For me Olga is quite like no other ballerina I’ve seen, although she has qualities peculiar to some of my favourite. My experience of watching her is not unlike my experience of watching Gelsey Kirkland at her finest which I can only describe as transcendental. Smirnova’s sharp jaw line and startling eyes give her a wild and otherworldly appearance that I find mesmerising especially in Swan Lake where she seems to capture the essence of the fated and desperate Odette. For me however, it was her perceptive understanding of the ‘Diamonds’ pas de deux (and her dedication to the coaching process) that really brought her to my attention. I had waited years (decades?) to see it danced with such revere. Thank you Olga.