International Classic Ballet Theatre?

[alison]

It's been pointed out to me that this company appears to be touring (Swan Lake/Nutcracker) in the UK.  From the theatre website:

 

"This company of international dancers comes to the UK direct from the United States, where they have toured extensively in 2022 to great acclaim. The dancers are carefully selected by Georgia-born Artistic Director, Marina Medvetskaya, a former prima ballerina of Tbilisi State Academic Opera and Ballet. Each dancer is chosen for their grace, skill and athleticism, essential for the classical style of ballet presented."

 

Does anyone know any more?

[DanJL]

I don't know any more I'm afraid, but since they're coming to Cardiff and are promising a "Glorious Gala" rather than the usual Nutcracker etc. I've booked to find out more! 

[SplitSoul]

Will be seeing Swan Lake in Bham tomorrow, curious to see what they are like!

[Guest oncnp]

aka The Saint-Petersburg Classic Ballet Theatre of Marina Medvetskaya 

 

The Saint-Petersburg Classic Ballet Theatre of Marina Medvetskaya | Facebook

[Peanut68]

Am I right in thinking that, where in the past using anything Russian in a ballet company name (even when a company was never based in Russia with maybe only a few dancers with Russian heritage/training) was a big marketing plus to suggest high standard quality ballet, now (post Russia’s invasion of Ukraine) it’s the ultimate toxic tag they are all understandably dropping like hotcakes? 
 

[SplitSoul]

I was underwhelmed by Swan Lake. There were some excellent individuals in the cast (one or two corps de ballet, the Jester), but overall it was under-rehearsed and mediocre talent.

 

The orchestra was far too small and made some howlers, plus had overall tuning and ensemble issues.

 

It was cheap enough, we enjoyed an evening out, but it really did not rival BRB.

 

Also, the Symphony Hall is an among venue, but the audience felt very small, as mist of the seats were empty. A smaller theatre would have been packed out and a much better environment.

[Tania Z]

On 02/01/2023 at 00:10, Peanut68 said:

Am I right in thinking that, where in the past using anything Russian in a ballet company name (even when a company was never based in Russia with maybe only a few dancers with Russian heritage/training) was a big marketing plus to suggest high standard quality ballet, now (post Russia’s invasion of Ukraine) it’s the ultimate toxic tag they are all understandably dropping like hotcakes? 
 

Yes, that's exactly what should happen. The vast majority of russians support the war so why they should come to Europe to enjoy the freedom and make money, paying taxes from it to subside putin's regime?

[Tania Z]

On 08/12/2022 at 11:39, alison said:

It's been pointed out to me that this company appears to be touring (Swan Lake/Nutcracker) in the UK.  From the theatre website:

 

"This company of international dancers comes to the UK direct from the United States, where they have toured extensively in 2022 to great acclaim. The dancers are carefully selected by Georgia-born Artistic Director, Marina Medvetskaya, a former prima ballerina of Tbilisi State Academic Opera and Ballet. Each dancer is chosen for their grace, skill and athleticism, essential for the classical style of ballet presented."

 

Does anyone know any more?

From what I managed to find out from the net, Marina Medvetskaya was / is artistic director of St Petersburg ballet theatre. Interestingly, before February 2022, when they was touring across the UK, the main emphasis of their promoter was to point out that she is connected to russian ballet. Now of course, there is no mention of this on any website. Instead they point out she is of Georgian origin. They are fouling public. Understandably people aren't going to do any research, so they buy tickets by which they indirectly support war in Ukraine ((

[Pas de Quatre]

Moderators - I just posted a review in the Lesser known companies thread as I had forgotten about this one.  Could you move it here? To be honest, if the company is not promoting itself as representing the Russian state, then good luck to all those dancers who have found employment.

 

Is anyone thinking of boycotting Chinese restaurants because of the Chinese government's behaviour and threats to Taiwan? Or all their exports such as mobile phones and technology which are produced under very dubious  conditions.

Edited January 8, 2023 by Pas de Quatre

[Guest oncnp]

59 minutes ago, Pas de Quatre said:

 

 

Is anyone thinking of boycotting Chinese restaurants because of the Chinese government's behaviour and threats to Taiwan? Or all their exports such as mobile phones and technology which are produced under very dubious  conditions.

 

While I don't agree with your analogy, Chinese restaurants are not trying to hide their identity which this company certainly appears to be.

 

If people want to support Russian companies at this point, that is a personal decision. But they should know that the company is Russian and be able to make an informed decision.  It's the deception that bothers me. 

 

[Pas de Quatre]

I have just researched the three principal dancers I named in my review, Assel Askarova, Azamat Akarov and Yassaui Mergaliev. They are all from Kazakhstan, an independent country, and danced in London with the Kazakhstan State ballet in 2019. 

[Pas de Quatre]

Just done a little more research.  Yassaui Mergaliev was competing on BBC's Greatest Dancer in 2019 and 2020 and possibly is now based in UK.  Googling the names of the listed soloists, I have yet to find any Russian dancers.  A couple are from Romania, one from USA, one Armenian, two from UK, and one Japanese whose profile says she trained at the Bolshoi.  For three I couldn't find any info about them online, but their names are not Russian sounding.   So I think it is a shame to jump to conclusions.  

[Guest oncnp]

3 minutes ago, Pas de Quatre said:

Just done a little more research.  Yassaui Mergaliev was competing on BBC's Greatest Dancer in 2019 and 2020 and possibly is now based in UK.  Googling the names of the listed soloists, I have yet to find any Russian dancers.  A couple are from Romania, one from USA, one Armenian, two from UK, and one Japanese whose profile says she trained at the Bolshoi.  For three I couldn't find any info about them online, but their names are not Russian sounding.   So I think it is a shame to jump to conclusions.  

Not jumping to conclusions when the company's previous name was the St Peterburg Classic Ballet Theatre.

 

Can we agree to disagree on this one? 

Edited January 8, 2023 by oncnp

[Peanut68]

Nothing wrong with rebranding if alongside that the company location/finances/employees etc are NOT within Russia ie. no one is pro-war or paying taxes to the Russian state. 
If artists have found a way to remove themselves from the toxic political scene & instead find a way to continue in employment doing what they are trained in & love to do then hats off….especially even if they have had to leave their home state & presumably loved ones too perhaps….my feeling is that many of these small touring companies are filled with dancers of a very global mix.

I do have severe concerns many of these sadly ‘employ’ young dancers without a contract on very minimal non guaranteed pay with no protections on travel/insurance etc. I often wonder what the employment law actually is where companies tour the UK? Should they not have to -during time here at least - be obliged to employ under how any UK company would have to re: pay/benefits etc to be legal employers? & similarly in EU abide by EU employment laws? 
My feeling is it stems all the way to the uneven ‘money talks’ training system & the ‘over production’ of talented dancers so, if you like, it’s a buyers market & the commodity of young dancers is cheap (& too often a little desperate?) Now this then leads onto the end product…. Provide what an audience want, in right locations at the right times. Now actually some of these touring companies I do think get closer to getting this right somewhat better than the large state funded organisations who seem IMHO to make some very strange programming decisions…too many companies in same season doing same classics?Too much ‘right on’ new contemporary works within classical companies that are, again in IMHO, best left to the expert contemporary companies & thus drawing funding & audiences to those companies & dancers!

The ‘big’ companies seem to be very limited in UK & International touring (again, perhaps by too much arts council prodding/rules?) & IMHO perhaps have too many Principals who are then not actually performing very many shows each in most runs….

I’d like to see a model whereby the ‘Big’ companies have smaller offshoot programmes running concurrently where a small cast tour small productions to the provinces….not lesser or student (or rip off ‘pay to be in a company’ training programme) but actually billed as RB of ENB or BRB etc. I reckon these would sell well, utilise dancers talents & aid progression within companies and - very importantly - be self funding as there are audiences out there who want tk see these dancers & will pay to do so! An add on benefit will be introducing new people to these companies & even to ballet…. It could in turn lead them to make special trips to the home cities to see bigger productions too…..so all great gif audience & revenue building. It would also take away some of the stigma that ballet is elitist or that all the funding goes just to the Metropolitan centres….

To summarise my ramblings…. Isn’t this exactly the model of how Sadlers Wells/Royal Ballet was actually first established?

We need a new Ninette de Valois!!!

I apologise if anyone finds this contentious…. All very much just my opinion as a ballet lover! 

 

Edited January 8, 2023 by Peanut68

[LinMM]

That’s a very good post Peanut 68 and I agree with most of it. 
Some of your ideas sound great….and totally agree about lack of Co ordination between British Companies so we get too much of one ballet ….not a good thing for people who live in areas where can’t get to see ballet that much and then it’s Cinderella or Swan Lake etc three times in one year!! 
However as I’m not a business person I don’t know how practical it is for touring companies these days as everything has got that much

more expensive etc and things were very different just after the War for de Valois…but whether that much easier or more difficult I wouldn’t know just acknowledging that was 70 years ago! 

 

[Jan McNulty]

1 hour ago, Peanut68 said:

 

I’d like to see a model whereby the ‘Big’ companies have smaller offshoot programmes running concurrently where a small cast tour small productions to the provinces….not lesser or student (or rip off ‘pay to be in a company’ training programme) but actually billed as RB of ENB or BRB etc. I reckon these would sell well, utilise dancers talents & aid progression within companies and - very importantly - be self funding as there are audiences out there who want tk see these dancers & will pay to do so! An add on benefit will be introducing new people to these companies & even to ballet…. It could in turn lead them to make special trips to the home cities to see bigger productions too…..so all great gif audience & revenue building. It would also take away some of the stigma that ballet is elitist or that all the funding goes just to the Metropolitan centres….

 

 

 

I know it's not quite your model but both Northern Ballet and English National Ballet have toured ballets specifically aimed at young children.  I'm not sure if ENB are continuing with this but NB definitely are - they are just about to start a tour of the Ugly Duckling.  (As a point of interest Isabella Gasparini, now of the Royal Ballet) created the role of the Duckling who becomes a swan and features in the version shown on CBeebies.

[Peanut68]

Thank l you Jan….yes, I was aware of & applaud those & think room for more!!

[Peanut68]

Good points too LinMM…. And I dare say back in the touring days of early 20th century the pay/work conditions/pastoral care etc may well have fallen short of the bare minimum we might hope to see nowadays too!! 
but ah…. The dancing & audience appreciation I’m pretty sure we’re sublime!!! I do think I personally I am in the wrong era…..!

[Dancing unicorn]

Anybody any further information on this company please. 
 

[DanJL]

They were due to bring a gala programme to Cardiff but unfortunately cancelled with the following explanation:

 

Due to travel issues with some of the international dancers and the touring schedule for the tour, the promoters have had to cancel the Gala programme.