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Maria Khoreva won the Big Ballet / Grand Ballet competition!

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How's it like in Australia corona-free?

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I can only speak for Melbourne. I imagine that things are a bit more relaxed in other parts of the country.

Melbourne was the worst-hit city in Australia, so everyone is still very cautious despite us having no new cases in over a month. Second round of repatriations (Australians stuck overseas are coming home) has just started, so everyone is a little nervous. During the first round of repatriations, hotel quarantine system went to sh*t and we ended up in a state of disaster and a strict lockdown. I think this time they’re using military to enforce hotel quarantine so fingers crossed.

We still have some restrictions in place: no big events and you have to wear a mask in crowded places like the shops and public transport. A lot of people are wearing masks even if they don’t have to though. I’m actually very proud of how well-behaved and responsible Aussies have been though this whole thing!

We still have the option to work from home (I’m working from home because it’s more convenient), but things are rapidly coming back to normal. I went to the city centre earlier in the week, and it was bustling! I also went for dinner with friends a week ago and being in a crowded restaurant was amazing. You can feel how relieved and happy everyone is. 

We can finally travel between states and I think there’s a trans-Tasman travel green zone in place (Australians can travel to New Zealand and vice versa). The borders are closed to the rest of the world.

Of course, there are still some problems to solve. Overall, mental health in Australia has taken a hit and organisations like Beyond Blue are running themselves into the ground trying to help everyone. The economy has also been badly affected, but we’re working on recovering. Props to our government for massively lowering taxes, I think this had a positive effect on people’s anxiety levels. 

I understand just how lucky we are. Looking at the rest of the world breaks my heart. I hope the vaccine will help eradicate this thing for good (as long as people actually take it)!

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Grand Ballet Competition – Maria Khoreva

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Episode 6

This piece is often performed at galas, and Zakharova had always wanted to perform it herself but had never had the chance. She said that she discovered nee nuances of the dance while watching Maria and Vladimir.

Vladimir and Maria had to rehearse with Wheeldon via Zoom – something Vladimir had no idea was possible.

Maria expected Wheeldon to be very strict in his guidance, but instead Wheeldon insisted that every duet is different and personal to the dancers performing it. He told Maria and Vladimir the story of the first performance (it was the last ballet Wheeldon created for Jock Soto before Soto's retirement in June 2005).

Maria and Vladimir, per Wheeldon’d instructions, told their own story with their dance, but Vladimir refused to say what the story was (Zakharova thinks it’s the story of two artists who grew close though the competition).

Feedback (note: only Maria gets scored):

Farukh Ruzinatov (Score: 10): Ruzimatov values dancers’ ability to completely lose themselves in the music, the choreography and each other above everything else. He thinks Maria and Vladimir are creating something we will remember and talk about for a very long time.

Alexei Mirishnichenko (Score: 10): Generally positive feedback, especially regarding the musicality of the performance. However, Mirishnichenko pointed out that Vladimir has a more thought out approach to the role in terms of acting, which isn’t surprising because he’s a much more experienced performer than Maria. Mirishnichenko was VERY distracted by the bands on Maria’s shoes (they should be flesh-coloured and shouldn’t stand out).

Denis Matvienko (Score: 10): Denis said he was missing “something” in Masha’s performance. Something “special” in her eyes. It said that this isn’t a criticism of her as a dancer, by any means. She is very young and can’t connect with and express her inner world like an older ballerina would be able to. She should be able to lose herself in the moment and forget about the audience.

Denis asked Maria to talk about what went through her head during the rehearsals. Vladimir told her not to, which prompted Denis to call Shklyarov a “spy” (for being so secretive in this episode).

Maria interprets “After the Rain” as a quiet after a storm of emotion.

Diana Vishneva (Score: 9): Diana says that “After the Rain” is one of Wheeldon’s best works and she had seen all the great dancers perform it. Like Denis, Diana points out that this is a duet for mature artists. Not just in terms of their age, but in terms of their life experience and their interpretation of the music. An artist must understand what they’re putting into their interpretation and why. Shklyarov delivered, while Maria simply needs to keep working.

Post-Show Comments:

Vladimir says that he and Maria discovered new qualities in each other through the rehearsal process.

Maria says that she values the experience and the knowledge Vladimir has given her during the rehearsal process.

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I know quite a few of you are waiting for my responses to your ask submissions. I appreciate your patience. I will be posting some answers (including translation requests) this weekend.  x

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David Hallberg is The Australian Ballet’s New Artistic Director

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A long but wonderful article.

“Why would David Hallberg, lauded from Moscow to New York, move to Melbourne to take the helm of The Australian Ballet? Because many years ago, in his hour of need, the company was there for him.”

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Natalia Makarova Documentary

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Thanks to one wonderful follower, we now have a link to the Natalia Makarova documentary released Benois de la Danse YouTube Channel. Thank you to the person who sent this in!

On Saturday, November 21st the World Ballet Festival Benois de la Danse YouTube-channel will post a documentary film titled “Ballerina Assoluta Natalia Makarova” dedicated to the truly outstanding dancer as part of the “LIVING LEGENDS” series. 

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Life at Vaganova Academy by Antonio Manganiello.

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did you hear of Anastasia Smirnova’s debut as Laurencia alongside Ivan Vasiliev? She only graduated from Vaganova this summer! That’s incredible!

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I know! How exciting is that?! I know some people are worried about her going to Mikhailovsky and not Mariinsky, and I hope this makes everyone feel a little better :)

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I saw that someone on your blog mentioned that they missed the showing of the Natalia Makarova documentary. I have a link to it. How would you like me to send you the link?

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hellomelmoth@gmail.com please. You’re an angel!

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Ask Responses: Eleonora Sevenard

Wow have you seen the comments under Elya’s ig pic of her debut in Etudes? Why are vinogradova, kretova, postnova and kokoreva calling her “hero” in the comments?

I think this has to do with the fact that Elya had to perform three times in a row (which is a bit of a feat).

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Have you seen Elya’s Etude debut? It was absolutely fantastic!! She shows perfectly beautiful basic and simple steps. At first, she was only casted for matinee and then she danced soiree but that makes sense. She was gorgeous.

I have and she was wonderful. I’m very happy for her!

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Today Elya debuted as the lead dancer in Etudes and Egor also debuted or danced it , not sure if he already had. Anyway I wonder if they’re embarrassed when they have to dance together? I get that they are professionals but I believe in a partnership you need to have some trust in the partner and after how things went down I don’t think they have this trust anymore, even if they partnered at VBA for years. What do you think?

Good question. I believe that they are professionals and can set their differences (if they have any) aside. I don’t think they’re friends or are even in the same social circle anymore, but I have a feeling they are, at the very least, cordial towards each other when they work together.

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Could you translate episode 4 please?

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Competition Comments

Zakharova asked if Maria had spoken with any of the former contestants. She had. Skyler Brandt had reached out to Maria and said a lot of wonderful things about her experience in the competition (referring to it as a fairytale). Maria also spoke with Nadezhda Batoeva, Renata Shakirova and Kimin Kim.

Maria received two conflicting bits of advice from former contestants: some told her to always be prepared, to come in early and stay focused, while others advised her to relax and let go a little, so things can flow naturally. Maria tried to find a middle path.

Rehearsal Comments

Shklyarov: On stage, we’re all equal, regardless of age, position or awards (Maria says she admires this attitude in Vladimir very much).

Elvira Tarasova: Vladimir is familiar with the role, while Maria has only performed it once.

Shklyarov explains that (at the beginning of the ballet) Raymonda has never seen her beloved in the flesh, so there is an element of romantic fantasy in the variation.

Tarasova also had the challenge of explaining to Maria how her character express this strange new feeling (love) that she has never felt before. 

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I'm so sad:(:(. Benois de la Danse made a documentary about Natalia Makarova for her 80th birthday, and I saw they had published it on their channel. I did not have time to watch it on that day, but Natalia Makarova is my favorite dancer, so I put it on the number one spot on my list of things to watch. And they have un-uploaded the video now. Wow I'm literally going to cry. I wish they had let it stay on their channel for longer.

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I’m sorry :( If it’s the video I’m thinking about, it was only going to be available for a short time. Not sure why. Maybe there’s a copyright issue. If I see it pop up anywhere else, I’ll post a link to it.

In the meantime, here’s Natalia Makarova rehearsing Swan Lake with Ulyana Lopatkina:

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Could you please translate Episode 3? 😻

Maria was asked how she feels about critique. She loves it. It helps her grow and become a better version of herself. 

Diana Vishneva’s feedback: Maria did very well but there were some issues with the fourths position – it wasn’t very “clean” once again (this appears to be an ongoing issue). Diana would’ve used more of the space, as the stage is quite large.

Alexei Miroshnichenko’s feedback: the fourth position issue appears to have improved since Maria received the feedback on day one. Miroshnichenko is glad that Maria took the feedback onboard and made efforts to correct her mistakes. He praised Maria for her performance, which had character. Miroshnichenko also mentioned that he’s glad that Mariinsky has restaged “Paquita” with new costume design, and that the costume Maria is wearing is closer to the aesthetic of Petipa’s period.

Farukh Ruzimatov: “Elegant, tasteful, practically perfect”. – lol man of few words

Denis Matvienko: enjoyed the performance, though the arms were “a bit too high” in some instances. Positions were cleaner than during previous performances. Matvienko praised Maria for listening to feedback and correcting her mistakes.

Maria received 10 points from every judge – scoring 40 points in total. This has never happened on Grand Ballet before.

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Ask Responses: Grand Ballet Competition

What were the results of the Bolshoi competition?

It’s still running, so we don’t know the results yet. I’m willing to be that Khoreva will win though.

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Did Khoreva get disqualified from the Russiaculture ballet? She deleted all her posts and the video she uploaded.

This question was sent in on the day YouTube crashed, so I assume it had something to do with that. The videos are up on her YouTube channel.

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Why did Zakharova expect to see Maria in Romeo and Juliet instead of Sleeping Beauty? Is she going to debut in it soon? I thought Maria has really improved, Aurora is her best classical role yet for me. Also, as a side note, I think her debut in Concerto DSCH was really good, and that she is well on her way to becoming on of the best contemporary dancers at Mariinsky. Now that I think about it, she is one of the most well-rounded dancers in the company.

I think she just felt that the two would’ve looked very organic as Romeo and Juliet. I doubt there was any subtext.

I don’t know if she’s one of the most well-rounded in the company as a whole (some of the old guard have spectacular and varied repertoires) but she’s certainly one of the most impressive young dancers.

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Could you once again translate Maria Khoreva’s video of the russia ballet episode 2? Thank you very much!

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Svetlana once again complemented the technical side of the performance, saying it was very “clear”; She also complimented Shklyarov on his partnering skills.

Maria watched and was inspired by Zakharova’s performance of Nikia when she was preparing for the part.

Elvira Tarasova (Maria’s coach) said that she can feel a connection forming between Maria and Vladimir as partners which makes the performance more interesting.

Tarasova did tell Maria to watch her turn out (I think she said specifically in pas de chat?..) and thanked Shklyarov was great partnering work.

Tarasova said that Mariinsky is the mecca of classical ballet, and that [the Mariinsky style / classical ballet] is defined by, first and foremost, wonderful arms / port de bras and coordination. Without these things one shouldn’t even attempt classical ballet.

Maria said that there are particular parts in the ballet when one doesn’t want to concentrate on the technical aspect (presumably she’s referring to the importance of the emotional component of the role).

Tarasova said that it’s hard to explain to young people, who may not have a lot of life experience, what pain and loss is (when preparing for a role like this one).

I think Shklyarov referred to 8:05 as his favourite part of the performance.

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Could you please translate what they say at the end of the video of Khoreva dancing the Sleeping Beauty PPD at the Bolshoi Ballet competition?

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Zakharova called it a crystal-clear performance of a great classic. 

Zakharova expected to see Maria and Vladimir to dance “Romeo and Juliet”, but “The Sleeping Beauty” was Maria’s choice; Her calling card, as Vladimir put it. Vladimir was happy to oblige, as they had already worked a lot together and Maria debuted as Aurora at the Mariinsky opposite Vladimir in Feb.

Zakharova pointed out that Maria and Diana Vishneva graduated under the same teacher – professor Kovaleva.

Turns out Zakharova had worked with Kovaleva in the past – they prepared the Queen of Dryads together while Zakharova was still at VBA. Zakharova said that Kovaleva was intense.

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Could you please tell me who danced which roll in the recently released demonstration video from VBA

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Apologies in advance for misspelling some of the names (I couldn’t find exact English spelling for some of them). I didn’t cover corps because of time constrains. Literally typing this during a work break.

For those of you wondering if Sofia Khoreva is there, she is. She’s dancing in the corps of the Dance of the Hours (Day). Lada Sartakova is in the “Fairy Doll” corps (Waltz).

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Dance of the Hours from “La Gioconda”

Soloists: Viktoria Mokrousova and Juval Cohen

The Fairy Doll

The Fairy Doll: Lizi Avsadjanishvili

Pierrots: Kian Mangis and Ian Begishev

Harlequin: Viktor Surkov

Polichinelle: Miroslav Arbatov

The Bowing Gentleman: Georgy Kloptsov

The Bunny Doll: Elena Lyskova

The Russian Dolls: Yulia Bondareva and Ivan Kamyshov

The Chinese Dolls: Anastasia Sukhami and Vladimir Kiselev

The French Doll: Maria Sheveleva

The Japanese Doll: Yaroslavna Kuprina

The Spanish Doll: Daria Nikitina

Pas de trois from “The Nutcracker”

Mark Oshepkov, Polina Gordeeva and Natalie Furman

A fragment from “The Nutcracker”

Anastasia Smirnova and Mikhail Barkidjidja

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Reblogging, because I know people are wondering why / how Russian theatres are still operating.

I’ve heard two stories going around. One is that theatre in Moscow can only fill up to 25% capacity another is they might be going into another lockdown. Which one is true? I don’t speak Russian so I’m not sure if these translation sites are translating everything correctly. Plus if that’s the case in Moscow, what about St. Petersburg’s?

Yes, the mayor of Moscow has announced that theatres and movie theatres can only fill up to 25% max (this temporary measure only concerns Moscow). Vladimir Urin, in response, has made a statement that he’d rather have theatres completely closed down than be filled up at 25%.

As to St. Petersburg, no new measures / regulations have been implemented there as of now.