years he was the chief choreographer of the Bolshoi Theater, where he staged the ballets “Spartacus”, “Ivan the Terrible” and “The Golden Age”, as well as his own editions of ballets from the classical heritage. His wife, Natalia Bessmertnova, performed in many of them. He made a great contribution to the development of Russian ballet.
Grisi Carlotta(1819-1899), Italian ballerina, first performer of the role of Giselle. She performed in all European capitals and at the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theater. Distinguished by her extraordinary beauty, she possessed in equal measure the passion of Fanny Elsler and the lightness of Maria Taglioni.
Danilova Alexandra Dionisevna(1904-1997), Russian-American ballerina. In 1924 she left Russia with J. Balanchine. She was a ballerina in Diaghilev's troupe until his death, then danced in the Russian Ballet of Monte Carlo troupe. She did a lot for the development of classical ballet in the West.
De Valois Ninet(b. 1898), English dancer, choreographer. In 1931 she founded the Vic Wells Ballet troupe, which later became known as the Royal Ballet.
Didelot Charles Louis(1767-1837), French choreographer and teacher. For a long time he worked in St. Petersburg, where he staged more than 40 ballets. His activities in Russia helped propel Russian ballet to one of the first places in Europe.
Geoffrey Robert(1930-1988), American dancer, choreographer. In 1956 he founded the Joffrey Ballet troupe.
Duncan Isadora(1877-1927), American dancer. One of the founders of modern dance. Duncan put forward the slogan: “Freedom of body and spirit gives rise to creative thought.” She sharply opposed the school of classical dance and advocated the development of mass schools where children would learn through dance the beauty of the natural movements of the human body. Duncan's ideal was ancient Greek frescoes and sculpture. She replaced the traditional ballet costume with a light Greek tunic and danced without shoes. This is where the name "barefoot dance" comes from. Duncan improvised talentedly; her movements consisted of walking, running on half-toes, light jumps and expressive gestures. At the beginning of the 20th century, the dancer was very popular. In 1922 she married poet S. Yesenin and accepted Soviet citizenship. However, in 1924 she left the USSR. Duncan's art has undoubtedly influenced modern choreography.
Diaghilev Sergei Pavlovich(1872-1929), Russian theater figure, ballet impresario, director of the famous Russian Ballet. In an effort to introduce Russian art Western Europe, Diaghilev organized an exhibition of Russian painting and a series of concerts in Paris in 1907, and the following season, the production of a number of Russian operas. In 1909, he assembled a troupe consisting of dancers from the Imperial Theaters, and during the summer vacation he took it to Paris, where he held the first “Russian Season”, in which such dancers as A.P. participated. Pavlova, T.P. Karsavina, M.M. Fokin, V.F. Nijinsky. "The Season", which was a huge success and stunned the public with its novelty, became a real triumph of Russian ballet and, of course, had a huge influence on the subsequent development of world choreography. In 1911, Diaghilev created a permanent troupe, Diaghilev's Russian Ballet, which existed until 1929. He chose ballet as a vehicle for new ideas in art and saw in it a synthesis modern music, painting and choreography. Diaghilev was an inspiration for the creation of new masterpieces and a skillful discoverer of talent.
Ermolaev Alexey Nikolaevich(1910-1975), dancer, choreographer, teacher. One of the most prominent representatives of the Russian ballet school of the 20-40s of the twentieth century. Ermolaev destroyed the stereotype of a courteous and gallant gentleman dancer, changed the idea of the possibilities of male dance and brought it to a new level of virtuosity. His performance of parts of the classical repertoire was unexpected and profound, and his style of dancing itself was unusually expressive. As a teacher, he trained many outstanding dancers.
Ivanov Lev Ivanovich(1834-1901), Russian choreographer, choreographer of the Mariinsky Theater. Together with M. Petipa he staged the ballet "Swan Lake", the author of the "swan" acts - the second and fourth. The genius of his production has stood the test of time: almost all choreographers who turn to “Swan Lake” leave the “swan acts” intact.
Istomina Avdotya Ilyinichna(1799-1848), leading dancer of the St. Petersburg Ballet. She had rare stage charm, grace, and virtuoso dance technique. In 1830, due to a leg illness, she switched to mime roles, and in 1836 she left the stage. Pushkin in “Eugene Onegin” has lines dedicated to her:
Brilliant, half-airy,
I obey the magic bow,
Surrounded by a crowd of nymphs,
Worth Istomin; she,
One foot touching the floor,
The other slowly circles,
And suddenly he jumps, and suddenly he flies,
Flies like feathers from the lips of Aeolus;
Either the camp will sow, then it will develop
And with a quick foot he hits the leg.
Camargo Marie(1710-1770), French ballerina. She became famous for her virtuoso dance while performing at the Paris Opera. The first of the women began to perform cabriole and entrechat, which were previously considered a part of the technique of exclusively male dance. She also shortened her skirts to allow her to move more freely.
Karsavina Tamara Platonovna(1885-1978), leading ballerina of the St. Petersburg Imperial Ballet. She performed in Diaghilev's troupe from the first performances and was often Vaslav Nijinsky's partner. The first performer in many of Fokine's ballets.
Kirkland Gelsey(b. 1952), American ballerina. Extremely gifted, as a teenager she received leading roles from J. Balanchine. In 1975, at the invitation of Mikhail Baryshnikov, she joined the American Ballet Theater troupe. She was considered the best performer of the role of Giselle in the United States.
Kilian Jiri(b. 1947), Czech dancer and choreographer. Since 1970 he danced in the troupe of the Stuttgart Ballet, where he performed his first productions, and since 1978 he has been the director of the Dutch Ballet dance theater", which thanks to him won world fame. His ballets are staged in all countries of the world; they are distinguished by a special style based mainly on adagio and emotionally rich sculptural structures. The influence of his work on modern ballet very large.
Kolpakova Irina Aleksandrovna(b. 1933), Russian ballerina. She danced at the Opera and Ballet Theater. CM. Kirov. Classic ballerina, one of the best performers of the role of Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty. In 1989, at the invitation of Baryshnikov, she became a teacher at the American Ball Theater.
Cranko John(1927-1973), English choreographer of South African origin. His productions of multi-act narrative ballets became very famous. From 1961 until the end of his life he directed the Stuttgart Ballet.
Kshesinskaya Matilda Feliksovna(1872-1971), Russian artist, teacher. She had a bright artistic personality. Her dance was distinguished by bravura, cheerfulness, flirtatiousness and at the same time classical completeness. In 1929 she opened her studio in Paris. Prominent foreign dancers, including I. Shovir and M. Fontaine, took lessons from Kshesinskaya.
Lepeshinskaya Olga Vasilievna(b. 1916), Russian dancer. In 1933-1963 she worked at the Bolshoi Theater. She had sparkling technique. Her performance was distinguished by its temperament, emotional richness, and precision of movements.
Liepa Maris Eduardovich(1936-1989), Russian dancer. Liepa's dance stood out for its courageous, confident manner, breadth and strength of movements, clarity, and sculptural design. The thoughtfulness of all the details of the role and the bright theatricality made him one of the most interesting “dancing actors” of the ballet theater. Liepa's best role was the role of Crassus in the ballet "Spartacus" by A. Khachaturian, for which he received the Lenin Prize.
Makarova Natalia Romanovna(b. 1940), dancer. In 1959-1970 - artist of the Opera and Ballet Theater. CM. Kirov. Unique plastic abilities, perfect skill, external grace and internal passion - all this is characteristic of her dance. Since 1970, the ballerina has lived and worked abroad. Makarova’s work increased the glory of the Russian school and influenced the development of foreign choreography.
McMillan Kenneth(1929-1992), English dancer and choreographer. After the death of F. Ashton, he was recognized as the most influential choreographer in England. MacMillan's style is a combination of the classical school with a more freestyle, flexible and acrobatic one, which was developed in Europe.
Maksimova Ekaterina Sergeevna(b. 1939), Russian ballerina. She joined the Bolshoi Theater troupe in 1958, where Galina Ulanova rehearsed with her, and soon began playing leading roles. He has great stage charm, filigree precision and purity of dance, grace, elegance of plasticity. She has equal access to comedic colors, subtle lyricism and drama.
Markova Alicia(b. 1910), English ballerina. As a teenager she danced in Diaghilev's troupe. One of the most famous performers of the role of Giselle, she was distinguished by her exceptional ease of dance.
Messerer Asaf Mikhailovich(1903-1992), Russian dancer, choreographer, teacher. He started studying at ballet school at the age of sixteen. Very soon he became a classical virtuoso dancer of an unusual style. Constantly increasing the complexity of the movements, he introduced energy, athletic strength and passion into them. On stage he seemed like a flying athlete. At the same time, he had a bright comedic gift and a unique artistic humor. He became especially famous as a teacher, since 1946 he taught a class for leading dancers and ballerinas at the Bolshoi Theater.
Messerer Sulamif Mikhailovna(b. 1908), Russian dancer, teacher. Sister of A. M. Messerer. In 1926-1950 - artist of the Bolshoi Theater. A dancer of an unusually wide repertoire, she performed roles from lyrical to dramatic and tragic. Since 1980 he has lived abroad and taught in different countries.
Moiseev Igor Alexandrovich(b. 1906), Russian choreographer. In 1937 he created the USSR Folk Dance Ensemble, which became an outstanding phenomenon in the history of world dance culture. The choreographic suites he staged are real examples of folk dance. Moiseev - honorary member Dance Academy in Paris.
Myasin Leonid Fedorovich(1895-1979), Russian choreographer and dancer. He studied at the Moscow Imperial Ballet School. In 1914 he joined the ballet troupe of S.P. Diaghilev and made his debut in “Russian Seasons”. Massine's talent as a choreographer and character dancer developed rapidly, and the dancer soon gained worldwide fame. After Diaghilev's death, Massine became head of the Russian Ballet of Monte Carlo.
Nijinsky Vaslav Fomich(1889-1950), outstanding Russian dancer and choreographer. At the age of 18 he performed leading roles at the Mariinsky Theater. In 1908, Nijinsky met S.P. Diaghilev, who invited him as a leading dancer to participate in the “Russian Ballet Season” of 1909. The Parisian public enthusiastically greeted the brilliant dancer with his exotic appearance and amazing technique. Nijinsky then returned to the Mariinsky Theater, but was soon fired (he appeared in a too revealing costume in the play "Giselle", which was attended by the Dowager Empress) and became a permanent member of Diaghilev's troupe. Soon he tried his hand as a choreographer and replaced Fokine in this post. Nijinsky was an idol throughout Europe. His dance combined strength and lightness, and he amazed the audience with his breathtaking leaps. It seemed to many that the dancer was freezing in the air. He had a wonderful gift of transformation and extraordinary facial abilities. On stage, Nijinsky emanated powerful magnetism, although Everyday life he was timid and silent. Mental illness prevented the full development of his talent (since 1917 he was under medical supervision).
Nijinska Bronislava Fominichna(1891-1972), Russian dancer and choreographer, sister of Vaslav Nijinsky. She was an artist of Diaghilev's troupe, and from 1921 she was a choreographer. Her productions, modern in theme and choreography, are currently considered classics of ballet art.
Nover Jean Georges(1727-1810), French choreographer and dance theorist. In the famous “Letters on Dance and Ballets” he outlined his views on ballet as an independent performance with a plot and developed action. Nover introduced serious dramatic content into the ballet and established new laws of stage action. Unofficially considered the “father” of modern ballet.
Nureyev Rudolf Khametovich(also Nuriev, 1938-1993), dancer. After graduating from the Leningrad Choreographic School, he became the leading soloist of the ballet troupe of the Opera and Ballet Theater. CM. Kirov. In 1961, while on tour with the theater in Paris, Nureyev asked to be granted political asylum. In 1962, he performed in the London Royal Ballet's "Giselle" in a duet with Margot Fonteyn. Nureyev and Fonteyn are the most famous ballet couple of the 1960s. In the late 1970s, Nureyev turned to modern dance and acted in films. From 1983 to 1989 he was the director of the Paris Opera ballet troupe.
Pavlova Anna Pavlovna(Matveevna, 1881-1931), one of the greatest ballerinas of the twentieth century. Immediately after graduating from the St. Petersburg Theater School, she made her debut on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater, where her talent quickly received recognition. She became a soloist, and in 1906 she was promoted to the highest rank - the rank of prima ballerina. In the same year, Pavlova connected her life with Baron V.E. Dandre. She participated in performances of Diaghilev's Russian Ballet in Paris and London. Last performance Pavlova's performance in Russia took place in 1913, then she settled in England and toured with her own troupe around the world. An outstanding actress, Pavlova was a lyrical ballerina, distinguished by her musicality and psychological content. Her image is usually associated with the image of the dying swan in the ballet number, which was created especially for Pavlova by Mikhail Fokin, one of her first partners. Pavlova's fame is legendary. Her ascetic service to dance aroused worldwide interest in choreography and gave impetus to the revival of foreign ballet theater.
Perrot Jules(1810-1892), French dancer and choreographer of the Romantic era. He was Maria Taglioni's partner at the Paris Opera. In the mid-1830s he met Carlotta Grisi, for whom he staged (together with Jean Coralli) the ballet Giselle, the most famous of the romantic ballets.
Petit Roland(b. 1924), French choreographer. He headed several companies, including the Ballet of Paris, the Roland Petit Ballet and the National Ballet of Marseille. His performances - both romantic and comedic - always bear the imprint of the author’s bright personality.
Petipa Marius(1818-1910), French artist and choreographer, worked in Russia. The greatest choreographer of the second half of the 19th century, he headed the St. Petersburg Imperial Ballet Company, where he staged over 50 performances that became examples of the style " Bolshoi ballet", which was formed in this era in Russia. It was he who proved that composing ballet music does not in the least degrade the dignity of a serious musician. Collaboration with Tchaikovsky became a source of inspiration for Petipa, from which brilliant works were born, and above all "The Sleeping Beauty", where he achieved pinnacles of perfection.
Plisetskaya Maya Mikhailovna(b. 1925), an outstanding dancer of the second half of the twentieth century, who went down in the history of ballet with her phenomenal creative longevity. Even before graduating from college, Plisetskaya danced solo roles at the Bolshoi Theater. Very quickly becoming famous, she created a unique style - graphic, distinguished by grace, sharpness and completeness of every gesture and pose, every individual movement and choreographic pattern as a whole. The ballerina has the rare talent of a tragic ballet actress, a phenomenal jump, expressive plasticity and a keen sense of rhythm. Her performing style is characterized by technical virtuosity, expressiveness of her hands and a strong acting temperament. Plisetskaya is the first performer of many roles in the Bolshoi Theater ballets. Since 1942 she has been dancing M. Fokine's miniature "The Dying Swan", which has become a symbol of her unique art.
As a choreographer, Plisetskaya staged ballets by R.K. Shchedrin "Anna Karenina", "The Seagull" and "The Lady with the Dog", playing the main roles in them. She starred in many ballet films, as well as feature films as a dramatic actress. She has been awarded many international prizes, including the Anna Pavlova Prize, the French orders of Commander and Legion of Honor. She was awarded the title of Doctor of the Sorbonne. Since 1990 he has been performing with concert programs abroad, conducts master classes. Since 1994, the international competition "Maya" has been held in St. Petersburg, dedicated to creativity Plisetskaya.
Rubinstein Ida Lvovna(1885-1960), Russian dancer. She took part in “Russian Seasons” abroad, then organized her own troupe. She had expressive appearance and plasticity of gesture. Several ballets were specially written for her, including “Bolero” by M. Ravel.
Salle Marie(1707-1756), French ballerina, performed at the Paris Opera. Rival Marie Camargo. Her dancing style, graceful and full of feeling, differed from Camargo’s technical, virtuoso performance.
Semenova Marina Timofeevna(1908-1998), dancer, teacher. Semyonova’s contribution to the history of Russian ballet theater is extremely great: it was she who made a breakthrough into the unexplored areas of classical ballet. The almost superhuman energy of her movements gave her dance a new dimension and pushed the limits of virtuosic technique. At the same time, she was feminine in every movement, every gesture. Her roles amazed with artistic brilliance, drama and depth.
Spesivtseva Olga Aleksandrovna(1895-1991), Russian dancer. She worked at the Mariinsky Theater and Diaghilev's Russian Ballet. Spesivtseva's dance was distinguished by its sharp graphic poses, perfect lines, and airy lightness. Her heroines, far from real world, were marked by exquisite, fragile beauty and spirituality. Her gift was most fully demonstrated in the role of Giselle. The part was built on contrasts and was fundamentally different from the performance of this image by the largest ballerinas of that time. Spesivtseva was the last ballerina of the traditional romantic style. In 1937, she left the stage due to illness.
Taglioni Maria(1804-1884), representative of the Italian ballet dynasty of the 19th century. Under the guidance of her father, Filippo, she studied dance, although her physical characteristics did not quite suit her chosen profession: her arms seemed too long, and some claimed that she was stooped. Maria first performed at the Paris Opera in 1827, but achieved success in 1832, when she performed main party in the ballet La Sylphide staged by her father, which later became a symbol of Taglioni and all romantic ballet. Before Maria Taglioni, pretty ballerinas captivated audiences with their virtuosic dance technique and feminine charm. Taglioni, by no means a beauty, created new type ballerinas - spiritual and mysterious. In "La Sylphide" she embodied the image of an unearthly creature personifying an ideal, an unattainable dream of beauty. In a flowing white dress, soaring in light leaps and freezing on her fingertips, Taglioni became the first ballerina to use pointe shoes and make them an integral part of classical ballet. All the capitals of Europe admired her. In her old age, Maria Taglioni, lonely and impoverished, taught dance and good manners to the children of London nobles.
Tallchief Maria(b. 1925), outstanding American ballerina. She performed mainly in troupes headed by J. Balanchine. In 1980 she founded the Chicago City Ballet troupe, which she led throughout the years of its existence - until 1987.
Ulanova Galina Sergeevna(1910-1998), Russian ballerina. Her work was characterized by a rare harmony of all means of expression. She imparted spirituality to even a simple, everyday movement. Even at the very beginning of Ulanova’s creative career, critics wrote about the complete unity in her performance of dance technique, dramatic acting and plasticity. Galina Sergeevna performed the main roles in ballets of the traditional repertoire. Her highest achievements were the roles of Mary in The Fountain of Bakhchisarai and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet.
Fokin Mikhail Mikhailovich(1880-1942), Russian choreographer and dancer. Overcoming ballet traditions, Fokine sought to get away from the generally accepted ballet costume, stereotypical gestures and routine construction of ballet numbers. He saw ballet technique not as a goal, but as a means of expression. In 1909, Diaghilev invited Fokine to become the choreographer of the Russian Season in Paris. The result of this union was world fame, which accompanied Fokin until the end of his days. He staged more than 70 ballets in the best theaters in Europe and America. Fokine's productions are still being revived by leading ballet companies peace.
Fontaine Margot(1919-1991), English prima ballerina, one of the most famous dancers of the twentieth century. She started studying ballet at the age of five. She made her debut in 1934 and quickly attracted attention. Fontaine's performance as Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty made her famous throughout the world. In 1962, Fontaine began a successful partnership with R.H. Nureyev. The performances of this couple became a real triumph of ballet art. Since 1954, Fontaine has been president of the Royal Academy of Dance. Awarded the Order of the British Empire.
Cecchetti Enrico(1850-1928), Italian dancer and outstanding teacher. He developed his own pedagogical method, in which he sought the maximum development of dance technique. He taught at the St. Petersburg Theater School. Among his students were Anna Pavlova, Tamara Karsavina, Mikhail Fokin, Vaslav Nijinsky. His teaching method is outlined in the work “Textbook on the Theory and Practice of Classical Theater Dance.”
Elsler Fanny(1810-1884), Austrian ballerina of the Romantic era. A rival of Taglioni, she had a dramatic, passionate temperament and was a superb actress.
Finally, I would like to quote the words of our outstanding ballerina Maya Plisetskaya, which she said in one of her interviews: “I think that ballet is an art with a great and exciting future. It will certainly live, seek, develop. It will certainly change. But how exactly, in what way?” which direction he will go, it is difficult to predict with complete accuracy. I know one thing: all of us - both performers and choreographers - need to work very hard, seriously, not sparing ourselves. People, their faith in art, their devotion to the theater can do miracles. And what these “miracles” of the ballet of the future will turn out to be will be decided by life itself.”
They are airy, slender, light. Their dance is unique. Who are these outstanding ballerinas of our century?
Agrippina Vaganova (1879-1951)
One of the most important years in the history of Russian ballet is 1738. Thanks to the proposal of the French dance master Jean-Baptiste Lande and the approval of Peter I, the first school of ballet dance in Russia was opened in St. Petersburg, which exists to this day and is called the Academy of Russian Ballet. AND I. Vaganova. It was Agrippina Vaganova who systematized the traditions of classical imperial ballet in Soviet times. In 1957, her name was given to the Leningrad Choreographic School.
Maya Plisetskaya (1925)
An outstanding dancer of the second half of the 20th century, who went down in the history of ballet with her phenomenal creative longevity, Maya Mikhailovna Plisetskaya was born on November 20, 1925 in Moscow.
In June 1934, Maya entered the Moscow Choreographic School, where she consistently studied with teachers E. I. Dolinskaya, E. P. Gerdt, M. M. Leontyeva, but she considers Agrippina Yakovlevna Vaganova, whom she met already at the Bolshoi Theater, to be her best teacher , where she was accepted on April 1, 1943.
Maya Plisetskaya is a symbol of Russian ballet. She performed one of her main roles as Odette-Odile from Swan Lake on April 27, 1947. It was this Tchaikovsky ballet that became the core of her biography.
Matilda Kshesinskaya (1872-1971)
Born into the family of dancer F.I. Kshesinsky, a Pole by nationality. In 1890 she graduated from the ballet department of the St. Petersburg Theater School. In 1890-1917 she danced at the Mariinsky Theater. She became famous in the roles of Aurora (The Sleeping Beauty, 1893), Esmeralda (1899), Teresa (Rest of the Cavalry), etc. Her dance was distinguished by its bright artistry and cheerfulness. In the early 1900s she was a participant in M. M. Fokine’s ballets: “Eunika”, “Chopiniana”, “Eros”, and in 1911-1912 she performed in the Diaghilev Russian Ballet troupe.
Anna Pavlova (1881-1931)
Born in St. Petersburg. After graduating from the St. Petersburg Theater School, in 1899 she was accepted into the troupe of the Mariinsky Theater. Danced the part in classical ballets“The Nutcracker”, “The Little Humpbacked Horse”, “Raymonda”, “La Bayadère”, “Giselle”. Natural abilities and constant improvement of performing skills helped Pavlova to become the leading dancer of the troupe in 1906.
Pavlova had a huge influence on identifying new opportunities in Pavlova’s performing style. collaboration with innovative choreographers A. Gorsky and, especially, M. Fokin. Pavlova performed the main roles in Fokine's ballets Chopiniana, Armida's Pavilion, Egyptian Nights, etc. In 1907, at a charity evening at the Mariinsky Theater, Pavlova first performed the choreographic miniature The Swan (later The Dying Swan) staged for her by Fokine "), which later became a poetic symbol of Russian ballet of the 20th century.
Svetlana Zakharova (1979)
Svetlana Zakharova was born in Lutsk, Ukraine, on June 10, 1979. At the age of six, her mother took her to a choreographic club, where Svetlana studied folk dancing. At the age of ten, she entered the Kiev Choreographic School.
After studying for four months, Zakharova left the school as her family moved to East Germany in accordance with the new assignment of her military father. Returning to Ukraine six months later, Zakharova again passed the exams at the Kiev Choreographic School and was immediately accepted into the second grade. At the Kiev School she studied mainly with Valeria Sulegina.
Svetlana performs in many cities around the world. In April 2008, she was recognized as the star of the famous Milan theater La Scala.
Galina Ulanova (1909-1998)
Galina Sergeevna Ulanova was born in St. Petersburg on January 8, 1910 (according to the old style, December 26, 1909), in a family of ballet masters.
In 1928, Ulanova graduated from the Leningrad Choreographic School. Pretty soon she joined the troupe of the Leningrad State academic theater opera and ballet (now Mariinsky).
Ulanova had to leave her beloved Mariinsky Theater during the siege of Leningrad. During the Great Patriotic War Ulanova danced in theaters in Perm, Almaty, Sverdlovsk, performing in hospitals in front of the wounded. In 1944 Galina Sergeevna moves to the Bolshoi Theater, where she has performed periodically since 1934.
Galina's real achievement was the image of Juliet in Prokofiev's ballet Romeo and Juliet. Her best dances are also the role of Masha from “The Nutcracker” by Tchaikovsky, Maria from “The Fountain of Bakhchisarai” and Giselle Adana.
Tamara Karsavina (1885-1978)
Born in St. Petersburg in the family of the Mariinsky Theater dancer Platon Karsavin, she is the grandniece of Alexei Khomyakov, a prominent philosopher and writer of the 1st half of the 19th century, and the sister of the philosopher Lev Karsavin.
She studied with A. Gorsky at the Peturburg Theater School, which she graduated in 1902. While still a student, she performed the solo part of Cupid at the premiere of the ballet Don Quixote staged by Gorsky.
She began her ballet activity during a period of academic crisis and the search for a way out of it. Fans of academic ballet found many flaws in Karsavina’s performance. The ballerina improved her performing skills with the best Russian and Italian teachers
Karsavina’s remarkable gift was manifested in her work on M. Fokin’s productions. Karsavina was the founder of fundamentally new trends in the art of ballet at the beginning of the 20th century, later called “intellectual art.”
The talented Karsavina quickly achieved the status of a prima ballerina. She performed leading roles in the ballets Carnival, Giselle, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and many others.
Ulyana Lopatkina (1973)
Ulyana Vyacheslavna Lopatkina was born in Kerch (Ukraine) on October 23, 1973. As a child, she studied in dance clubs and in the gymnastics section. On the initiative of her mother, she entered the Academy of Russian Ballet. AND I. Vaganova in Leningrad.
In 1990, as a student, Lopatkina participated in the Second All-Russian competition them. AND I. Vaganova for students of choreographic schools and received first prize..
In 1995, Ulyana became a prima ballerina. On her track record best roles in classical and modern productions.
Ekaterina Maksimova (1931-2009)
Born in Moscow on February 1, 1939. Since childhood, little Katya dreamed of dancing and at the age of ten she entered the Moscow Choreographic School. In the seventh grade, she danced her first role - Masha in The Nutcracker. After college, she joined the Bolshoi Theater and immediately, practically bypassing the corps de ballet, began dancing solo parts.
Of particular importance in Maximova’s work was her participation in television ballets, which revealed a new quality of her talent - comedic talent.
Since 1990, Maksimova has been a teacher and tutor at the Kremlin Ballet Theater. Since 1998 - choreographer-tutor of the Bolshoi Theater.
Natalya Dudinskaya (1912-2003)
Born on August 8, 1912 in Kharkov.
In 1923-1931 she studied at the Leningrad Choreographic School (student of A.Ya. Vaganova).
In 1931-1962 - leading dancer of the Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater. CM. Kirov. She performed the main roles in the ballets “Swan Lake” and “The Sleeping Beauty” by Tchaikovsky, “Cinderella” by Prokofiev, “Raymonda” by Glazunov, “Giselle” by Adam and others.
We admire the skill of these brilliant ballerinas. They made a huge contribution to the development of Russian ballet!