#moscow ballet competition

[miss-mollys-ballet-blog]

Anastasia Smirnova as Carmen.

[ballet-symphonie]

MOSCOW IBC QUESTIONS

(I'm back? Maybe?)

omg do you agree with the freaking result of Moscow IBC 2022? Sminorva 2nd??? seriously cmon... also the juniors, im pretty weirded out, but Maria Koshkareva definitely deserved Prize I!

Smirnova in 2nd is absolute garbage, I'm sorry. I have nothing else to say.

Koshkareva in first is entirely logical but I'm not sure if I agree with the rest of the results below her, especially because the final round was supposed to be weighted more. And basically, everyone was a hot mess in round 3 because no one could get through the Girgorovich repertoire. Valiullina danced a variation that did her absolutely no favors and she was falling out of turns left and right, the same can be said for Yeonjoo Jung and Karamysheva. And for crying out loud, Kuprina fell on her face!

I'd give the 2nd prize to Kamila Sultangareeva who really upped her game in the 3rd round by showing 2 diverse variations executed incredibly well. And I think I would have put Alicia Pak above everyone else for 3rd, yes she's young but she has a dynamic quality of movement, a natural jump and danced two Grigorovich pieces beautifully in the 3rd round.

But then decisions like I made lead to questions about how you judge the competition to begin with, are you judging by who dances the best on that night? By who has the most potential? Best body type? Most powerful school/teacher/connections? That's a whole separate topic and the results change drastically based on how you judge.

I also think the boys results below first place are a bit iffy as well and a pretty decent indication of competitors' schools influencing the results. I think I would have had Siheon Jeong higher than all of the VBA boys.

Masha Koshakaryova won Gold in the juniors, Anastasia Smirnova won silver medal bc judges decided to not award gold? Which like...I really really dislike when competitions do that. She did do a great Carmen and Odile variation though. I would be very happy to see her debut either one (idk if Mikailovsky even does Carmen though)

I also disagree with them not awarding medals. Competitions should be judged based on who competes, not based on some imaginary standard. If you're the best out of who shows up, then you should win first place, no questions asks. I can understand reserving the Grand Prix for truly outstanding talent, but the rest of the prizes should be given out in full. Dancers need the money!!!!

I don't think MK has a Carmen production? (Happy to be corrected here) and I want to see her in O/O eventually....but not before she matures a bit more in her adagio dancing.

Hey Ale! Is there any chance of some of the competitors in IBC to join in the BT? Such as Smirnova for example...

I mean anything is possible, who knows. Vaziev and Grigorovich will decide. Stylistically, I think she could do very well under the BT of 10-15 years ago, but with what style of dancers are currently being favored...I'm not sure we'd see a ton of her there. She could mold herself into what I think of as the 'classic BT' style, but there's not a lot of that left in the theatre currently.

But honestly, for Smirnova, I'm not sure how many people are on her side at this point. She's caused a lot of tensions jumping back and forth between MK and MT, it makes her look like a 'risky' dancer to have in a company and there is plenty of speculation going around that her switching companies damaged her relationships with influential people on the jury and cost her the gold.

I really don't understand, Anastasia Smirnova has the technique, stage presence, star quality, and performed her solos outstandingly yet isn't awarded first place and ties for second? What do they have against her?

As I said above, her company switches have likely given them something to hold against her. Some might not love her style but I think it's very hard to objectively disregard the stability and elevation of her technical feats and her overwhelming charisma.

omg russian audience are talking.... valiullina taking bad rep about her ibc performance. idk she's a bit well known since she was a child, too much expectations on her shoulders. people are quick to judge.

The forums (and people online in general) love to talk trash. Some people aren't always the best dancers in a competition setting. You've really got to have ice in your veins to go out there and give your best performance on strong legs. This competition was by far the biggest stakes performance she's ever taken and she didn't quite rise to the occasion. She's also got a TON on her plate right now (so does everyone at VBA but everyone handles pressure differently. The 'sink or swim' method isn't for everyone, maybe it would have been better for her to compete in a duet or even as a not competing partner but who knows, what if's are useless.

very bold of valiullina to dance odile and raymonda in front of yuri grigorovich himself. 😳😭 i think she got nervous, her routines werent the prettiest, but ok, well done, it's over.

She got through it, that's about all there is to say. What's really unfortunate is that she never seemed to shake the nerves that were there from the first round. Instead the opposite happened and her stability completely disappeared by the final round, she stepped on stage and I felt like she had very little confidence in her own abilities.

I know gamzatti is hard, so is odile, and esp raymonda.... and sofia's performance... did not look so great.... it was all over the place. A for effort I guess, i think shes young and extremely nervous., and small preparation time bec of grad concert. I do hope she'll strive to improve, and better performances in the future. Koshkaryova's pretty impressive, i especially enjoyed her contemporary, Maestro. I think she'll win.

See above for Sofia

I think her contemporary is a bit tacky and cheesy but so is most of the choreography that was made for this competition. It shows her skills well and that's what's important.

Regardless of the results at Moscow IBC, Illuishkina has grown so much as a dancer in these past few years. She’s so confident now and her turns are so much better.

100% agree and her prize is totally deserved. She's improved tremendously this year, first the showstopping Nikiya and now this!!

Why do the jury members always look so grumpy and have such bad posture lol? If I was a dancer I would be terrified to see them like that in the audience.

Not me about to defend a bunch of old white men....but sitting there watching for like 3+ hours straight and about 6-7 hours a day and having to write so much so quickly isn't exactly pleasant. It gets old, really fast. They're all old dancers and have bad backs....give their posture a break ahaha. But luckily, the dancers most likely can't see them clearly. With the harsh stage lights contrasting with the dark house, it's very difficult to pick out anything more detailed than lumps of people. They certainly can't see all of Tsiskaridze's eye rolls or Fayteyev putting his head in his hands.

[anjelalala]

Bolshoi Theatre New Rising Star: Maria Koshkaryova

Photos by: Alisa Aslanova for Ballet Magazine Russia

MARIA KOSHKARYOVA brightly announced herself at the XIV International Ballet Competition in Moscow last summer, for the three rounds of which she prepared six numbers in a month. Being at that time a final year student at the Academy of Russian Ballet and an intern at the Mariinsky Theatre, Maria did not set herself any overarching goals and went to the competition with a modest “ not to surprise anyone ” attitude , but went home with first prize in the solo category. 

At the same time, she first appeared on the Historical Stage of the Bolshoi Theater of Russia, which, according to her, she was immediately fascinated by.After graduating from the academy, Maria moved to Moscow, where she is about to begin her first full season as a soloist of the Bolshoi Theater ballet troupe. The young ballerina told our publication about combining study and internship in the theater, the difficult choice that determines one’s fate, and whether the opinions of others are important.

CLICK THE LINK FOR FULL INTERVIEW:

[patricedumonde]

I'm not sure what I'm missing about Koshkaryova recently but I have found her dancing underwhelming thus far? I thought she was fantastic at the Moscow IBC (Shirin variation!!!) but since then she has looked very messy. Her Corsaire, DQ bridesmaid variation and Paquita varation- all seemed noticeably off the music, frenetic, turned in and slightly sloppy turns with stiff arms. Also something about her epaulement seems off. I hope this is not related to preparing too many new roles too quickly. Additionally, I don't understand the double standards Valiullina is facing about her body type. Some people complain that she is too heavy for ballet yet fail to find fault with to other brilliant, less than stick-thin ballerinas like Maria Alexandrova and Angelina Vorontsova. I find Valiullina lovely with very effortless technique, an good jump and commanding stage presence, so naturally think the comments about her weight are quite unnecessary.

Probably because being good in competitions doesn't translate to being good in a major stage. I think there's two ways to think about this.

First, she's a fresh graduate. It's normal for her to be nervous. They're not just debuts, they're debuts on her first few months with the company. I think every legend in ballet has had their fair share of failures on stage. She'll probably have more solid footing after her first year. Second, the expectations for her are high because she's the top graduate and she's already a soloist. The bar is a lot higher for her than Yaroslavna and Sofia. Anything she will do, whether it be average or above, will likely be overlooked since we're expecting more from her.

That said, there's a lot to work on and I think she will and probably is working on them. Aside from her Paquita debut (Trilby Variation), I think she's been fine. Also, I don't know what she danced in Corsaire? Or if Bolshoi has performed Corsaire this season.

Here's a video of Natalia Makarova talking about her failures!

For Sofya, ugh I love her. You can tell that she's a thoughtful dancer. She's not a risk taker like Maria. Her technique is flawless and she's captivating on stage. She is my bias hahaha. To be honest with you, I don't look at instagram comments nor overtly negative telegram channels/forums so I'm not aware of the comments about her body. If there's an overwhelming amount of people judging her for that, that is disappointing. Does she have a more mature body, yes. Does it affect her dancing in any way whatsoever, no. She literally has the same body type as Maria Bulanova! I don't see why they can't accept her as well. She has so much potential, I hope they never hold her back just because she doesn't have the body of her 13 year old self?

[fieldtomatoes]

Alla Mikhalchenko of the Bolshoi Ballet prepares for the Third International Ballet Competition in Moscow

National Geographic - January, 1978

[bloodshcd]

name: Vanessa Koblizka

occupation: Dancer at the Satin Caberet

age: 175 27

sexuality: lesbian

species: vampire

clan: Karnstein

hometown: St. Petersberg

relationship Status: single

personality Traits: self distructive, selfish, cold, hostile, passionate, perceptive,

&. BACKGROUND

tw abuse (including childhood), violence, death

1850’s

Vanessa’s true date of birth is unknown, an orphan on the frozen streets of St Petersburg nobody cared to write the date or even the year down. If she had living family she wasn’t aware of them, vague memories of an old woman who gave her sweet buns by a fire was the closest thing to a family memory she possessed, but that could have easily been someone from the Orphanage. Life in the orphanage wasn’t the worst, but it couldn’t be described as good. There was never really enough food, and it was always cold. But they didn’t beat the children often, and sometimes the bed wasn’t too lumpy.

1860’s

The women that ran the orphanage always swore Vanessa danced before she walked. Always light on her feet the lithe young child glided silently along the normally creaky orphanage floor. She moved with the grace of the cats she liked to feed in the back ally behind the crumbling orphanage. One day she caught the eye of one of the instructors from the nearby Ballet Acadamy and after a few quick words, and no consultation with Vanessa, the young girl was loaded into a cart and driven to the Ballet school. She didn’t protest the move, and when she learned where she was going she was filled with excitement at the prospect of actually learning how to dance and not just dreaming of it.

That excitement soon went cold in her stomach when she realized the training would be anything but easy. The Ballet school was brutal, the children trained from sunrise until sunset, danced until their feet bled and then had to clean the academy spotless before they were allowed to sleep. Food and bedding were dependent on performance. Make no mistakes and you got to eat, dance well and you got a bed with a pillow and more than one blanket. Perform perfectly and you received privileges, privileges like leaving the academy.

The years at the Academy were hard, the students constantly pitted against each other in perpetual competition. Friends were hard to come by when you knew that the better someone else did the less likely you were to have a bed to sleep in. Despite that Vanessa found solace in another student, Oksana. They called eachother their twin flames, and together they pushed eachother to train longer, work harder, and become the best dancers in the school. They decided it was better to succeed or fail together, rather than break eachother down trying to get to the top. They shared meals, and on the nights they did not have blankets to keep warm they huddled together for warmth. Whenever their clothing became warn and torn instead of throwing them away they would rip the fabric into long strips and hide them under the mattresses, and when they had enough they began weaving them together into a blanket so even when they were punished they could be warm.

1870’s

After years of training Vanessa was recruited to join the Bolshoi Ballet, she was told privately after her audition that just one dancer from her school would be going to Moscow, and she refused to go unless Oksana could come with her. The two girls, now woman, had promised they would never leave eachother, and one day would make sure they lived the life they dreamed of, one where the blankets were soft and the beds overflowing with pillows. Inspired by her fierce loyalty the choreographer agreed to bring Oksana along and together the two escaped St. Petersburg and moved to Moscow.

Within the year Vanessa was cast as the Princiapal Ballerina for the debut of Swan Lake, and Oksana her alternate. As the Ballet gained notoriety Vanessa and Oksana gained notice, and were wined and dined by the finest of Moscow’s aristocrats. Vanessa enjoyed being spoiled, and developed a taste for the finer things, and the aristocrats loved to see the awe on the young women’s faces as they tried a new delicacy or were gifted a new velvet dress. Rumors flew from lip to lip, but were never confirmed, and the rumors kept the ballet on the forefront of the public’s mind so the academy didn’t protest.

Two weeks before Swan Lake was set to open however Vanessa disappeared. Story on the street was she had been courted by a political figure, who gave her a lavish gift of jewelry but Vanessa spurned the benefactor, turned and sold the jewelry to run away with her fellow dancer and was blacklisted from the ballet. The truth however was much darker.

You see one of the aristocrats she caught the eye of was a man named Alexei Karnstein and to call him a man was a cruel insult to humans. Alexei was a vampire, old as sin and just as cruel, but able to hide it behind a charming smile and a mountain of money. He offered to Patron Vanessa, and at her insistence Oksana. His gifts grew more and more lavish until ladened with enough money and jewels to buy the life of their dreams they tried to run. But their dreams had no time to grow beyond the distant impression of warm ocean water before they were ripped from them at the train station. Alexei had caught them like a lazy cat with a pair of terrified mice between his paws. Gone was the smiling affable man they had come to know and instead a monster stood in his place. Kicking and screaming the two women were brought them to the basement of his estate to endure unknown horrors. Vanessa threw her body over Oksana and tried to protect her from the worst of the attacks but it was no use, Alexei overpowered her with a flick of his wrist. Endless hours of torture later Vanessa succumbed to the sweet cold darkness, and she thought it was finally over, accepting her fate and hoped that whatever came next would be less cruel than this life had been

But then she awoke, and the nightmare only continued. Lying on the ground in agony she turned to Oksana, and found only a pool of blood with drag marks off into the darkness. Defeated Vanessa lay in the darkness, willing it to consume her and take away the pain. She wasn’t that lucky however, the darkness refused to take her, and out of it instead appeared a woman quietly offering a hand up and a chalice of blood to slake her thirst. Quietly the older vampire began to explain what her life would be for the centuries to come, the precautions she would have to take and all the blessing and curses of being a Vampire.

TIME BECOMES A BLUR

From then on Vanessa was one of Alexei’s personal playthings. Life with Alexei was never stable, his mood shifted with no warning and Vanessa could never anticipate his next move. She tried her best to keep him happy, keep him entertained, always living life on the knife’s edge trying her best to keep him from getting angry, in constant fear of his violant rages. If she made any misstep, embarrassed him in any way he took seemingly endless delight in breaking her legs, stripping her of her ability to dance and then watch her supernatural gift knit her body back together and force her to dance for him like nothing had happened. Her happiest times were when Alexei was away, and chose to leave Vanessa in one of the many castles he had spread out across Europe. Those occasions were few and far between and the decades passed in a blur of pain and fear.

2000’s

Vanessa’s life was upturned when Aoife killed Alexei, it was the best thing that ever happened in her unlife. She was free, but after spending over a century in the tight clutch of a cruel sire’s first Venessa didn’t know how to be her own person, how to function as something other than a pawn. To say that she handled freedom poorly would be an understatement. Left to her own devices Venessa went into a tailspin, traveling through Europe doing anything and everything she wanted. Unfortunately doing anything and everything she wanted included killing any man who she deemed unworthy of living… which was most of them. After two years of leaving a blood soaked trail behind Vanessa was running out of placed to hide and decided to leave Europe for the Americas.

Present

If asked Vanessa honestly couldn’t tell you how she ended up in Oregon, but she settled in to Port Liery with the plan to only feed from the willing and only kill if the person really deserved it. The plan is a shakey one, and she fell off the wagon quite a few times. But by the time Aofie arrived in town for a wellness check she feels like she is starting to get a routine down. She feeds only from the willing and she dances at the Satin Cabaret where she has control over who gets to touch her, and when she feels rage overtaking her she leaves town and hunts for a creep undeserving of life.

Wanted Plots -

Her Twin Flame - Oksana (name can change) - antagonistic and messy plot. Oksana was Vanessa’s best friend and lover, the two were brought up in brutal conditions. They swore they would always stay together, that their happiness depended on the other, but when Oksana was turned first by Alexei she reveled in her newfound power and abandoned Vanessa. Oksana drank Alexei’s koolaid, so when Aofie killed him Oksana would not have been pleased. Or maybe she wants to take over the clan herself. Either way Oksana is coming to Portland Liery with an agenda, and no idea Vanessa is alive. Or maybe she does and just never felt it important to tell Vanessa she was alive.

Fellow Karnstein members - give me all the messy Karnsteins

Ex Hookups - Vanessa hasn’t let anyone get close in a long time, and struggles with friendship and being soft so these would have most likely never progressed far from tangled sheets and Vanessa ghosting

More!

[spoiledblondie]

On the night of December 2002, we witnessed the birth of a special being. Ella Mitchell appeared on the 24th, wrapped in serenity and glamour, to illuminate with her privileged presence a wealthy family in Paris, France.

Ella was the only daughter of an extremely influential family in French high society. His parents were renowned businessmen and philanthropists, known for their elegance and sophistication. Since she was little, Ella grew up surrounded by luxury and privileges, attending the most exclusive events and traveling all over the world.

However, at the age of 16, Ella expressed the desire to explore new horizons and seek her own identity away from the spotlight of French high society. With the reluctant support of her parents, she moved to the United States in search of independence and new opportunities.

With a very hectic life, the blonde does not stay in a fixed residence for long. Recently, Ella became a resident of sunny Malibu, where she lives with her daughter. On the other hand, in search of the realization of one of her dreams, her professional career unfolds on the other side of the United States, in New York.

—⠀ ౨ৎ

From an early age, she dreamed of becoming a renowned dancer and enchanting the world with her grace and skill. Her parents supported her from the beginning, recognizing her passion and determination, and enrolled her in ballet classes at one of the best dance schools in Paris.

As Ella grew, her talent shone more and more. She stood out in local presentations and regional competitions, winning praise for her impeccable technique and captivating emotional expression. At the age of thirteen, her journey towards excellence in dance led her to be accepted at the renowned Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow.

The distance between Paris and Moscow was not an obstacle for Ella. With the loving support of her parents, she embarked on frequent flights between the two cities, determined to follow her dream. At the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, she plunged into rigorous training, absorbing each teaching with humility and dedication.

Despite the changes in her life, Ella's love for dance remained unwavering. When she settled in America, she tirelessly sought a new ballet school where she could continue her training and pursue her dream of becoming a professional dancer.

—⠀ ౨ৎ

Enchanted by the vibrant energy of the city of New York and the diversity of cultures she encountered, she became completely immersed in the enchanting world of photography.

As her photographic skills improved, Ella began to share her images on social networks, gaining followers delighted with her ability to convey stories and feelings through the lens. Her talent soon caught the attention of art enthusiasts and professionals in the field, driving her to seek new perspectives and improve her unique style.

Local recognition soon turned into international visibility as Ella's photographs captivated audiences around the world. His ability to reveal the humanity behind each scene and convey deep emotions earned him praise from specialized critics and opportunities to expose his work in renowned galleries.

Today, Ella is known all over the world as a visionary photographer whose images transcend linguistic and cultural barriers.

Ella, in addition to having a captivating beauty, is also endowed with a unique style and a remarkable presence. Her charismatic personality and her ability to stand out among the crowd draw the attention of local photographers and artists, who recognize in her an extraordinary artistic potential.

While exploring the city's neighborhoods and cultural events, Ella draws the attention of talented designers, designers and renowned brands, who see in her not only a stunning model, but also an inspiring muse. Its ability to incorporate fashion trends with elegance and authenticity conquers the heart of the fashion industry in New York.

As Ella engages in creative projects and collaborations with prestigious brands, she not only lends her beauty to advertising campaigns, fashion shows and editorials, but also stands out as an influential voice in promoting diversity and inclusion in the fashion industry.

—⠀ ౨ৎ

Despite being the Spoiled daughter, Ella's relationship with her father, a prominent businessman, becomes distant after their move to a remote location in the United States for reasons unknown, further complicating their bond. Meanwhile, Ella's mother mysteriously vanishes following the relocation, leaving behind only faint memories and a disquieting void in her daughter's life.

Ella, a young French woman who moved to the United States at the age of 16, where she met a young man. They shared a passionate romance during their teenage years, from Ella's 17th to 20th year, and from this relationship, a beautiful daughter was born when Ella was 19. However, due to personal complications and insurmountable challenges in the relationship, they ended up parting ways and lost touch.

Baby D., affectionately called chubby or blonde, is Ella's life partner. From the moment she held her daughter in her arms for the first time, Ella knew that her life had changed forever. She was completely dedicated to motherhood, finding incredible strength and unconditional love in the bond with her daughter.

Despite the hurdles of being a young mother, Ella wholeheartedly embraced the journey with determination and tenderness. She unearthed a newfound depth within herself while nurturing and tending to her little one. Each smile, every embrace, and every milestone in the child's growth became a cause for celebration and gratitude in Ella's eyes.

The bond between Ella and Baby D. was unbreakable, filled with mutual understanding, unconditional support, and shared joy. Each day was a new adventure for the two of them as they navigated life's ups and downs together. In her daughter, Ella found not only a reason to grow but also her most loyal and precious companion.

⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ 🐇🎀🦢🕯️🩰🪽⠀ ⠀

Status: Single.

Professions: Ballerina, Model and Photographer.

Eye and Hair color: Ocean Eyes and Platinum Hair.

Biggest obsessions: Devil’s Night, especially DamonWinter.

—⠀ ౨ৎ ⠀

OCC: behind the character have a +18. be fully aware of this.

• text interpretations can take a while to be answered, take easy and do not cover for it.

• cleaned in the profile will be done periodically in order to prioritize genuine interactions. any disrespect for the character will be solved only by a block.

• plot combinations & family members will be welcome, just pay attention to the character's requirements.

[saucylittlesmile]

Hi! I wondered if you might post something about the top T&S dances casual fans might not know about (deep cuts, lol). As a newer fan, when I came upon "Into the Mystic" I was so excited and felt like I found something really special. I wonder what your faves and/or specific performances of those more 'hidden' performances might be. Thanks as always for helping us enjoy the T&S fandom. : )

Oh, I’m really going to struggle with this, lol. Because I was a fan for so long and because I was an obsessive fan, none of their programs seem like they might be unknown, to me. I mean, you say Into the Mystic and while I am genuinely happy that you were so excited to discover it, it wouldn’t occur to me to list it as something that would be unknown. (This is not intended to diminish you at all - I have had many of those discoveries myself, as have anyone who is new to or you know, not obsessive about, a subject. Those discoveries are awesome and exciting and should always be celebrated.). When I stop and think about it, Mystic was only skated during Stars on Ice and a show in China (IIRC) so I suppose it would be rather one of those ‘deep dive’ performances. At the time, it was known as being the program that VM choreographed in Scott’s kitchen, so it has it’s own fandom fame lol.

Probably the more obscure programs, to me, are the ones that VM were ‘required’ to skate to, because of an expectation in a show that they were performing in; because of that, there are often few to no recorded versions of the program, and I often don’t think much about them, as a VM skate, because they were not something VM themselves chose to skate to. And yet, they are rarely ones I tend to remember as there isn’t a lot of ‘connection’ to it - they didn’t choose the music, choreography will be recycled in bits and pieces from other programs, and there often isn’t an ‘official’ recording (television or streamed) and if we were lucky there is still fan recordings.

Instrument of Peace, in Shall We Dance On Ice 2010, skating to a live performance by The Canadian Tenors, fan camera. (There are television-filmed versions of this and the next, but particularly this one was interrupted by shots of the singers, so the fan cam is the way to go.)

The debut of their short dance, with filler where the Golden Waltz would be, at Shall We Dance on Ice 2010, fan camera.

Let It Snow, Winter Dreams on Ice. A wee local show, after Tessa’s surgery in 2010.

Good Kisser, Skate Niagara 2015, fan camera (while it was a VM-planned program and it was officially shown on camera for CSOI, the smaller venue and the close up camera and just that extra rawness of a brand new program make this my favourite version).

Ballet program, Festa on Ice 2008.

Valse Triste, Stars, Stripes and and Skates 2006 - another competition program debut during a show.

Prince, Stars on Ice 2017; they shifted their competition SD into an exhibition piece and it was seen only during CSOI; the competitive season would have had this as an exhibition, but with Gord Downie’s death, VM created Long Time Running instead.

Shine, Shine my Star, Moscow show in 2014, directly following the Sochi Olympics (they didn’t even go home and they seemed so tired lol).

And finally my ultimate favourite obscure: What’s Love Got to Do With It, Skate Niagara 2016. It was a ‘we’re in competitive shape’ masterpiece - showcasing plenty of new tricks and musical nuance and difficulty while emphasizing their improved showmanship after a couple of years of exhibition work. And of course, its own fandom-famous back story of locking eyes, knowing they had to skate to this while in a pub in Scotland, and a hint of the making-of this program in a CBC story, plus a the dopamine hit of them announcing their Comeback right before this debut.

Chills for me, every time.

[lookbookfly21]

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[miss-mollys-ballet-blog]

Maria Iliushkina, First Prize and Gold Medal in the duet category of the Moscow Ballet Competition, 2022.  

Her partner was Nikita Korneyev who earned Third Prize and Bronze Medal in the same competition.

Round 1: Grand Pas Classique

Round 2: Black Swan Pas de Deux

Contemporary: Trois Gnossiennes

Round 3: Raymonda 

Grigorovich Round: Legend of Love, adagio of Mekhemene Banu and Ferkhad

[ballet-symphonie]

Hi Ale, I know you're very busy right now, so no need to respond. I just wanted to reflect a little on the results of the Moscow IBC 2022. I watched the whole thing live from start to finish, as I was off work sick for 2 weeks - so it was a great way of passing time. It was clear to me early on that Koshkareva would get gold, she stood out in her cohort in terms of artistry and strength. I am beyond delighted for Maria Iliushkina whose individual uniqueness as a dancer was also clear to see, even on the livestream. Her Raymonda was stunning, as was her Odile. Nikita was more mercurial, and I feel his partnering let her down in some places (in others they were simply beautiful together), particularly that late lift in the Legend of Love pas de deux. Long story short: even though Iliushkina was not perfect in all respects, her unique quality shone through. I am really happy that the jury saw that, too, and have awarded her gold accordingly. For me she is a modest dancer with a natural reserve which - and this is the interesting thing - she seems to be able to convert into something ethereal and otherworldly, and yet she is still able to channel the demonic too (her Odile is becoming one of my favourites). Her all-round dancerly intuition is utterly uncanny.

Even with Nikita perhaps not performing to what I think can be his level, I had the impression that this was to some extent down to the competition environment. On the Mariinsky stage, he strikes me as more self-assured (kudos to Iliushkina for getting past that and still managing to channel her uniqueness, what a true artist). But he is (I think) so promising and has more artistry to come. There were moments of real beauty in what he did, too. I was very struck by their partnership in the Hans van Manen piece - it sent out imo a strong impression of what they can become as a pair over time (and perhaps already are in some ballets). Their lines were so beautiful - but what I found fascinating was how they danced eeriness in that piece. They could potentially be brilliant in Giselle.

I am skipping over lots of the other brilliant contestants now because I'm aware that this is a v long message (thank you for bearing with!) - but as much as I am thrilled for both Iliushkina / Korneev, I am most disappointed for Anastasia Smirnova. For me beyond everyone in all categories across both junior and seniors she was the stand-out star, very different to Iliushkina, but with a comparable distinctive artistic uniqueness that is already articulating itself very clearly in such a young dancer. And then: great technique and what a jump. How on earth could the jury have awarded her only a silver (and a shared one at that) on the basis of her performances. She was so consistent across her solos, too (at least that is what my admittedly untrained eye tells me). I am no expert, but I was so confident she would get gold (and a part of me sincerely hoped the jury might even think of her for the Grand Prix). Am I totally on the wrong track here? (I also do not mean to diminish the achievements and talents of everyone else who I am not mentioning here - I was very impressed by the other soloists in the senior women's category, but Smirnova seemed to me to have a considerable edge).

Am I right to be wondering about the composition of the jury? What must it be like for e.g. Fateev to be sitting across from a stage that this major talent, no longer at the Mariinsky, is streaking across? Does this not constitute a conflict of interest? I guess not, because most of the jury would be 'out' if that was the case - it's a small world. But the silver did give me pause for thought, and I wondered what your view was.

Posting this separately because it's so long and detailed!

My thoughts in response:

I agree, Koshkaryeva and Iliushkina unquestionably deserved gold

Iliushkina/Korneyev looked much stronger on the pieces they've been doing for a while (eg SL, Raymonda) compared to the new ones

Nikita had some moments where he was definitely the weaker one in the pair. That Legend of Love is certainly what dropped him down in the prizes but the Grand Pas Classique was also not super clean

I agree that he looked more nervous and less self-assured than I'd been accustomed to seeing from him. Even when he was debuting in a lead role along with someone like Skorik, he had more confidence. I too wondered how much of this had to do with the competitive environment. Perhaps he felt the pressure more here than for normal performance.

I too think that Smirnova was robbed, she really was head and shoulders above everyone. Each time she stepped on stage I was wowed. . But perhaps there were simply too many people against her politically for her to prevail...

I know she was never in consideration for the Grand Prix. There was talk that it was going to be given to Iliushkina but that was impossible after their poor LOL.

About the conflicts of interest. At some competitions, most notably YAGP and PDL, teachers/directors can not judge their own students, their scores will be thrown out. (Bo Spassoff famously will give his students ridiculously impossible scores as a joke, he awarded Issac Hernandez 500/100 points at the YAGP finals)

However, I think everyone judged everyone here, simply because the background of the judges is too narrow, there's so much overlap. For example, Tsiskaridze, Zakharova, Fayteev, Eifman, Elvira Mnatsakanyan, Vadim Pisarev, Valentin Yelizariev, and even Yuri Grigorovich have too much history and connections to judge any competitor from VBA or MT totally 'objectively.' If I were to list the BT/ MRAX people... there's almost as many, and tons of overlap between the two. So where do you draw the line? Because that's essentially half the jury!! You can't have them all sitting out because then that totally imbalances the voices of those who don't have all the connections (ex those from non-soviet countries). Considering the egos and tempers of the most powerful people on the panel.....they're going to want their opinions taken into consideration for everything.

[whenitsdarkweilluminate]

Tel Aviv 2019 – Grand Final

Host: Israel Slogan: “Dare to Dream” Participants: 41 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - separated) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host

Winner: Duncan Laurence - Arcade Country: Netherlands Points: 498 (51.9% of highest score possible) Language: English

General Overview:

I regret taking long breaks because now I have to review Tel Aviv 2019 during late 2023… but I'll just focus on the music and the show, same as when I dealt with Moscow and Baku.

Anyways, I'm nostalgic for 2019. It was the first year I felt like a real adult. It was those last moments before we entered into a parallel universe. And years ending in -9 just hit different. Pop music feels fresher; while in Eurovision context: 2009 reinstated the juries and expanded the stage, 1999 removed the orchestra and language rules, 1979 was the first contest held outside western Europe, and 1969 had 4 winners. As for 2019? It's the technology. It's a great year for staging.

It's also a very competitive top 10. Sure, “Arcade” is an obvious winner in hindsight, but Italy came close. I absolutely LOVE my top 10 as well. But the bottom half of my ranking… meh. 2019 is somehow a strong year and a weak year at the same time.

The Grand Final is EXTREMELY bloated. The opening sequence involves Netta piloting a plane that supposedly carries the 26 finalists, while Jon Ola Sand acts as the air traffic controller. Then, different groups of people set-up jeeps, vans, buoys, bicycles, drones, glow sticks, and paper lanterns to act as runway guiding lights. The plane appears to land in the arena, with a split-up LED illusion. Then Netta appears on stage with dancing flight attendants, as the “Toy” instrumental plays. This starts the Flag Parade, where one flight attendant twirls the flags, creating holograms of swirly sparks that shoot upwards; while Dana International, Ilanit, and Nadav Guedj perform. I mean, “Golden Boy” does mention Tel Aviv. This is another hype opener. There's also a montage of past hosts introducing the voting.

I found the hosts funny this year. In the final, there's Erez and Bar bantering about junk food and Madonna, Assi's romantic dinner joke, Netta flirting with Bar, “Lucy used all 20 of my votes”, and Bar surprising Erez at the voting table.

The interval is LONG. First, Conchita, Måns, Eleni, and Verka play song switcharoo. Eleni's version of “Dancing Lasha Tumbai” is a moment, but Måns made “Fuego” boring somehow. At the end, they all join Gali Atari in singing “Hallelujah”. Also lol at Assi startling Verka. Then Assi awkwardly interviews Madonna, but her telling the artists they're all winners was nice. Next, Idan Raichel Project performs “Boee”. I liked this one – it's a smooth atmosphere of cultural elements that turns into great energy. Erez interviews Quavo next. Then it's the mentalist again (UGH!) This time, he gets 3 random finalists to pick a year/song/artist. They just happen to choose 1974/“Waterloo”/ABBA. After that, Netta performs “Nana Banana”, where she's dressed in banana yellow. She sits at the head of the table, then walks across it, showing she's the star. Meanwhile, there's dancers in formal attire, who later reveal more yellow outfits. This song is pretty annoying too (“OWW!”).

FINALLY, we get to the infamous Madonna performance. The intro is cool, with the cloaked chanting monks and church bells, but Madonna's vocals are iffy during “Like a Prayer” (trap remix) and I've never seen someone take so long to walk down a staircase. Then the dancers are in gas masks during the spoken word “Dark Ballet”. Then it's the excessively auto-tuned “Future” featuring Quavo. Madonna and Quavo's dancing is cringe-y here. We aren't done though! There's still a video of Gal Gadot showcasing Tel Aviv. I swear, Israel flaunted every celebrity possible. Jean Paul Gaultier made an appearance too.

The postcards begin with a graphic of the flags in rotating triangles. Then the artists explore Israel, as the same piano notes play every time. After a moment, they press a triangle play button hologram that says “PLAY”, and they dance with a group of people, with a different instrumental for every country. At the end, they throw a triangle forward. And the arena's ceiling structure shows the flag colours in triangular lights, with a piano sequence + “WAH” sound.

Did I mention the 2019 design involves triangles??? The logo itself is a star made of 3 triangles. And the stage is a triangular platform pointing forwards, with a triangular archway overhead, and a V-shaped audience ramp. That archway disappears for many of the performances though, which is a wise decision. Tel Aviv also steals the bridges from Lisbon. And the LED screen returns, which can split into vertical turning sections.

The jury voting was very close. Italy and Russia lead early on, but eventually North Macedonia wouldn't budge from #1, until Sweden overtook on the very last country. 2nd place kept flipping too. And the Netherlands was close to winning the jury. However, it was revealed post-contest that Belarus's top 10 jury points were actually their bottom 10. Meaning North Macedonia should've won the jury. What a random jury winner. Otherwise, the map uses glitter-light country shapes. Izhar Cohen was the Israeli spokesperson, meaning all 4 Israeli winners appeared tonight. And the EBU switched to revealing the televote points in jury vote order. Oh, and Hatari upset the audience with Palestinian flags.

Malta: Michela - Chameleon

Albania: Jonida Maliqi - Ktheju tokës Of course Albania is second in the running order. I also just realized this song gives me “1944” vibes.

Czech Republic: Lake Malawi - Friend of a Friend

Germany: S!sters - Sister “I'm sorry, 0 points”. I guess 2018 was an anomaly, as Germany returns to the bottom 2. “Sister” is just a bland entry. It wants to be an epic inspirational ballad, but the composition is as inoffensive as possible and refuses to be distinct. The song starts with a music box, followed by piano dings. Then the drums march until the music box returns to pause the build-up, with cymbal shimmer transitions; then foot-taps and strikes ensue. Verse 2 adds foot-taps and light guitar after a second. Then the song peaks with heavier drums and that “SISTER... OOH WAH OOH” bit... which is a very flat climax. The bridge resumes the music box again. The drums are boring, the melody is basic, and the music box is whatever. The lyrics promote non-familial sisterhood. Indeed, S!sters aren't even real sisters. The duo urges women to support each other instead of trying to knock the competition down. The narrator sighs “I'm tired” of it. She tried to inhibit her sister but couldn't. She wouldn't share her success, saw her as an enemy, and feared her power. But she empowers her sister in the chorus, and apologizes in verse 2. The staging is basic as well. It starts dark, with the pair on opposite sides of the ramp, as they change leads. And the LED shows their sad faces singing (*eye roll*) They then meet in the middle, and yell “SISTER” at each other while amateurishly bouncing. There's also an unearned fire rain finale and they excitedly embrace at the end. Their vocal sounds emotional, but in a saccharine way.

Russia: Sergey Lazarev - Scream The bad running order slot didn't hurt this.

Denmark: Leonora - Love Is Forever

San Marino: Serhat - Say Na Na Na I can't hate on people having the time of their lives.

North Macedonia: Tamara Todevska - Proud

Sweden: John Lundvik - Too Late for Love John's charisma (and the Mamas) really elevate this.

Slovenia: Zalagasper - Sebi

Cyprus: Tamta - Replay

Netherlands: Duncan Laurence - Arcade (winner review below)

Greece: Katerine Duska - Better Love

Israel: Kobi Marimi - Home This just screams “we don't want to host again”. It's a dated song with a formal performance, and Kobi's voice is excruciating (“I AM SOMEOoOoOoONE”). I just want him to STOP. He gargles the word “bruise” too. The orchestral string intro is from the 1950s. Then a gentle piano follows, as he sounds choked up. A small, anxious running beat appears next, with a bit of guitar and snowy echoes. Then the first chorus rests after a cymbal shimmer. Meanwhile, there's 3-way split-screens of Kobi and jagged screens showing the music video. The backing choir comes out during verse 2 and they stand close to him. It's an intense visual. The instrumental stays gently anxious until the bridge, where the strings grow and the melody shifts, as Kobi walks across the bridge. The slow drums enter at the climax, with fire rain and him walking across the ramp. Plus a rising bit and a pause. The song ends gently again, and with another big gargling vocal. Kobi is an over-singing, over-emoting showman. The lyrics are about personal growth. Kobi is focused on the current moment for the rest of his life. He runs “barefoot to the mountain tops” and hugs cold water (ie. facing extreme and uncomfortable challenges). And now that he found his identity, he's coming home. He used to listen to others and waited for time to pass. It was a long, suffering journey and he's done with letting that hurt affect him. It's a nice message, but the song is too theatrical and formal to make me feel anything.

Norway: Keiino - Spirit in the Sky

United Kingdom: Michael Rice - Bigger than Us A bland and forgettable entry puts the UK in last place. John Lundvik clearly kept the better song for himself. “Bigger than Us” wants to be an epic inspirational ballad, like Germany. It's more stimulating than “Sister” at least, and it has an innocent, uplifting vibe. But it's still formulaic and predictable. The song starts with a warm, hopeful piano, as the audio skips on “me and you”. The kicks and snaps come next. Then the song suddenly slam-stops, and the “anthemic” chorus brings the percussion and distorted “oh oh oh” responses. The backing lifts the last “it's bigger!” The second chorus extends into a back-and-forth “bigger (bigger)” with the backing. The bridge quiets to a pretty piano, leading to a drum breakdown, where the choir comes on stage giving “hah-oh”s. The last chorus is elevated by strings and stage sparks. And they stand around a fiery circle. The stage starts grayscale, as Michael walks forward with smoke behind him. Then the LED lights up with outer space imagery. He also shows his vocals on “ONLY HOPE”, “WE SEEEE YEAH”, and “UUUUS”. The lyrics lack depth though. The word “bigger” is said 47 times. Michael wants the subject to hear him. He says that love is attainable between them. He offers his hand and promises he won't give up. While the chorus proclaims that their love is bigger than everything. It's a bit trite. His performance is fine, the backing choir improves things, and the chorus shift kinda works. But yeah, this is bland.

Iceland: Hatari - Hatrið mun sigra

Estonia: Victor Crone - Storm Uhh was that a camera fuck up?

Belarus: Zena - Like It Zena cannot sing. The chorus is kinda annoying too.

Azerbaijan: Chingiz - Truth The verses are better than the chorus.

France: Bilal Hassani - Roi I view France's 2017/18/19 entries as a trilogy. Madame Monsieur even helped write this one. “Requiem” and “Mercy” told unique stories, but “Roi”'s message of self-love has 0 subtly. Especially the staging. It starts with a flashlight on Bilal's face, with colourful tears and words. Then, teen ballerina Lizzy Howell walks out, twirls, and shakily pushes wrists with Bilal. Then he comforts deaf dancer Lin Ching-lan. Meanwhile, the LED shows quotes, news headlines and videos of the dancers; as well as an empty throne room. Bilal also kneels during the bridge. While at the end, they all stand together making hand-crowns, as the LED shows a child video of Bilal + “We are all Kings/Queens”. The lyrics alternate English and French frequently. Bilal asserts “I will always be [me]”. She decides her own path. He lives life despite judgement. It bothers people and they tell her how to be, but she defies it; retorting “you cannot change me boo”. The term “king” is used to empower. Verse 2 questions why they hurt for nothing. We choose many things, but not who we are, it's no one's business. Bilal projects self-love, security and confidence. And the “I'M NOT RICH...” and “know-oh-oh-oh” hooks are fine, but the chorus suffers from the plain modern drum beat. The verses follow an active piano, with fist-pounding ticks partway. The post-chorus adds some strings and fluttery metal bits. Verse 2 has some drumstick echos midway. And the bridge reduces to low vibrations.

* Bilal uses both he/him and she/her pronouns, so I alternated

Italy: Mahmood - Soldi This is so addictive. The “come va, come va, come va” and “Soldi, Soldi” repetitions are catchy AF. The handclaps get the audience involved. It sounds fresh and modern. And it changes gears so cleverly. There's an Arabic guitar that keeps reappearing, mixed with assertive foot stomps. The verses follow “dun... dun-dun” piano notes, with more stomps. There's a pause on “AH UH”. The pre-chorus piano races with smooth strings, and the vocal jumps out midway with taps. Then the sludgy bass drops with double handclaps. And the Arabic guitar cuts this off effectively. The bridge has a more cluttered sound, ending in more strings. Mahmood crams a lot of words into this, but it doesn't harm the melody. The lyrics tell a personal story with a justifiably bitter tone. It's about his deceitful father, who walked out on his family, and only cares about money. Mahmood reassures his mom he's on his way home to see him. She thought it was love. The father is breaking Ramadan and smoking a hookah, and there's a Jackie Chan reference. Upon seeing him, Mahmood sings quickly since his mind is racing. He doesn't trust him. He doesn't care to explain. He decries “you only cared about the money, as if I have any”. The father won't say the right words. Mahmood rejects his offer. And the bridge inserts an Arabic phrase that his dad used to say. The staging involves Mahmood and the dancers leaning backwards during the chorus, as the LED shows a clapping silhouette. It also shows flaming banknotes, a sad boy, translated lyrics, and his face breaking. Plus beggars' hands on the floor. The dancers have some interesting choreo as well. But yeah, I just love how the different parts work together here.

Serbia: Nevena Božović - Kruna This is pretty epic by the end of it. It's grown on me! I love the part when the strings stop.

Switzerland: Luca Hänni - She Got Me

Australia: Kate Miller-Heidke - Zero Gravity

Spain: Miki - La venda This is an insanely energetic, joyous, and fun song. It sounds like a World Cup theme. It does burn out after repeated listens (I need to catch my breath!), and it is repetitive, but those “LA VENDA YA CAYÓOOOOOOOOOOOOOO” shouts are really catchy. The celebratory trumpet intro stands out too. And there's many quick “woo” pauses for breathers. Most of the song has fast, summery guitar and drums. The verses add backing “ohhhhh” to it, while the chorus adds horns and “HEY”s. The bridge retreats into rapid claps and Spanish guitar, then escalates with drum slams and horns, leading to a hollow drum breakdown. And it repeats “Lo que ere” 12 times. The song energizes the arena, but the choreo is kinda messy. They jump and raise their arms to hype up the crowd. And they run to the bridge and ramp at the end. The stage includes a 3x2 structure of 6 rooms with hand-drawn decor, and a frozen person in each. Miki turns around and visits them. The LED shows bold colours, including paint splatters and fingerprints. There's also a moving, lit-up, mummy thing. They brace against gravity during the camera tilts. Miki holds a camera at one point. The lyrics are trying too hard to be deep though. It's about removing the “blindfold” to live happy and free. Every verse line starts with “Te”. Miki remarks “They buy you because you're for sale”. You have excess to sell. You're lost because there's a way to be. He says there's other options – love and choose yourself. You're enough without forcing it.

The Winner:

The Netherlands achieves their 5th victory, and their first in 44 years. Austria still holds the record at 48 years between 1966 & 2014. However, Spain or France could break that in the near future. The Netherlands were one of my favourite countries during the '70s, '80s, and '90s, but they dropped off in the new millennium. They didn't even qualify for 8 years in a row. But then “Birds” changed everything; and “Calm After the Storm” did even better. Since then, the Netherlands winning again felt inevitable. Duncan's win is the culmination of their revival. Switching to internal selections has worked out pretty well.

“Arcade” is probably the least controversial winner of 2014-2023. There's nothing divisive about it. Although, at the time, I wasn't feeling the studio version. I was sick of hearing songs with big loud percussion. I didn't want a OneRepublic clone winning Eurovision. But after seeing Duncan's sensitive performance, I changed my mind. I can FEEL the emotion in this song clearly. Those “AHHHHHHHHH OHHHHHHHHH”s and “ALL I KNOW”s wouldn't leave my brain either. It's catchy! There's a very noticeable verse/chorus contrast too. The song opens with a piano sequence and vocal howls, creating a cold night forest atmosphere. Then the introverted verse expresses Duncan's sadness and vulnerability, with the soft melancholic piano and lower vocal. The howls return with boops and Duncan's voice rises. Then the guitar and snaps get the pre-chorus moving. While the heavy drums slam down in the chorus, with some clicks. The second verse adds low drum booms and skips the pre-chorus. The later choruses are doubled. The bridge is a delicate moment. There's a dense drum breakdown. The last chorus adds moody strings. And the song ends where it started.

The chorus is like pounding your fists against the wall in agony because you can't take it anymore. It represents Duncan's frustration. His broken heart has unfixed cracks. He lost some pieces while returning home. He's afraid of himself. His mind feels different. He begs to be carried home. While the chorus surmises that loving this person is a losing game. The relationship was destined to fail, and he knew it (“I saw the end before it begun”), but he carried on. He was addicted. The “How many pennies in the slot?” line questions how invested his ex was, since they gave up easily. The “Small-town boy in a big arcade” line implies Duncan was out of his depth. But then he calls it quits in the bridge (“Get me off this rollercoaster”). It was a turbulent relationship. The lyrics contain several game metaphors: “lost a couple of pieces”, “pennies in the slot”, “Game Over”; but not in a corny way.

The staging keeps it simple, but still visually satisfying. Emotional ballads don't need anything extra. Duncan spends the entire performance playing a piano that's positioned sideways, while the dark blue lighting establishes the mood. It begins pitch black until the first line. Then the camera slowly zooms in as he looks down at the piano. He only really looks up during the close-ups. A blue spotlight shines on him next. Then a moon orb descends in front of him and he stares at it during the bridge. Then he throws his arms behind him as a blinding white light beams in the background. The stage has a nighttime aesthetic. It fits the song perfectly and I wouldn't change anything about it.

This became a viral TikTok hit, and the first Eurovision song to chart in America since Gina G. It's currently the most streamed Eurovision song ever on Spotify at over 1 billion plays.

Verdict: “A” Tier.

My Ranking:

Grand Final: 01. Italy: Mahmood - Soldi 02. Norway: Keiino - Spirit in the Sky 03. Switzerland: Luca Hänni - She Got Me 04. Albania: Jonida Maliqi - Ktheju tokës 05. Netherlands: Duncan Laurence - Arcade 06. Slovenia: Zalagasper - Sebi 07. Australia: Kate Miller-Heidke - Zero Gravity 08. Malta: Michela - Chameleon 09. Spain: Miki - La venda 10. Sweden: John Lundvik - Too Late for Love

11. Cyprus: Tamta - Replay 12. Azerbaijan: Chingiz - Truth 13. Serbia: Nevena Božović - Kruna 14. Greece: Katerine Duska - Better Love 15. North Macedonia: Tamara Todevska - Proud 16. France: Bilal Hassani - Roi 17. San Marino: Serhat - Say Na Na Na 18. Russia: Sergey Lazarev - Scream 19. Belarus: Zena - Like It 20. Estonia: Victor Crone - Storm 21. United Kingdom: Michael Rice - Bigger than Us 22. Germany: S!sters - Sister 23. Iceland: Hatari - Hatrið mun sigra 24. Denmark: Leonora - Love Is Forever 25. Czech Republic: Lake Malawi - Friend of a Friend 26. Israel: Kobi Marimi - Home

Full Ranking: 01. Italy: Mahmood - Soldi 02. Norway: Keiino - Spirit in the Sky 03. Switzerland: Luca Hänni - She Got Me 04. Albania: Jonida Maliqi - Ktheju tokës 05. Netherlands: Duncan Laurence - Arcade 06. Slovenia: Zalagasper - Sebi 07. Australia: Kate Miller-Heidke - Zero Gravity 08. Malta: Michela - Chameleon 09. Spain: Miki - La venda 10. Sweden: John Lundvik - Too Late for Love 11. Cyprus: Tamta - Replay 12. Romania: Ester Peony - On a Sunday 13. Belgium: Eliot - Wake Up 14. Armenia: Srbuk - Walking Out 15. Azerbaijan: Chingiz - Truth 16. Serbia: Nevena Božović - Kruna 17. Greece: Katerine Duska - Better Love 18. Hungary: Joci Pápai - Az én apám 19. Lithuania: Jurij Veklenko - Run with the Lions 20. North Macedonia: Tamara Todevska - Proud 21. France: Bilal Hassani - Roi 22. Moldova: Anna Odobescu - Stay 23. Portugal: Conan Osíris - Telemóveis 24. Austria: Pænda - Limits 25. San Marino: Serhat - Say Na Na Na 26. Russia: Sergey Lazarev - Scream 27. Belarus: Zena - Like It 28. Estonia: Victor Crone - Storm 29. Latvia: Carousel - That Night 30. United Kingdom: Michael Rice - Bigger than Us 31. Poland: Tulia - Fire of Love (Pali się) 32. Finland: Darude feat. Sebastian Rejman - Look Away 33. Ireland: Sarah McTernan - 22 34. Georgia: Oto Nemsadze - Keep On Going 35. Germany: S!sters - Sister 36. Iceland: Hatari - Hatrið mun sigra 37. Denmark: Leonora - Love Is Forever 38. Czech Republic: Lake Malawi - Friend of a Friend 39. Israel: Kobi Marimi - Home 40. Croatia: Roko - The Dream 41. Montenegro: D mol - Heaven

[patricedumonde]

Deep Dive: Eleonora Sevenard’s Debut as Carmen

26 November 2023 — Eleonora Sevenard, in my opinion, has been a reliable dancer for the Bolshoi. Among the promotions of the new prima ballerinas, Alyona Kovalyova, Eleonora Sevenard, and Elizaveta Kokoreva, Elya's promotion was the one I expected to happen the soonest. I have watched her since she debuted as The Spanish Doll (Fairy Doll) in Vaganova and I always thought she rose to the occasion. She's versatile and she has character, which is why it pains me to write this review.

One of the first things I took note of in this variation was how nearly every movement had an accent, as if every thing was emphasized. When everything has emphasis, nothing has emphasis. This is how I felt with the whole performance. One of my favorite interpretations of Carmen is Ulyana Lopatkina's so we'll compare the two for this deep dive.

It was obvious from the beginning that Elya chose to do more outward movements. In this iconic diagonal, you'll see the difference between outward vs inward movement, especially with the hands. My personal preference is ending with the arms and hands going in. When Ulyana does it, there's a matador-like quality with her stance. Carmen, in my opinion, should be a temptress inviting the audience towards her. Between the two, I think Ulyana feels more intriguing.

If there's one word to describe the score for this variation, it's pompous. While it may be tempting to match every grand sound with an equally grand movement, I don't think it makes for good choreography. There was simply too much flailing and tossing of the arms. It felt as though I wasn't even watching the same choreography. Although, I think this may be because I was distracted with her arms, I could barely see what her body was doing.

My consolation was that she nailed this part. You have to match the rest with a rest, and Elya did that here. I just wish she settled for more rests, more subtle movements in other parts of the dance.

Again, from start to finish, the widespread arms and hands were just ever-present. I expected more.

Now, I understand that it may be unfair to compare her side by side with Ulyana, but Elya's already a prima ballerina.

To add to that, here's a video of Anastasia Smirnova's interpretation of Carmen in the Moscow ballet Competition. I thought she was a happy medium of Elya and Ulyana's interpretations. While I still prefer Ulyana's, I would undoubtedly rank Anastasia's performance over Eleonora's.

P.S. I wanted to also add gifs of Maya Plisetskaya but I didn't have time to do a three part comparison :(

[tikitania]

Hi there! About your ask on VBA graduation exams, I saw two girls that were also very commented: Daria Kulikova and Pinja Rissanen, from Yulia Kasenkova's class. But I very much agree with you, these girls are insanely talented. Kovaleva is known for having very successful students, but I so prefer Kasenkova's class this year. I really hope these girls go to good companies. (I'm personally rooting for Karamysheva and Kulikova). And don't worry, Kuprina is very safe. Being a trainee at the MT basically guaranteed her invitation for the company. I'll say something though, the girls that joined the theater from 2015 forward will probably get less opportunities at the company, when this graduates arrive. And the ones from 2019 forward will probably get buried, sadly. These girls are no joke lol. I was VERY impressed. Koshkareva is the closest thing to Vishneva, since Diana herself. Olga Smirnova is probably the most famous one after Vishneva, but their styles are different so

I agree that this graduating class is super talented…and I completely forgot about Kulikova. She was a Moscow student who transferred over in her 8th year to Vaganova. But let's see how they do in the transition from school to the theatre. For their sake, I hope they can develop at a more even-keeled pace, rather than thrown into lead roles like Khoreva. However, with Konduarova and Tereshkina injured and so many first soloists reaching the end of their careers…(Eseeva, Novikova, Osmolkina, Kolageva, among others) I think there's quite a bit of room at the top to be honest. Another little tidbit I learned is that Kamila Sultangareeva (7th year) ditched Vaganova mid-exams and transferred to the Moscow School - it created quite a scandal. She was the 3rd prize winner at last year's Moscow Ballet Competition.

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

DANCE WORLD-CLASS BALLET OR FACE THE GULAG -- WHICH WILL IT BE?

PIC INFO: Resolution at 2465x3974 -- Spotlight on a Soviet-era film poster for the feature film "Young Ballet of the World" (1970). Artwork by notable poster artist and Member of the Union of Cinematographers of the USSR, Sergei Datskevich (1919-1977).

POSTER OVERVIEW: "A Soviet-era film poster for a feature on the first International Ballet Competition for young ballet dancers held in Moscow -- "Молодой балет мира" / "Young World Ballet" -- showing a ballerina (possibly the prima ballerina Ludmila Semenyaka b. 1952) in an elegant pose in front of a world map shaded like a theatre curtain with the title above and the credits below.

Now a firm tradition in the ballet world, this ballet competition was founded in 1969 by the legends of the Russian Ballet: Igor Moiseyev (1906-2007), Olga Lepeshinskaya (1916-2008) and Galina Ulanova (1910-1998); held every four years and judged by an international jury; this first competition in 1969 was won by the renowned ballet dancer and choreographer Mikhail Baryshnikov (b. 1948)."

-- 1ST DIBS (one-of-a-kind online design marketplace)

Source: www.1stdibs.com/id-a_11443492.

[digitaltrand]

Ballet competitors soar in Moscow at Bolshoi

Ballet competitors soar in Moscow at Bolshoi

In a city where global tensions weigh heavily, rising talents of ballet soared gracefully at the Moscow International Ballet Competition. The event, which concluded on June 11 at the Russian capital’s Bolshoi Theater, is held every four years. Associated Press June 16, 2022 / 02:29 PM IST In a city where global tensions weigh heavily, rising talents of ballet soared gracefully at the Moscow…