#sobaka profiles

[melmothblog]

The Sobaka Profiles: Kimin Kim

Kim is the company’s current premier virtuoso. He trained in Seoul under Russian expats and stars of the 1980s Mariinsky, Vladimir Kim and Margarita Kullik. He has been dancing in St Petersburg for the past seven years, and he has been a principal dancer for four of these.

Like Parish, Kim approaches St Petersburg’s ballet tradition with scrupulous attention, while never losing sight of his own performance style: strong-willed, feisty and joyous. He spins and takes flight, triumphant and ready to make the audience - enchanted by a single element he masterfully performs - explode into ruptures applause in the middle of a variation.

The program for Kim’s gala performance, which will run during the “Stars of White Nights”, hasn’t been announced yet, but there are already no tickets below 7000 roubles available for sale. These remaining ones will surely be sold out soon as well.

+ Other Sobaka profiles

Please note: my translations of the Sobaka profiles are a bit more “loose” than usual. The profiles are meant to be read as a single piece, so looking at them separately means that hey lose some “flesh”. The translation you see above a slightly more fleshed-out version of the original.

Original article (RU)

[melmothblog]

The Sobaka Profiles: Maria Bulanova

Corps de ballet dancer and Khoreva’s classmate, Bulanova is not the only future star forged in Lyudmila Kovaleva’s extraordinary class of 2018 - Daria Ionova and Anastasia Nuykina were also part of this crop of graduates.

This is one of those rare cases when “a girl from the corps” is the one drawing seasoned balletomanes into the theatre, often compelling them to travel from other cities. 

This young dancer has an uncanny gift for the tragic; she skilfully conveys her characters’ relationship with death. You won’t soon forget her Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis, nor her Zarema, whose jealous rage drives her to murder. But Bulanova’s repertoire extends beyond the dark shadows and enters the realm of Balanchine - she is quite wonderful in “Rubies”. 

It’s hard to foresee her next big role. For now, it seems as if Bulanova is capable of tackling any technique and style thrown her way.

+ Other Sobaka profiles

Please note: my translations of the Sobaka profiles are a bit more “loose” than usual. The profiles are meant to be read as a single piece, so looking at them separately means that hey lose some “flesh”. The translation you see above a slightly more fleshed-out version of the original.

Original article (RU)

[melmothblog]

The Sobaka Profiles: Xander Parish

The Brit, who left his home and the Royal Ballet for the Mariinsky nine years ago, has since risen to the rank of Principal dancer with the company, and continues to develop overtime. He has grow more accustomed to the St Petersburg style of performance, and has been exploring his new world, gradually becoming a part of it, though he has by no means lost sight of who he is. The British style, with it’s detached gallantry, is still there and is especially evident during the pas de deux; Parish handles his partners with extreme delicacy and care, like he would a bird.

In “Le Corsaire”, his Conrad comes across as a little hesitant (Robbing a harem? That seems rather rude!), but there is no doubt that Giselle’s poor heart never stood a chance against his Albrecht, and his Desire is capable of rousing the sleeping beauty from hew century-long sleep with a single kiss. His Romeo is especially compelling, and it’s fascinating to watch a great passion wrestling with years of fine breeding and manners. 

+ Other Sobaka profiles

Please note: my translations of the Sobaka profiles are a bit more “loose” than usual. The profiles are meant to be read as a single piece, so looking at them separately means that hey lose some “flesh”. The translation you see above a slightly more fleshed-out version of the original.

Original article (RU)

[melmothblog]

The Sobaka Profiles: Maria Khoreva

In the ballet world there are precedents for rapid career progression; fresh graduates have been known to become Étoiles almost overnight. Palais Garnier was shaken to its very core when Rudolf Nureyev catapulted the then nineteen-year-old Sylvie Guillem to the very top of Paris Opera Ballet’s ranks. If we were to assume that a similar scenario could play out in St Petersburg, then Maria Khoreva comes to mind as one of the prime candidates for such an astronomic rise.

Khoreva trained under Lyudmila Kovaleva - the Vaganova Ballet Academy professor who gave the world Diana Vishneva and the Bolshoi Prima Ballerina Olga Smirnova - and is already First Soloist with the company, despite only graduating last year. This puts her a mere step away from the coveted rank of Prima Ballerina.

The razor-sharp perfection of this dancer’s technique - flawless pirouettes and port de bras - is what makes her stand out from the rest. Balletomanes can’t help but sigh over the “porcelain figurine”, seemingly unaware of the powerful engine humming away inside of this delicate creature. This engine propels Khoreva into weightless jumps, which have more in common with the swiftness of a blade than the acceleration of a rocket. Khoreva brings an edge of danger to the Queen of Dryads in “Don Quixote” - an edge the audiences instantly become aware of when Maria steps on to the stage. We quickly learn that Dryads can be dangerous.

Maria’s repertoire includes leading roles in “Le Corsaire”, “The Nutcracker”, “Jewels”, “Paquita” and “Apollo”.

+ Other Sobaka profiles

Please note: my translations of the Sobaka profiles are a bit more “loose” than usual. The profiles are meant to be read as a single piece, so looking at them separately means that hey lose some “flesh”. The translation you see above a slightly more fleshed-out version of the original.

Original article (RU)

[melmothblog]

The Sobaka Profiles: Anastasia Lukina

Another one of Lyudmila Kovaleva’s students - class of 2015. She is currently Second Soloist with the company. If you were to look for a young dancer who embodies the classical Mariinsky style, Lukina is one of the prime candidates. Her dancing is clear and heartfelt, and her technique is flawless. Lukina exudes an openness, a trust towards the world, and it’s no wonder that Aurora became her first major debut. 

She similarly rises to the occasion in “Emeralds” - often considered to be the least compelling of Balanchine’s “Jewels”. Audiences are enchanted by the shimmering display of “Diamonds” or the vivacious merriment of “Rubies”, but less so by the complexity and comparative dullness of “Emeralds”. This piece of Balanchine’s triptych, however, is an homage to the Paris Opera Ballet, and a nod to its style - a style Lukina is very keenly in touch with. Not only does she breach the gap between the two great companies, she does so effortlessly, with  that everlasting easy smile on her lips.

 + Other Sobaka profiles

Please note: my translations of the Sobaka profiles are a bit more “loose” than usual. The profiles are meant to be read as a single piece, so looking at them separately means that hey lose some “flesh”. The translation you see above a slightly more fleshed-out version of the original.

Original article (RU)

[melmothblog]

Sobaka magazine profiled several prominent Mariinsky dancers of different ranks in their May issue. With a new principal promotion (allegedly) imminent, Sobaka are asking the question: “who will it be?”

The three covers: Maria Khoreva, Nadezhda Batoeva, May Nagahisa.

List of profiles:

Maria Khoreva

May Nagahisa

Nadezhda Batoeva

Xander Parish

Phillip Stepin

Viktor Kaisheta

Maria Bulanova

Anastasia Lukina

Renata Shakirova

Alexander Sergeev

Kimin Kim

I will be translating some of these profiles in the coming days.

[melmothblog]

The Sobaka Profiles: Phillip Stepin

This is one of those cases when a dancer progresses through their career steadily and thoughtfully, instead of storming up the ranks, and their reward is a faultlessly high standard of individual performances. 

Stepin graduated from Vaganova Ballet Academy in 2005 (class of Boris Bregvadze) and has since evolved into one of the company’s most compelling soloists. His performances are marked by sharp technique, as well as consummate dramatic acting skills, devoid of any over-the-top antics.

His range is diverse, from golden boys - Prince Siegfried in “Swan Lake”, Albrecht in “Giselle”, Desire in “Sleeping Beauty” and Vatsav in “The Fountain of Bakhchisarai” - to prisoners of their fate - the fantastical Petrushka and the Youth, locked in a desperate dialogue with Death in Roland Petit’s ballet. 

Among his latest victories is the lead role in “Push Comes to Shove”, a role he is sharing with Kimin Kim this season. In the past, this role belonged to none other than Mikhail Baryshnikov.

+ Other Sobaka profiles

Please note: my translations of the Sobaka profiles are a bit more “loose” than usual. The profiles are meant to be read as a single piece, so looking at them separately means that hey lose some “flesh”. The translation you see above a slightly more fleshed-out version of the original.

Original article (RU)

[melmothblog]

The Sobaka Profiles: Renata Shakirova

Shakirova graduated form Vaganova Ballet Academy (class of Tatiana Udalenkova) four years ago, but she had become the subject of conversation among balletomanes long before that. While she was still a student, Shakirova performed in George Balanchine’s “Rubies” at the Mariinsky Theatre. Her speed, her jump and her wide-eyed genuineness undoubtedly make Shakirova an “allegro” dancer. 

Her repertoire includes: Kitri in “Don Quixote”, Gulnara in “Le Corsaire”, the most brisk of all the Shades in “La Bayadere”, and the daring Katerina in “The Stone Flower”.

Shakirova ventures into other roles as well - such as the fiery and cunning Carducha in “Paquita” - but, for now, her best roles remain within the realms of the allegro. On the other hand, her Aurora clearly demonstrates that Shakirova will not be pigeon-holed. If anything, Shakirova’s Sleeping Beauty flies towards her happy ending a little quicker than the rest.

+ Other Sobaka profiles

Please note: my translations of the Sobaka profiles are a bit more “loose” than usual. The profiles are meant to be read as a single piece, so looking at them separately means that hey lose some “flesh”. The translation you see above a slightly more fleshed-out version of the original.

Original article (RU)