li tai po Posted October 6, 2022 Share Posted October 6, 2022 https://www.reuters.com/world/russian-ballet-dancer-censured-pro-war-performance-uzbekistan-2022-09-28/ https://www.gramilano.com/2022/10/ten-leading-bolshoi-dancers-suspended/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabine0308 Posted October 6, 2022 Share Posted October 6, 2022 🙈🙈🙈 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
li tai po Posted October 16, 2022 Author Share Posted October 16, 2022 Cancel culture hits Sergei Polunin in Moscow The Sergei Polunin controversy rumbles on. Following his unscheduled performance in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, of a solo to a song dedicated to the Russian soldiers who died in Ukraine, which provoked a strong audience reaction, the authorities in Uzbekistan refused to pay him and apparently made a formal diplomatic complaint to Moscow. Polunin is a native of Kherson and supports the annexation of Kherson oblast into Russia. He was scheduled to perform his patriotic solo at the party in Red Square to celebrate the annexation, but his performance was cancelled a few hours before the event, "because the concept of the event had changed". Polunin has stated that the ban came from the Russian Foreign Ministry and accused them of caving in to diplomatic pressure from the Uzbeks. In an emotional statement on social media, he described the episode as "A knife in the heart from his own". https://www.perild.com/2022/10/02/dancer-polunin-russian-foreign-ministry-caved-in-front-of-uzbekistan/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
li tai po Posted October 16, 2022 Author Share Posted October 16, 2022 (edited) Many Russian ballet companies import high quality pointe shoes from the West, which are purchased with valuable foreign currency. The Russian authorities have banned further imports of ballet shoes. Vladimir Urin, the director of the Bolshoi Theatre, appealed for the ban to be lifted at a special meeting of the Russian State Duma dedicated to "import substitution in culture", but his appeal was denied. https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/culture/1665691654-russian-ballerinas-left-without-pointe-shoes-due-to-sanctions Edited October 16, 2022 by li tai po Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted October 16, 2022 Share Posted October 16, 2022 33 minutes ago, li tai po said: Cancel culture hits Sergei Polunin in Moscow The Sergei Polunin controversy rumbles on. Following his unscheduled performance in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, of a solo to a song dedicated to the Russian soldiers who died in Ukraine, which provoked a strong audience reaction, the authorities in Uzbekistan refused to pay him and apparently made a formal diplomatic complaint to Moscow. Polunin is a native of Kherson and supports the annexation of Kherson oblast into Russia. He was scheduled to perform his patriotic solo at the party in Red Square to celebrate the annexation, but his performance was cancelled a few hours before the event, "because the concept of the event had changed". Polunin has stated that the ban came from the Russian Foreign Ministry and accused them of caving in to diplomatic pressure from the Uzbeks. In an emotional statement on social media, he described the episode as "A knife in the heart from his own". https://www.perild.com/2022/10/02/dancer-polunin-russian-foreign-ministry-caved-in-front-of-uzbekistan/ Words fail me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted October 16, 2022 Share Posted October 16, 2022 Thank you for the updates Li Tai Po. I think Sergei's due to dance in Belgrade on Monday, isn't he? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
li tai po Posted October 16, 2022 Author Share Posted October 16, 2022 Not strictly ballet - but related to music in Kherson https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/16/russian-troops-kill-ukrainian-musician-yuriy-kerpatenko-for-refusing-role-in-kherson-concert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted October 18, 2022 Share Posted October 18, 2022 Rest in peace, Maestro Yuriy Kerpatenko. His assassination was covered in all the broadsheets and BBC website (under the top 10 most-read articles for some time.). An artist whose bravery and integrity reminds us all what it means to have moral backbone. 😥 It’s horrific out there. I clicked on the link to the chamber ensemble and orchestra he directed, and if you closed your eyes and ignored the very simple and unsophisticated hall, music stands and the presentation style of the concert, but just listened to the Mozart he was conducting, it could have been a performance at Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall or the Proms, broadcast to millions...what a beautiful performance. Such mastery and sublime artistry- on stage and in life, he upheld the highest standards. Only wish we’d actually seen him and his ensemble in Britain before he was cruelly killed. He was only 46. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted October 18, 2022 Share Posted October 18, 2022 😥😥 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 (edited) There have been all sorts of apologies to Sergei Polunin from the Red Square organisers (back-pedalling about not being able to create a dance stage in time) and also from the Russian state since his Instagram ‘monologues’ including … extraordinarily… a comment of support on Instagram from the Russian foreign ministry itself. I would not be surprised to learn that ‘they’ have made good on any financial shortfall from the shows in Tashkent, if there is one. The situation does not reflect well on the promoter there … the Arts & Culture Development Fund of Uzbekistan. They have already fired 2 employees over the incident … a clear admission of their error. (Separately that same Uzbek fund is at fault for having used official Bolshoi Theatre photos and logo for the gala of 11 Bolshoi principals. The article above is incorrect, there were 11 dancers involved, not 10. The list is missing Semyon Chudin.) Since his Instagram posts, Sergei has performed with the Chekhov Moscow Art Theatre at a classy artistic tribute evening for renowned actor and director Oleg Efremov, alongside internationally known actor Konstantin Khabensky and pianist Andrei Korobeinnikov. And he and his company has performed Rasputin on tour to sold out audiences in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yaroslavl and Ivanovo. The StP show was to a crowd of over 3,500 in a venue usually reserved for rock concerts. At interviews after a free masterclass given to local students in IVANOVO, we learnt that his grandmother originates from that city. From the IG monologues, we hear that his grandfather used to play ball with him as a young child asking him each time he caught the ball … what are you? To which he answered “I am Russian” He’s made it very clear that he is Russian and that’s where his allegiance and support is. If you were in doubt before, you cannot be now. Edited October 19, 2022 by FionaE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 On 16/10/2022 at 15:25, capybara said: Thank you for the updates Li Tai Po. I think Sergei's due to dance in Belgrade on Monday, isn't he? Yes he did perform in Belgrade on Monday. At his own gala to raise funds for his Foundation which supports talented Serbian students attending ballet schools in Europe … at Neumeier in Hamburg, Cranko school in Stuttgart, Vienna State Academy and Mannheim. Each of these students has been supported by his Foundation for at least 4 years, from when Sergei was 28. As a reminder Sergei was given Serbian citizenship in 2016/17 (as was Ralph Fiennes) when working on the movie ‘The White Crow’ about Nureyev’s defection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabine0308 Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 On 16/10/2022 at 22:31, li tai po said: Not strictly ballet - but related to music in Kherson https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/16/russian-troops-kill-ukrainian-musician-yuriy-kerpatenko-for-refusing-role-in-kherson-concert OMG!!😭 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peanut68 Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 This is just terrible…. and worrying that I had not heard of this before seeing link here…. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 On 16/10/2022 at 12:16, li tai po said: Cancel culture hits Sergei Polunin in Moscow The Sergei Polunin controversy rumbles on. Following his unscheduled performance in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, of a solo to a song dedicated to the Russian soldiers who died in Ukraine, which provoked a strong audience reaction, the authorities in Uzbekistan refused to pay him and apparently made a formal diplomatic complaint to Moscow. As ever … the media reportage is inaccurate. Firstly this song was written and launched by Russian singer Shaman before the 2022 war in Ukraine began. So it was not originally intended to be a patriotic song about active soldiers in Ukraine. It is actually a lament to honour soldiers who fell in WWII. This was also Sergei’s original intent in his dance to this song, which is why he is wearing an old style military uniform. Secondly, there was no ‘unscheduled performance’ at either of the two sold out shows in Tashkent. The contentious piece ‘Vstanem’ was on the programme which was pre-approved by the Uzbek promoter over a week IN ADVANCE of the show. What became clear later is that the ACDFUZ either did not know what they were approving, or didn’t check. It takes only a few seconds to Google ‘Vstanem Polunin’ to find video clips of this solo. Apparently some audience members were offended. However there was no negative reaction voiced in the auditorium, only applause. I know, because I was there. I’m sure many here would agree that one of the purposes of art is to challenge the audience. If something an artist does offends you then you are free to leave, and not come again. It would be wise to reflect on the reaction in yourself. Maybe the artist is telling you something you don’t want to hear? Let’s try a different title to this article … ”Cancel culture hits narrow minded balletomanes” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 Moderators … please could you remove my post above. I fell asleep whilst editing and it posted itself (!) thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BalletcoForum Moderators Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 Hi Fiona. Please note that we don't hide or delete posts unless there is a very good reason to do so. We have discussed yours and can't see any reason for it to be hidden or removed as it doesn't contravene our AUP in any way. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeauxArts Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 For my part, and with huge sorrow, I now cannot watch any Russian performers who I know support the Russian invasion. There is no grey area here: one is either in support of freedom and democracy or one is not. Oppression and genocide cannot be moderated or transformed into something acceptable in the name of art. For this reason I do not want to see Polunin dance but I see that others may still wish to do so. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 7 hours ago, BalletcoForum Moderators said: Hi Fiona. Please note that we don't hide or delete posts unless there is a very good reason to do so. We have discussed yours and can't see any reason for it to be hidden or removed as it doesn't contravene our AUP in any way. Only that I didn’t post it! As I explained I wasn’t finished editing and fell asleep. The phone somehow posted it itself. Oh well. I will repost with info as I would have preferred. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 “When I fall in love, it will be forever” https://balletmagazine.ru/ru/post/kseniya-ryzhkova-i-dzhona-kuk-interview An interview and backstage video from Ballet Magazine of Stanislavsky / Munich / PoluninInk principal dancers Ksenia Ryzhkova and Jonah Cook with their eldest baby Matvei Cook ❤️❤️❤️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annamk Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 Why are you posting this ? These dancers chose to leave Munich and go to Russia after the invasion of Ukraine ....... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 45 minutes ago, annamk said: Why are you posting this ? These dancers chose to leave Munich and go to Russia after the invasion of Ukraine ....... The title of this thread is ‘Recent ballet developments in Russia’. I think this qualifies. I think it’s food for thought that a married couple (one Russian, one British) with young children should choose to live where their children can grow up close to their grandparents, and to choose to do so in Russia in order for their children not to have to experience the new Russiaphobia of the West. I try to be understanding of others having to make such difficult decisions in this awful situation. Those of us who are not split in this way should at least have compassion for their personal decisions. This article highlights Ksenia’s first performance of Giselle tomorrow on her return to the Stanislavsky Theatre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 This may qualify too: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 @Ian Macmillan I wonder if Alexei himself may have asked not to be mentioned. He has said in interviews that he asked the companies not to perform his ballets. However, as the Bolshoi & Mariinsky own the rights via legal contracts, he cannot stop his own ballets from being performed until the icontracts expire (if they expire.) Separately I’ve heard that some Sergei Polunin collaborators have asked not to be mentioned when his company perform ballets they’ve helped to create. Sad sad situation for all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 (edited) Could be the case. I've known of translators who've asked to have their name taken off something they've translated because it's been so tampered with. Edited October 21, 2022 by alison Changed "true" to "the case" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeauxArts Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 Fiona: we are all fortunate to be able to post openly and courteously on this site and there will always be interesting news from the Russian ballet world to be shared. However, were you a balletomane in Russia you would not be able to post openly, expressing your views on the war, and would have to self-censor. The brute truth is that Cook and Ryzhkova - and Mai Nagahisa and Aaron Oh (Mariinsky) - have ALL returned to Russia in the full knowledge of what Russian forces have done to the people and infrastructure of Ukraine. If it is “food for thought” I regret to say it is indigestible for me. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeliB Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 8 minutes ago, BeauxArts said: Fiona: we are all fortunate to be able to post openly and courteously on this site and there will always be interesting news from the Russian ballet world to be shared. However, were you a balletomane in Russia you would not be able to post openly, expressing your views on the war, and would have to self-censor. The brute truth is that Cook and Ryzhkova - and Mai Nagahisa and Aaron Oh (Mariinsky) - have ALL returned to Russia in the full knowledge of what Russian forces have done to the people and infrastructure of Ukraine. If it is “food for thought” I regret to say it is indigestible for me. It's an interesting discussion. I would ask, for those condemning people for staying in Russia, how many of us here considered uprooting their entire lives and leaving the UK when Iraq was invaded by UK/USA forces? I have met in Tbilisi (and know via my son) a number of Russian young people who have left the country in protest and was struck by what an incredibly brave thing to do and it made me feel quite ashamed in many ways that the only thing I did back in the day was go on a march or 2 and sign some petitions. I know you can cite the fact that at least we could protest from within our own country and they cannot (although many brave souls still do), but I still thought those whom I met showed incredible strength of character for leaving. They cannot access their money, have lost their homes, are cut off from their families and often find it difficult to find work (and are met sometimes with hostility simply for being Russian). Some are then forced to return as they have elderly dependents who cannot survive without them and they cannot find work abroad. I also know of (non Russian) dancers from big name companies who have left Russia and now cannot find a contract anywhere. It's not always so black and white I think.. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeauxArts Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 It is interesting. I am not condemning anyone for staying in Russia because plainly that is an extremely complex judgement call, but I do reserve the right to call into question the judgement of people who choose to return post-invasion to live and work there. I also don’t think the comparison with the invasion of Iraq is apposite. The invasion of Ukraine is a direct attack on that country and Western democratic values which we all benefit from, whether we realise it or not. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 It would be good if this thread could be about ballet developments in Russia without need to comment (either way) on individual dancers for their personal life decisions. It would be a shame for us in US/Europe to become wholly unconnected to Russian companies and dancers and the ballets they are performing. This situation may not resolve itself soon. And only a small number of dancers (whether Ukrainian, Russian or others) have been able to leave and get contracts outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeauxArts Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 Fiona - indeed: but you cannot have your cake and eat it: you wrote a long defence of Polunin, unequivocally a Putin supporter, and also raised the issue of rising Russiaphobia in the West. It is very regrettable that - for some of us - our view of Russian dancers and companies cannot be separated from our utter revulsion at the Russian government, army etc. If you can separate it out then you are fortunate. For the record, and this is not exhaustive, quite a few dancers etc have found new companies since leaving Russia: Xander Parrish and wife; the Mativienko family, Marko Juusela, Misha Barkijidjee, Victor Caixeta, Olga Smirnova, Ilya Jivoy, Vasilii Tkachenko, Vsevolod Maievskyi… there are certainly more. I have nothing but respect and admiration for them. 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeliB Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 Quite a few but not all- and in some ways it is 'easier' to leave when you are fairly well known and already being offered places elsewhere (of course perhaps that goes for the dancers you mentioned above as well so yes I agree it does make their decision to go back more difficult to justify). However, one could also point out the the Putin govt was pretty dreadful prior to the Ukraine invasion (Chechnya, anyone?) and no one suggested we shouldn't talk about Russian dancers as doing so would constitute support for the regime. Is it only a matter of degree of awfulness? Also I do kind of disagree re Iraq- I'm not alone in thinking it constituted an unjustifiable invasion of a foreign country and didn't exactly do much for global international peace- I don't think you can write it off as completely different on the basis that Ukraine is a democracy and Iraq isn't- surely we can't justify occupying a foreign country because we disagree with their political system? Look, I'm not being 100% one side or the other. I just think its a complex debate. For the record I agree Polunin's support of Putin is indefensible (but then he's always come across as being several short of the full toolbox hasn't he?- one of the reasons I find it hard to care about what he does). So yes, if dancers come out and say 'ra ra up the invasion' it is fair enough to think that makes them pretty dreadful and decide you don't want to engage with what they are doing. Actually I think I've talked myself round in a circle and come round to agreeing with you @BeauxArtsvis a vis those dancers who could have stayed out of Russia but chose to go back - that seems like open support. For those working there who may have good reason to stay, I would say it may be more complicated... 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 It must be considerably easier for non Russians who were working in Russia before the invasion to leave than Russian Nationals because the latter will have family connections etc in Russia so not such an easy decision for them to leave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 2 minutes ago, LinMM said: It must be considerably easier for non Russians who were working in Russia before the invasion to leave than Russian Nationals because the latter will have family connections etc in Russia so not such an easy decision for them to leave. But most recent posts have been about dancers, Russian or otherwise, who chose to return to Russia. As to the "russophobia" defence, I don't doubt that there's a degree of it around - and I dislike the spectacle of certain artists being pressed to denounce their own country, especially when they may have family back home who they want to protect - but I can think of at least two prominent cases (Osipova and Smirnova) who have received considerable public good will. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naomi M Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 7 hours ago, CeliB said: I also know of (non Russian) dancers from big name companies who have left Russia and now cannot find a contract anywhere. There was a research in Japan that counted there were 69 Japanese dancers in Russian state ballet companies before the invasion, and currently 48 of them are staying in Russia. (as of September 2022). it is very difficult to make a living as a ballet dancer in Japan (almost no company offer regular salaries and social security). I know only 3 dancers that returned from Russia that have successfully joined Japanese companies. One is Koya Okawa who was a gold medalist at Moscow Competition and soloist at Novosibirsk who joined Asami Maki Ballet and another is Miho Naotsuka, former soloist at Stanislavsky and Mikhailovsky, she joined the National Ballet of Japan but as a corps de ballet dancer. Also there are several Japanese dancers who have being dancing at Ukrainian companies such as the National Ballet of Ukraine, but none were successful in joining companies in Japan. and of course there are more Japanese students who were studying in Russian ballet academies. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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