Remembering Russian Dancers

[Amelia]

 

A former Principal of Bolshoi Ballet Gennady Ledyakh died on 3 July at 92. He was a virtuoso dancer, a king of pirouettes. All ballerinas wanted to dance with him because of his partnering skills.

I don't know if he visited UK with his company but a friend told me that he saw him here with a mixed group of Russian performers at the Albert Hall and at the Davis Theatre in Croydon - his partner was Irina Tikhomirnova. 

He was an excellent Prince to Raisa Struchkova's Cinderella in the old film “The Crystal Slipper" (1960). The young Ekaterina Maximova is dancing the Spring here:

 

 

 

[SheilaC]

Thank you Amelia. The film certainly shows his dancing and partnership skills-  I doubt if any Western dancer was capable of some of those lifts, at that time, although he's not as elegant a dancer as Fadeyechev.

 And it was wonderful to see Struchkova dance again, nowadays she tends to be forgotten compared to Ulanova and Plisteskaya although in her day she was as well known as Plisetskaya. Her technique is very strong but it's above all her joyous personality that colours her dance, today Nela has a similar quality. I was amused at her plaits, worthy of Graduation Ball. I think the hair's a wig; I have a book about Struchkova, published in 1956, which has a photo of her in Cinderella with long dark plaits.

It's good to see this version of Cinderella, the stepmother and sister are (slightly) less annoying than in more recent versions, and the scenes where the prince tours the world is a return to the original.

[Sim]

Thanks so much for these, Amelia.  I am looking forward to watching them over the weekend.  Thanks also Sheila for your very interesting post.  

[Amelia]

21 hours ago, SheilaC said:

... The film certainly shows his dancing and partnership skills-  I doubt if any Western dancer was capable of some of those lifts, at that time, although he's not as elegant a dancer as Fadeyechev.

 ... I have a book about Struchkova, published in 1956, which has a photo of her in Cinderella with long dark plaits.

 

Yes, Sheila, in theatre Struchkova’s Cinderella was with dark-haired plaits. In real life she was also dark-haired. I saw her first time in this role in 1948 when she danced with Asaf Messerer. “The Crystal Slipper” film was made in 1960 when she was already 35 and the blond hair made her look younger.
Back to Ledyakh. If you only knew his story! Yes, he was not so elegant as N.Fadeyechev but he was a very powerful dancer. In my view, he was born to dance in Grigorovich’s ballets. However, when the latter came to Bolshoi, Ledyakh, 36, was already an established Principal and Grigorovich was giving preference to much younger dancers. By the way, N.Fadeyechev who was 5 years younger than Ledyakh also didn’t dance in Grigorovich’s ballets. The master was building his own command out of the new generation.
Ledyakh was especially famous for his outstanding turns and tours. He could do pirouettes easily in dozens. Ballerinas were waiting in a queue to dance with him as a partner.
Once during a concert with Irina Tikhomirnova at some provincial house of culture, a dog jumped to the stage. At that moment Ledyakh was holding Irina with one arm in a high lift, so called “chair”, and the dog started running around the dancer’s feet. Irina high above his head started giggling but Ledyakh, while trying to avoid and push away the dog, was holding up well and the piece was performed as if nothing had happened. You can imagine the success with the audience.
In 1969, when already retired, a pensioner by ballet standards, Ledyakh was asked by Ulanova’s pupil, Malika Sabirova, to partner her at the Moscow International Competition. Sabirova won Gold and Ledyakh who did not compete of course won a special prize for partnering skills. Their performance of Don Q. pdd is worth watching for a number of reasons:

 

 

[SheilaC]

Thanks for the information and link, Amelia. While Ledyakh had lost some of his polish in retirement he certainly hadn't lost his speed! I was slightly disappointed in Sabirova, she doesn't equal Ulanova's earlier protegee, Maximova..... but then, who could!

It's interesting that sometimes male dancers with a reputation as a good partner can be dragged out of retirement!  Donald MacLeary did so at least once.

[Amelia]

2 hours ago, SheilaC said:

I was slightly disappointed in Sabirova, she doesn't equal Ulanova's earlier protegee, Maximova..... but then, who could!

 

Of course Malika Sabirova could not match Maximova’s personality. And as you rightly wrote who could? But she demonstrated excellent schooling.

As a 9-y-o girl she travelled from her native Tajikistan to Vaganova Academy in Leningrad. After graduation she danced in Dushanbe Opera and Ballet Theatre for 21 years and also toured a lot. She could not work with Ulanova permanently but Ulanova liked her very much and was coaching her for Moscow and Varna competitions.

Sadly, Malika died of lung cancer at the age of 39 and was buried in a costume of Giselle. Some photos and clips of her can be seen here: https://www.asiaplustj.info/ru/news/tajikistan/society/20190522/malika-sabirova-legenda-na-stsene-i-za-kulisami

[Sim]

Amelia thanks so much for all the wonderful clips you are posting.  They are fascinating and such an education for me!

[Amelia]

Unintentionally, this topic turned into a memorial to several dancers. I just want to show one more piece, which I like -- “Bacchanalia” to music by Saint-Saëns. Choreography by Alexander Gorsky. Malika Sabirova is partnered here by her husband Muzaffar Burkhanov. Although different physically from Maximova, she reminded her to me here.

 

 

Edited August 7, 2020 by Amelia
typo

[Jeannette]

Maybe someone can split the topics? Somewhat sacrilegious to use a memorial on one beloved dancer ( Fadeyechev) to post and chit-chat about others. 😢 Sorry if I am sensitive.

[Amelia]

In some forums, Jeannette, this is acceptable when they have the topic 'Im Memoriam'. However, since this topic was about the dear Nikolai Borisovich, perhaps, it can be split after Amelia's post on 25 July. The next one, 'In Memoriam' can start with Amelia's post Posted Tuesday at 22:57.

Edited August 7, 2020 by Amelia
correction of the name

[Sim]

We have separated this thread out from an original one paying homage to the recently deceased Nikolai Fadeyechev.  Please feel free to post any memories here, as well as any future in memoriam items. 

[Amelia]

The famous ballet teacher, People’s Artist of Russia, Vladimir Nikonov has dies yesterday in Moscow at the age of 83. It was known on August 3 that he was hospitalized with pneumonia.
He was a soloist of the Bolshoi Ballet from 1957 to 1978, and then taught at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy. Since 1978 he has been a teacher-coach at the Bolshoi. Among his pupils are dozens of famous artists, including Viktor Barykin, Vladimir Derevyanko, Valery Anisimov, Yuri Posokhov, Vadim Pisarev, Alexander Vetrov, Vladimir Neporozhny, Denis Matvienko, Alexander Volchkov, David Motta Soares…   His son, Leonid Nikonov, was also a soloist at Bolshoi and now is a ballet teacher at Academia Teatro alla Scala.  https://www.en24news.com/2020/08/former-soloist-of-the-bolshoi-ballet-dies-in-moscow-after-pneumonia.html

Edited August 25, 2020 by Amelia
typo

[Amelia]

Tributes are pouring in from colleagues saddened by the death of Vladimir Nikonov who was universally loved as a dancer, a teacher and a person.

Alexei Ratmansky:  Sad news from Moscow: Vladimir NIKONOV, beloved Bolshoi dancer and teacher passed away this morning. He was a true gentleman and a great professional. I will always remember his support and his kind heart. RIP dear Vladimir Leonidovich
Alexei Ratmansky: When I asked Baryshnikov who was the dancer he admired the most among his colleagues in Russia, Misha said: Nikonov! Vladimir Leonidovich was very pleased to hear that. Here are too films of him dancing, one from 1965 (Class-concert) and the other from 1971 (Blue bird). Hard to believe he is gone. Just last November we worked together on Giselle at the Bolshoi. Such a decent, courteous and benevolent man.
https://www.facebook.com/alexei.ratmansky?redirect=false

And his latest very talented charge - David Motta Soares - on his Instagram.

davidmottasoares: There is no word to express the loss of a beloved person... my mentor my friend my everything, who I’m as a dancer as a person it’s all because every morning all day long he was ready to teach me something new. To be never forgotten 🖤 

Edited August 26, 2020 by Amelia
Added Soares