Vaganova Academy. Graduation ceremony and Graduation ball.

[Amelia]

(1) An amazing atmosphere after the performance of  “The Dolls Fairy” by Vaganova Academy in Moscow Kremlin: kisses, hugs and tears. Backstage. June 22, 2016:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy3U_GAWxj0

(2) Vaganova Academy. Graduation ceremony and Graduation ball. June 2016:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D39NODeWwY

Diplomas distribution can be seen on 21st min.  The ball starting with Polonaise at 46th min.

Edited to reduce the size of the script.

Edited July 1, 2016 by Amelia

[Yaffa]

On the Academy's vk.com (similar to Facebook) at: https://new.vk.com/vaganovaacademy there's a link to the entire graduation performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILwYT_Yxzj8. Also you can continue to follow the annual exams and more of a class of girls who have just finished their 5th year at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7kg6VMzxoR7K9j20d-EDBg. Such a treat to see this and so much more Vaganova material online...

[CeliB]

......and you can spot DS at 1:18 in the graduation performance - the only non Russian student with a featured part (e.g. not in the corps). He's in the Polish dance and Bolero too but harder to see as they all move so fast!

You can spot him at the graduation ceremony too (at 15:50 he's behind and to the right of the girl in the red dress and at 48:47 in the ball next to his partner in the white). He said the last 2 weeks have been absolutely the best of his entire life....  

[LinMM]

I've been enjoying all the piccies some of which seem to have been taken in the Amber Room ......there was a TV programme on the story of the Amber room just last week.

 

Even Nikolay Tsiskaradize( hope that's right spelling!) seems positively charming and happy in the piccies.

 

What a place to have ones graduation ball!!

[Amelia]

I've been enjoying all the piccies some of which seem to have been taken in the Amber Room ......there was a TV programme on the story of the Amber room just last week.

Even Nikolay Tsiskaradize( hope that's right spelling!) seems positively charming and happy in the piccies.

What a place to have ones graduation ball!!

 

The link to the magnificent Catherine Palace in former Tsar’s Village, now Pushkin:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Palace

The ceremony and the ball took place in the Ballroom.

 

Why “even Nikolai”?

Nikolai Tsiskaridze (Tsis-ka-rid-ze) made an arrangement for this venue last year, starting a new tradition for memorable graduation events. It is so wonderful to hear that a foreign student “said the last 2 weeks have been absolutely the best of his entire life”. And he is not alone to feel so.

​Edited the size of script again, sorry.

Edited July 2, 2016 by Amelia

[LinMM]

I think I said "even Nikolai" because in the photos I've seen he just looked so kind and sweet and so obviously loves the students!

 

I've just not seen this side of him before.

 

In a film which was on YouTube recently forget the title but about young hopefuls trying to get into Vaganova Academy he seemed more distant and I didn't think he came across there as a particularly good communicator.

 

What a wonderful experience though for those students.....they will never forget their graduation day in this wonderful location.

 

I hope to be going to St Petersburg in November and hope to see the school and Palace etc.....always been my dream to go there especially in connection with ballet.

[CeliB]

LinMM why don't you get in touch with DS- he will be there in Nov. He might even be able to get you in to see a class (he managed to get my family and Judy to watch class) - at very least he can give you a tour of the academy... I'll ask him...

 

Wrt Tsisk the students adore him and are terrified of him pretty much in equal measures! Next year he is going to teach the level 8 Russian boys class (DSs class) the first time he has taught a full class (as opposed to doing rehearsals and dropping in unannounced to classes to terrify the assembled students). DS is in raptures!.

[LinMM]

Thankyou CeliB

I am going there to take part in some big Arts convention happening the first week of November.

 

Our group will be dancing SOMEWHERE!! Among many other groups of course .....But not sure where and definitely not anywhere prestigious!!

 

There's a big hotel there where I think we are staying right by the river which has its own theatre ....maybe here?

Anyway to me to have a chance to dance even a 5min piece in St Petersburg ANYWHERE is just mind blowing.

 

It's early days yet so not sure of any of the arrangements but would of course love to see a class at the Vaganova school and your DS's class would be icing on the cake!!

 

Will pm you as thought I saw your DS in a certain Lewes hostelry last Saturday!!

 

I am so glad it seems to be turning out so well for DS now!!

[Amelia]

CeliB, on 05 Jul 2016 - 2:33 PM, said:

.... Wrt Tsisk the students adore him and are terrified of him pretty much in equal measures!..

 

Absolutely true. Tsiskaridze is very demanding in everything, not only in ballet class and rehearsals.

When he learns that a pupil has unsatisfactory marks for literature, he calls him to task: orders him to read the book and to come back to him personally in a few days for an assessment on how thoroughly he understood the book.

He said in an interview: “I don’t want them to be just jamping jacks. I want them to know what art are about”.

They really adore him. There is always a long queue of children to take photos with him after performances.

Edited to shorten the quote.

Edited July 7, 2016 by Amelia

[LinMM]

He sounds very good for keeping pupils on track!!

 

Years ago in an ordinary school....not dance school...we had a headteacher like that.

If any other teacher had any problems with us she was on it IMMEDIATELY and when we had her for her subjects which were Geography or Maths we had a lookout " Mrs T's coming" so when she came into the room we were all sitting perfectly!!

 

Looking back now I'm sure she knew this and must have amused her no end but she never gave anything away!!

 

But it was her insistence that we all gave our best at school.......though she could be a meany as she was quite capable of standing at the bottom of the stairs when we were all going off to swimming for example ( a nice jolly coach trip involved) and asking what page we were on in Maths books etc and if not up to scratch had to go and finish right then!) .......that generally brought out for most a good application because we knew she was aware of what was going on in all lessons not just her own!! This didn't mean we didn't chat our way through some but we took the risk ...especially if another teacher had sent us out of a lesson....that we would be in trouble with the Head!!

I still went back to visit that school many times after I'd left and was always welcomed with opened arms all previous misdemeanours forgotten!!

Anyway to get back on track Tsiskaridze hasn't been there for that long yet so see how things go on but perhaps he has found he is really enjoying the teaching side he certainly looks relaxed with the students though I know this was a graduation do etc. it's quite hard to get the balance right I think about when to let go be more yourself and just enjoy being with your students and when to keep that distance of expectation and demand for achievement......seems to,be okay so far!!