This is a compilation of responses to the opinion requests which came through Ask (not so) recently. Apologies for the delay and thank you for asking.
If I am completely honest, I find him a bit boring. Nevertheless, I think he’s one of the strongest danseurs at the Bolshoi. Head and shoulders above Ovcharenko, for instance. Lopatin is strong technically, he’s a good partner and a good actor.
I don’t think many people know of her, which is a shame. Yatsenko was a wonderful soloist and is an intelligent and kind person. Her career at the Bolshoi was fraught with challenges, and I’m glad that she persevered.
I like him, though I confess that I haven’t seen a great deal of him in action, and what I have seen has been hit and miss technically. I love his baby sister and I think I tend to compare them subconsciously, even though I know that that’s wrong. I enjoy watching Dmitry. I have no idea what he’s like as a person, but on stage he appears to possess inner gallantry and warmth. I think that makes him a great prince.
I could’ve sworn I’ve written an opinion piece on Marianela before, but I can’t seem to find it now... To put it simply, she’s one of my favourite ballerinas at the Royal Ballet. An amazing actress, a beautiful dancers and an all-round lovely lady. I loved her partnership with Thiago Soares and I was very sad to hear about their divorce.