Some more thoughts on Ballet Conrad comments
Following on from this post.
I'm a latecomer in life to ballet, and so lack some technical knowledge that I'm now building. The Ballet Conrad channel has been immensely informative. His post on Khoreva really got me thinking. If her technique is relatively poor, and her acting ability is unremarkable (which I think most people, including her, are aware of), why does she get so much hype? Those are pretty much the only two components of ballet: technique and artistry. Myself, I believe Bulanova is the standout 2018 graduate.
I don’t think Maria’s technique is poor. Rather, there are certain aspects of her technique which are problematic and can cause major health issues later down the road. It’s also been suggested that her technique was better when she was at VBA, being coached by Professor Kovaleva, and she may not be getting the same quality of coaching at the Mariinsky. As for her acting skills – I think that’s something that will improve with experience. Don’t forget, Maria is still, technically, a recent graduate. That’s on of the problems with young dances being promoted to such a high rank so soon... There’s an expectation that they will perform at the level of seasoned soloists, which almost impossible. I don’t think the hype around Khoreva is unjustified – she really is quite remarkable in many ways – but she should’ve been given more time to progress and mature before being promoted.
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Ballet Conrad is right about cross training. It has nothing to do with ballet and develops habits and muscle memory that contradict the purity of classical form. I'm very surprised that this has caught on in Russia, where the ballet institution purports to be all about preserving classical tradition. Knowing the veneration the students and dancers have for, and the deference they show to, their teachers and elders, I'm surprised this trend hasn't been nipped in the bud by the latter contingent.
I don’t know how to answer this question. I have no idea how teachers at Vaganova and coaches at the Mariinsky view cross-training. There are some interesting point (and counterpoints) in the comment below though.
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@everythingplusthekitchensink: So, not Russian, or Russian trained per-se, but I have had Russian teachers, I know my technical stuff.Anyways, I like a lot of what he is saying, the bent knees, and the moving hip - totally fair. I think the Russian training overlooks a lot about hyper-extension and what needs to be done in regards to training (see Alina Somova), so yes, Maria is lacking in that. Also, the way they hold their hips in order to be perfectly turned out really ignores basic anatomy on anyone who isn’t naturally super turned out. You need to roll the hip backward in its socket (basic way of putting it but yeah), in order to achieve true turnout, and that would stop the hip from lifting.In regards to the foot clenched in battement glisse, that is also a very Russian trait - no one rolls through their feet at any point. It’s not something I like, I find it very ‘bumpy’ especially on pointe in variations. Its also a technique used by Balanchine for very fast movements (I was taught to use this on occasion, when you are going too fast to roll through the foot). This should not apply at any other time unless choreographed. Roll through your feet dammit!I have to disagree with his comments about strength training. I think it is completely necessary for dancers. A ballet class does not always give you the strength and endurance you need for a ballet, especially modern ballet. However, I would caution dancers on making sure they are doing the RIGHT type of cross training, and to consult professionals on the right exercises and to make sure you are doing them correctly. I’m really not a fan of dancers sharing their routines with everyone, unless its clips to show their personal exercises. This can be really harmful to young dancers watching for a multitude of reasons.Also, when he is correcting her variation and rehearsal, I think it would have been important to note that the performance was filmed before that rehearsal. Also, I think her rib movements are less about a looseness, and more about a dancer’s perceived idea of adding to the movement. She is adding arms and back movements to her dancing that she has seen other dancers do. I think coached properly, she would be not be moving like that. Anywho, would love to chat more about this with anyone! (Original Post).
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