Balletomanewithoutacause

This clip is the grand pas from Paquita:

 

 

 

 

BRB have done this in the past.  My favourite recollection is Chi Cao.  In the male solo in the clip starting at 1828, Chi did 8 double tours in alternating directions.  It was spectacular and I will never forget it!

 

The music is by Minkus.

These are Vaganova students at their 2014 graduation performance, including  Ksenia Zingashina, a potential star!

The question is, why would a man in Fateyev's position condemn Vaganova and its graduates so publicly, given the long and productive relationship between the school and the Mariinsky?  If indeed the school was not producing talented graduates (which many would dispute), shouldn't Fateyev give the new rector a chance to demonstrate improvement before Fateyev condemns current students? And how does a statement denigrating Vaganova graduates, who make up the majority of the great Mariinsky corps, help the Mariinsky company? Does he really want them all to quit and search for more opportunity elsewhere?

None of this makes any logical sense, so something else must be going on.  I'm no expert on Russian politics, but I would guess that Fateyev (who is only the acting artistic director) is under pressure by the political establishment and/or wealthy donors to demonstrate his loyalty to their (warped) opinions about ballet.  Perhaps there are centers of power in Perm (where Fateyev's favored dancers come from) or other provincial areas that must be appeased (for political reasons) by featuring their dancers in St. Petersburg.  Perhaps certain wealthy businessmen are only willing to underwrite dancers who fit a particular physical ideal that not all Vaganova graduates exhibit.  Fateyev's statement in Dancing Times may have been crafted solely for the purpose of demonstrating his political correctness to powerful people within Russia. 

It will be interesting to see whether/how the Vaganova rector reacts to this interview.  

I was searching for variations to teach in senior pointe class and came across this.  I just sat there stunned - she hovers in the air!  It's of Natalia Osipova in Le Corsaire.   Amazing!   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLNW3aioL1w

Wait, wait!  This isn't Le Corsaire, it's the Gamzatti variation from La Bayadere!  

Where did you find that list?  Is it online?

First post here!  Let's see if this works

Yulia Stepanova as Clemence, in Raymonda.