How to make a child a ballet star. Denis Rodkin: “Svetlana Zakharova and I became family. How to enter the academy
Ballet is one of the most subtle forms of art, bewitching and enchanting. To achieve the highest mastery, you need to go through a long and difficult path of learning. A TASS correspondent was told about how future stars of world ballet are educated at one of the most prestigious schools in the world, the Moscow State Academy of Choreography.
The work of the educational institution is now receiving special attention: 2018 is dedicated to Russian ballet and personally to Marius Petipa.
The Academy, which celebrates its 245th anniversary this year, is hidden in the courtyards on Frunzenskaya. There is a lot of light and air inside, large windows, spacious corridors. In the hall, the soloist of the Bolshoi Theater of Russia, teacher of classical dance and stage repertoire Denis Medvedev, is studying with a third-year student, 18-year-old Denis Zakharov. "Higher, up!" - the teacher commands every now and then.
Rise at the academy is scheduled at 7:30 am, classes begin at 9:00 and continue until late in the evening. Sometimes a day, students who live right there in the dormitory may have several dance lessons. Before lunch there is always some general education subject.
Denis Zakharov has almost no regular school lessons left. “Since I am in my third year and we have already passed almost all the subjects, some of them dropped out. It has become much easier to study. But in terms of professional practice and workload, it seems to me that it is increasing,” says Denis Zakharov.
How to enter the academy
Denis came to Moscow from Ufa at the age of 14. “I didn’t think about the difficulties that awaited me. I had a goal: I came to study, to make my dream come true.”
In his hometown, Denis went to college named after Rudolf Nureyev, where he met Yuri Petrovich Burlaka, who is the chief choreographer of the Samara Opera and Ballet Theater, and in 2009–2011 was the artistic director of the Bolshoi Theater ballet troupe.
“When I met him, I immediately felt that this was a different world. He teaches me what I need, what I lack... It’s like trying the fresh Alpine air after Moscow,” says Denis. It was Burlaka who advised the young man to go to Moscow, learn “power, strength, charisma, what is needed... to dance like world stars.”
Denis strives to be the best. He has won the Grand Prix and first prizes at various ballet competitions, and this year he got the opportunity to perform the role of the Blue Bird in the ballet “The Sleeping Beauty” at the Bolshoi Theater (on the Historical Stage, by the way).
“To achieve good results, you need to give your best not even 100, but 200 percent... Therefore, children who go to enter such a vocational school should already be a little prepared,” says Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Denis Medvedev. According to the teacher, it is necessary to do gymnastics or attend special classes from a very early age.
They can also prepare you for admission within the walls of the academy itself. Preparatory classes are provided for children from the age of six. You can enroll at the age of ten, then it’s too late. The academy has an admissions committee that selects students in three rounds. “In the first round, they look at appearance, flexibility, natural abilities, evaluate lifts, steps, whether [the child] looks sad, cheerful, cheerful,” says the teacher.
The second stage is a medical examination. The child must have a healthy heart, and, of course, no breathing problems or other diseases that could interfere with his profession.
Those who successfully complete both rounds are admitted to the final stage, where they must perform a small piece, a fragment of the dance. “They just watch how the child feels while dancing,” comments Medvedev.
How to raise a star
Such close attention is paid to children's health for a reason. The ballet profession, according to Medvedev, is one of the most difficult, both physically and psychologically. At the academy, from a very young age, students are taught to work. “Even from the first grade, certain loads are placed on children. At first it seems that everything is easy, but when learning begins, it becomes more and more difficult for children. They need to twist their legs, this is very unusual. Here everything is the opposite, everything is so uncomfortable,” says Medvedev.
There must be a very subtle connection between teacher and student in ballet. “This is the job of a teacher - to get children excited and make them want to try, and when they see that they succeed, they begin to feel differently,” he says.
In the practice of the Bolshoi Theater soloist, there were moments when students turned to him for help if they were disappointed in themselves. Medvedev believes that the teacher’s task is to support the student, see positive qualities in him, and appreciate everything that he has in the child. “I really appreciate it when there is mutual understanding. Such a relationship, creative harmony between student and teacher should be present.”
Beautiful people
The life of a ballet dancer is short, but, according to Medvedev, it is worth it. “This is an incredibly interesting profession. You need to be in love with it. Art opens up such spaces: wonderful tours, you can see the whole world; a huge circle of acquaintances, people, fans,” he added.
One of the most important tasks of the academy is to preserve and popularize the classical ballet heritage, support young talents and develop creative ties with schools in Russia and foreign countries. Its graduates today head Russia's leading troupes, for example, the Mari and Krasnoyarsk Opera and Ballet Theaters, and the St. Petersburg Academy of Russian Ballet. They also work abroad: in New York, San Francisco, Berlin, Florence and Paris.
Kadriya Sadykova, Olga Svistunova
Camilla Mazzi and Mark Chino. Photo by Mikhail Logvinov from the official website of the Moscow State Academy of Arts
Drawing up a program for the final concert for its graduates is not an easy annual task for the rector of the Moscow Academy of Choreography, Marina Leonova. It is important for her to show the talent of future ballet stars and the results of the teachers’ work, as well as to please the audience with new stage works. And having presented one issue, you already have to prepare for the next one.
As this graduation ceremony showed, the Academy did not compromise on its status as a highly professional educational institution and was able to offer the theater audience an interesting and spectacular ballet concert! It was opened by the one-act “”, renewed by Marina Leonova herself. The famous romantic ballet (soloists: Ekaterina Fateeva, Camilla Mazzi, Margarita Grechanaya; soloist: Mark Chino) undoubtedly hit the spot for young graduates, for whom it is important to actively master the classical repertoire. True, they will have to fully understand its subtleties and stylistic nuances in the theater.
Denis Zakharov. Photo by Mikhail Logvinov from the Official Website of the Moscow State Academy of Arts
A pleasant discovery that brought fresh impressions of classical dance was “Variations on a Rococo Theme” to music choreographed by Alexei Miroshnichenko. The talent of this choreographer, who directs the ballet troupe of the Perm Opera and Ballet Theater, is being revealed more and more! Using the capabilities of beginning artists just entering theatrical life, he managed to show a new modern ballet in line with traditions and. The graphically clear composition of the ballet and its inventive combinations were not only carefully reproduced by the young artists, but performed at a fairly high level! Alexandra Trikoz and Valery Argunov (first pas de deux), Ekaterina Fateeva and Denis Zakharov (second pas de deux), Marcello Pelitsoni, Polina Afanasyeva and Mark Chino (pas de trois) showed themselves here.
The third part of the concert, which consisted of classical and characteristic numbers from the ballet repertoire, marked the peak of the concert's success. The performance of literally every artist evoked thunderous applause from the audience! It couldn’t have been otherwise, since many performers had already appeared on stage in previous sections and had become quite relaxed, and the newcomers who had joined them joined the atmosphere of creative tension.
In the Adagio from the second act “” (choreography by L. Ivanov), I remember the stately Siegfried of Denis Pestryakov, who concentratedly supported the reverent and plastic Odette of Tatyana Osipova. Elizaveta Kokoreva and Denis Zakharov danced the pas de deux from “” (choreography by A. Gorsky) absolutely brilliantly. The artists formed a well-coordinated duet, where the merits of both were visible. Kokoreva was attracted by her technical ease, and Zakharov was attracted by her bright personality and excellent abilities: soft plie, high jump, free step and artistry.
The Adagio from “The Phantom Ball” to the music (choreography by D. Bryantsev) by Stanislav Postnov and Anatoly Soya was beautifully and inspiredly performed. Anna Lebedeva, Oleg Pshenichnikov, Alina Lipchuk, Vitaly Getmanov, Love Matisse, Grigory Ikonnikov appeared temperamentally and fieryly in Danse des Forbans from “” (choreography by M. Petipa). In the pirate dance of the artists, emotional presentation and competent technical performance were visible.
Graceful and charming Camilla Mazzi, together with Mark Chino, performed with dignity, in the traditions of academic ballet, a pas de deux from the ballet “” by P. I. Tchaikovsky, choreographed by M. Petipa. In "Bolero" by L. Minkus from the ballet "" Daria Kanshina and Pyotr Gusev appeared impressively. Igor Pugachev demonstrated phenomenal jumping technique in the pas de deux from “The Flames of Paris” (choreography by V. Vainonen), where his partner was the diligent Valeria Shikina. And the concert ended with the slightly forgotten, but still charming Dance Suite from the ballet “” choreographed by N. Anisimova. She convincingly demonstrated that original folk-characteristic works in Russian ballet were created not only in the times of M. Petipa, A. Gorsky and M. Fokine, but also in the Soviet era.
The graduation concert of the Moscow State Academy of Choreography took place! And the main reason for his success is the successfully compiled program of one-act ballets and numbers. And the quality of their performance can only be assessed with a positive assessment, which both the artists and their wonderful teachers deserve!
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I don’t have time to write, but all the time I’m replaying in my head the impressions of what I saw, I probably still need to let it out. Over the past shock week, “Giselle” at BT was my third performance with the participation of Zakharova and Polunin, including La Bayadère in Stasik and The Sleeping Beauty in the Rock. But this third performance became a real apotheosis. The performance was not perfect. But he was unusually inspired and sensual. Magnificent. Of course, the highest skill of Svetlana, Sergei and the entire Bolshoi Theater troupe is pride and incredible pleasure. Everything was accepted and seemed organic.
Zakharova and Polunin are virtuosos with unique talent, individual dance style, and luxurious lines. Impossibly beautiful hands, a unique cantilena and, excuse me, the best feet I have ever seen, in tandem, on one stage - just my personal balletomanic paradise.
Previously, Act 1 performed by Zakharova was not one of my preferences; I was confused by the “aristocrat diligently portrays a naive simpleton” effect. And in this performance on October 11th I was able to see a touching girl in love. The duet with Polunin was amazing. I liked the interpretation - the Count's sincere feeling.
For Albert Polunin, meeting Giselle this time is not a cold-blooded flirtation. He is deeply passionate and gives in to impulse, experiencing incredible tenderness. And he really falls in love. Giselle glows with happiness, is embarrassed, worried, and rejoices. But already in the first act there is a fragment that predetermines the inevitability of tragedy. At the moment of a conversation with her mother, when she talks about the danger of dancing, Giselle stops, and suddenly for some moments she takes on the look of a jeep. Doomed to death. Later, at the moment of the tragedy, Albert, shocked, accusing Hans, rushes about, rushes to Giselle’s friends, desperately asking why no one said that she was terminally ill, that she could die. Albert comes to the grave, shocked, lost and doomed, takes a knee, bows his head and folds his hands in a plea for either forgiveness or reunion. He rushes about, feeling the presence of his beloved, trying, but not being able to touch her. Even before this, she had not left him in his thoughts with a vision, but now he is passionately excited, not understanding the boundaries of reality, following the Phantom, and then stopping, realizing that this is impossible, but without ceasing to look for the image of his beloved with his eyes. This time I saw that Albert was not dancing to save himself, but was dancing because She was nearby. And while he feels HER, he will fight, try to stay with HER. And this whole struggle with Myrta is a piercing desire to delay the moment of separation at least for a moment. In this story, Albert does not go into the world saved and enlightened. He remains there, next to him, with Giselle’s last gift - a lily in his hand, a cloak left on the grave.
The images of the heroes are created in a filigree and three-dimensional manner. The range of expressive means found is endless. A lot of nuances, placed accents, the smallest details - touches, glances, precisely found gestures, air kisses, changes in tempo, freezing.
So, in the 1st act, both heroes have a smile on their faces, and in the dance, movement and facial expressions there is awe and delight of the feeling that has overtaken them.
Albert's inspiration and love were also supported by special plasticity. And the exorbitant amplitude and sharpness of the entreche, followed by landing in an arabesque. Moreover, despite the movement away from Giselle, his body is directed - reaching towards her. And Sergei’s signature technique, a contrast in pace, when before moving he pauses for a split second, and then breaks into a jump at an accelerated pace, or, on the contrary, having started impulsively, he slows down. This is an excellent paint for verbalizing the power of emotion, creating the effect of enthusiasm and euphoria.
Albert Polunina this time was especially gentle and ardent. In the scene where he catches Giselle's hand, she playfully slips away, but he still hugs her - he catches her, and she freezes, happy and embarrassed. And Svetlana’s swift, airy rotations diagonally towards the calling, attracting Albert.
In the scene of the dance of Albert and Giselle, before her heart ache, Count Polunina so unusually earnestly, youthfully enthusiastically strives into the whirlwind of the round dance - feelings, but suddenly stops, embarrassed, and sincerely worried about the girl’s illness. He sits you on your knee and strokes your cheek soothingly.
A wonderful moment when Albert “argues” with Berthe, trying to take Giselle away. Sergei's performance brought a smile. So sincerely and tenderly, he pulls the girl behind her mother’s back, and as soon as Bertha’s gaze falls on him, he bows respectfully, but mischievously.
I realized that my last Giselles were not in BT, they were mostly on-site, so I forgot that Bathilda does not leave during a collision with Giselle in the madness scene, as happens in other editions. And although Bathilda’s part is further written somewhat strangely, she awaits the denouement, statically frozen, holding the hand of someone from the retinue. But overall this works in favor of the interpretation of Albert's line. He, despite the presence of the bride, rushes to the “wounded” beloved, and he is restrained by a “cordon” not only of the squire, but also of several gentlemen of the retinue. In other editions, the count often appears restless, and his further visit to the cemetery looks somewhat illogical.
And this time I was simply amazed by the scene of madness. Fright, loss, and tears in Svetlana’s eyes. Piercingly, to the point of a lump in the throat. And Albert, showering the lifeless girl with kisses, rushing about in despair, trying not to let her go, even if he was holding the hem of her dress in his hands.
The choice of performers of the peasant traffic rules is not ideal, in my opinion, but Igor and Daria tried very hard and did it. Dasha likes her hands, and her softness and cantilena. The second part of her variation turned out wonderfully. Close to my internal standard - “elf”. Suddenly I especially noticed the scattering of brightly executed delicious pantomime scenes. The Duke performed by Alexei Loparevich is another jewel of this performance.
The second act captivated me with its impeccable cord dance. And what fabulous jeeps of Angelina Karpova and Anna Turazashvili. Girls with amazing lines, movement, and jumps. I sincerely hope to see them in leading roles, but this dream is not new...
Myrta Ekaterina Shipulina smelled cold. Her entrance in a minute pas de bore, stately and otherworldly, was promising. But in execution I lacked lightness and a jump with advancement. And the landings from the audience looked difficult, to put it mildly.
Denis Savin in the role of Hans created a bright, rustic peasant image, elaborate and expressive. And technically the part was performed more than adequately. But in the second act, the gestures seemed to me too active, deliberately grotesque, and therefore inorganic. I would say I overacted a little.
Giselle Zakharova in the second act is supermundane, incorporeal, truly a spirit. Their duets with Polunin create a complete illusion of the ghostliness of Giselle’s jeep. This lightness, flight, absolute effortlessness of supports, is more than a cantilena, ductility, fluidity of movements. Fantastically beautiful posing and incredible smoothness and softness of the adagio. The dance performance of the duet is amazing. And Sergei, of course, is a fantastic partner. He is incredibly sensitive towards his partner and presents her as a truly floating ghost, fragile and priceless. But there were also Albert’s variation, performed in true proportion to the image, extraordinary entrechat, tall cabrioles, aerial tours with impeccable landings, and a Poluninsky jump with a hover “as if in slow motion.”
I am immensely grateful to the Bolshoi Theater, the recording company, and all the artists for the opportunity to see such a ballet on the best stage. And after the curtain closed, my neighbor said, “Does anyone dare say anything else about the BT level...”
These were my feelings from the audience. I was able to watch the recording only last night. I was terribly upset. It was necessary to film SUCH a performance. Ugly angle. From this “angle” the amplitude and height of the jump are not visible. Absolutely. I repeat, I watched in the hall from the 3rd row of the stalls, in close proximity. In the recording, Sveta does not have a jump at all, although in reality she was simply floating, and after leaving the house she fluttered across the stage like a fairy. Sergei’s tall, softest jump is also simply incredibly “flattened” and grounded from close angles. After Svetlana’s unfortunate fall, slowing down for a moment, but realizing that everything was in order, Polunin soared extremely high, we laughed, said that on adrenaline he flew under the roof of the BT, but this is not even close to visible in the recording. And it’s clear why. This is a rare professional find to film a jump from the front. Albert's entrance in the second act should be broadcast from a distant angle, when a small lonely figure moves in the gigantic space of a huge stage, although this is potentially one of the key moments for close-ups - also a “brilliant” decision.
Of course, during the Giselle variation, and in the scene of madness, it is logical to film the ballerina, but to take a couple of close-ups of Albert admiring the girl’s dance, and, more importantly, the Count, who in desperation rushes to the dying Beloved (it was obvious to those watching in the hall that Albert had made his choice) Still, in my opinion, it is logical. At least so that the semantic outline of the performance is clear.
The lack of a close-up in the finale of the 1st act, during the most piercing dominant scene, when Albert showers the body of the dead girl with kisses, is generally a crime against humanity.
Why show the face of Mirta Shipulina trying to cope with sweat, desperately miming - I can’t even imagine. It was as if it was not the world’s leading team specializing in recording classical performances that was working, but a team from the “scandals, intrigues, investigations” program, maliciously filling the air with anti-aesthetic footage.
But perhaps this is temporary disappointment and resentment, while the memories are fresh, and there is a noticeable gap between what was seen in the hall and what ended up on the screen. Still, I am grateful to everyone involved for the opportunity to become the owner of a professional video. And even more so because my ballet friends in Rostov, Krasnodar, Novosibirsk, St. Petersburg, Milan, Rome, London and New York were able to share the joy of seeing the unique duet of Zakharova and Polunin on the Bolshoi stage.
Denis, in six months you will become a graduate of the Moscow Academy of Choreography. How do you feel in anticipation of such an event? What are your plans for this period?
Time is very fleeting, of course. It seems like just recently I entered the academy, but now I’m already in my senior year, and very soon I’ll graduate and start working in the theater. I have a great sense of responsibility for what I have to do. Of course, I feel proud that I am graduating from such a great and famous academy, from which many world stars have emerged.
I have a lot of work to do now.
At the beginning of February you dance in the play “Sleeping Beauty” on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater. It is an extremely rare case when an academy student comes out on the theater stage. But you honestly earned this chance at the Russian Ballet competition, becoming the Grand Prix winner, and you got the opportunity, being student to intern and perform at the Bolshoi Theater. Were you ready for such a development that you would dance in the play?
I didn’t even think about it, the work and its result are important to me. Of course it's an honor for me. I was surprised when they told me that I would be participating in a Bolshoi Theater performance, much less appearing in such a serious role ( approx. ed. Denis will dance the Blue Bird pas de deux in the ballet « sleeping Beauty » ). I didn't know this was even possible, so this is a huge event.
Especially,you have said more than onceWhatDo you dream of working at the Bolshoi Theater...
Yes, this has been a dream since childhood. This is the goal in life. As a child, I still understood that I would go towards this goal, going through any difficulties. To be in this legendary theater is already happiness.
During the New Year holidays, you rested for two days, and then went to study every day. Whatthis is fanaticismor necessity?
I just can’t rest, I feel bad without exercise, I have nowhere to put my energy. I also understand that I’m wasting time, plus, it’s better to keep yourself in shape than to get into it again later.
You said that since childhood you have set yourself a goal to go big. While studying in Ufa, did you strive to end up in Moscow? Did you understand that you need to get into the Moscow Academy of Choreography to achieve this goal?
When I first learned about ballet, I didn’t think that I would go to Moscow. I just practiced and loved what I did. Much later, I learned about the academy, and I wanted to become one of its students.
How did you get into the Moscow State Academy of Arts?
I studied at Rudolf Nureyev College, and after the fourth grade, my mother and I decided that I needed to move on. Just then Yuri Burlaka arrived in Ufa, and he rehearsed with me. At one of the rehearsals, I asked him: “Where will they teach me men’s dance?” And he said that I should go to the Moscow Academy, because it was there that they would teach me male dance and the true traditions of classical ballet.
I decided to go to Moscow and try to enroll. They took me, and I ended up in Denis Medvedev’s class.
With teacher Denis Medvedev
Judging by your work, the meeting turned out to be fateful? Such a tandem of teacher and student rarely happens.
Yes. This is great luck. From the first day, the job I dreamed of began. Denis Vladimirovich, he is more than just a teacher to me, he is like a father to me. He will always listen, give the right advice and, I hope, that we will continue to work with him in the future.
Is this possible?
I will be very glad if I am allowed to work with him in the theater. Because he figured out the right approach to working with me. Carrot and stick, as he says (laughs). It is impossible to be arrogant with him, and I am very grateful to him for the fact that for the most part he is strict with me. His tight gloves prevent him from getting loose and help him see the target clearly. At the same time, he is absolutely humane and emotional.
You mentioned your mom. Parents are often behind every artist. What role did your mother play in your life?
She never insisted that I do ballet. She just took me to the theater. Of course, I came out after the performance and said that I want to get into this world. Now she is very supportive of me and knows a lot about ballet. It seems to me that she knows a lot more about ballet than I do.
What exactly attracted you to the theater?
This special spirit, indescribable... In the theater there is an atmosphere of another world.
Now you are an adult, you have learned and seen a lot. Has your attitude towards theater changed?
Of course, the world around us changes and changes a person’s perception of various things. But when I come to the theater, the work is important to me, not what is happening inside it. In my opinion, you need to prove what you are capable of not behind the scenes, but on stage.
In your opinion, what qualities are necessary to become a real artist?
To quote Maya Plisetskaya: “Character is destiny.” I absolutely agree with this statement. If you don't have a strong and persistent character, nothing will work out. After all, the life of an artist is very fickle; there are different periods in life when you need to take your will into a fist and move on no matter what.
And, of course, love for your work. Can't do without her!
If you treatto success, as in a formula in which threecomponents: talent, hard work and luck. In what ratio would you arrange them?
Hard work, first of all. Of course, there must be luck... (thinks). I think I would compare this formula for success to a pyramid that is constantly spinning.
Blitz
First appearance on stage
The Little Arab danced in the opera "Aida"
I don't like
Weather outside
INmy playlist
Different music
I've never tried
Skydive
I always have these three things with me
Passport, phone and everything
Favorite city
I'm proud
With my girlfriend
Bright moment from childhood
Amusement park, first bike ride
I am reading
Science fiction, classics
Dream
Become a premier of the Bolshoi Theater
Secret of success
Attitude towards criticism
Adequate
Incident on stage
It happened (laughs)
Ability you would like to have
Stop time
Perfect day
When I did everything I planned and to the maximum
Character
Purposeful
The secret of happiness
Bolshoi Theater ballet premier Denis Rodkin spoke about his upcoming tour to Japan, his teachers, choreographers, his partnership with the outstanding ballerina Svetlana Zakharova, his profession and its difficulties in an interview with RIA Novosti. Interviewed by Natalia Kurova.
— Denis, in just a few days you are going to Japan, where the Bolshoi Theater will open “Russian Seasons”. What will you show to the Japanese public?
— The Bolshoi Theater is bringing three ballets to Japan, two of them - “Giselle” and “Swan Lake” - the creations of our outstanding choreographer Yuri Nikolaevich Grigorovich, as well as “Flames of Paris” choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky. It all starts on June 4th with the play "Giselle", where I dance with Svetlana Zakharova, and then, on June 8th, we perform together in "Swan Lake".
Coming to Japan is always a big responsibility. The viewer here is very sophisticated and spoiled in the good sense of the word. This audience has seen the best ballet companies, world stars and various private companies perform here. The awareness of the Japanese public about our ballet art is quite high. And therefore, if there is any, even slight, falseness or lack of dancing, the Japanese audience will immediately feel it. When you go to Japan, you have to prove every time and at every performance that Russian ballet is the best in the world. In general, for me personally there are two such important ballet countries - England and Japan.
— Is this not the first time you will be performing in Japan?
— No, this will be my fourth visit to this country. And it’s interesting that all four times I speak here in a different status. The first time - as a corps de ballet dancer, the second - as a soloist, the third - as a leading soloist and now - as a premier of the Bolshoi Theater. So these tours are especially difficult and responsible for me - I will have to prove to the public that I did not receive the high title in vain.
- What do the Japanese public especially like about Russian ballet?
“Swan Lake” is accepted everywhere because it is the brand of the Bolshoi Theater and Russian ballet in general. This ballet is doomed to success in any country, because “Swan” is a Russian classical ballet. The Japanese public loves our ballet and always especially notes the emotionality of the performance and the acting skills of Russian dancers. This is what distinguishes Russian ballet, and it seems to me that we need to move in this direction.
As for technology, many have already moved forward, and it is very difficult to surprise from a technical point of view today. As for acting, dancing with soul, we are unattainable here. But, of course, we must not forget the technique. After all, the Russian school is famous for its combination of high technology and acting.
— You are partnering with the outstanding ballerina Svetlana Zakharova. How important and responsible is this for you?
“I have been given a lucky ticket in life - to be Svetlana’s partner, and I must strive with all my might to live up to her. In addition to the fact that I need to hold a ballerina well, I also have to be on the level in my solo pieces. It shouldn’t happen that Svetlana dances perfectly, and she is perfect in all her parts, and I just dance along. I, too, must strive for the ideal.
Svetlana and I not only go on tour with the theater together, but also perform separate acts or go out to dance in theaters in other countries. I participated in her solo project "AMORE", where we performed "Francesca da Rimini", in July we will go to Italy to dance "Giselle", and next year to Bulgaria. And it is very pleasant that our partnership is developing and growing. We do not stand still, and today's performance is always more interesting than the previous one. Of course, this is great luck for me and thanks to Svetlana.
— Denis, you are probably the only one who came to the Bolshoi Theater, and even became a premiere after the dance school at the Gzhel Theater, and not at the Moscow Ballet Academy, the main supplier of personnel to the Bolshoi Theater?
- Yes, in this sense I have such a special, interesting destiny. Of course, I didn’t think that I would become prime minister at the Bolshoi, but it happened. My first teacher, the person who opened my eyes to the fact that I could dance leading roles at the Bolshoi, was Nikolai Tsiskaridze. He noticed me, and we even slowly began to rehearse. And then Yuri Nikolaevich Grigorovich let me dance Kurbsky in his ballet “Ivan the Terrible”. This game became a serious impetus in my professional career
You are a born prince - both in professional qualities and in appearance. And, probably, they danced all the princes on the Bolshoi stage. How difficult is it to play the role of a prince?
— I think that dancing princes is the most difficult thing. They are all similar, both in “Sleeping Beauty” and in “Swan”. They are all so positive. Negative parts are much more interesting and easier to perform; there is something to catch on to. When dancing the prince, the main thing is to convey this image and its positive energy to the viewer. But at the same time, do not forget for a second about the impeccability of classical dance, because the prince is always a pure classic.
— But you were lucky - you were already Spartacus and Kurbsky in Grigorovich’s ballets, Pechorin in Posokhov’s ballet “Hero of Our Time.”
— Yes, I danced these parts, which came as a big surprise to me. The first thing I saw when I first came to the Bolshoi Theater was the rehearsal of Spartacus. Explosive music, the scale of Grigorovich's production - I was very impressed by what I saw. And then, I admit, I sadly thought that I would never dance Spartacus. Well, maybe Crassus...
But it so happened that Yuri Nikolaevich needed Spartak and he told me: “Come on, get ready.” And now I have already performed Spartacus not only at the Bolshoi, but also in Greece, and most recently in Antwerp. Grigorovich encourages: “Well done, you are developing, I was not mistaken in you.” The Master's praise is worth a lot. And this means you have to work and work to justify the trust of such a person.
Internally, I feel more for heroes like Spartak and Kurbsky, but when I look at it from the outside, I understand that I was a little unfinished here, and here too. And when I dance the princes, everything is more convincing, everything is in line with the classics. Yes, and Spartak turns out to be so lyrical and heroic.
— The Bolshoi Theater’s plans for the new season include ballets by Ratmansky, Kilian, and Neumeier. Which of the leading domestic and foreign choreographers have you collaborated with?
— I worked with the outstanding choreographer John Neumeier when I was introduced to “The Lady of the Camellias.” I went to see him then, and those were very interesting rehearsals. Now I'm dancing Armand, and this is one of my favorite parts. I dream that I will also dance in Neumeier’s ballet “Anna Karenina”, which is planned for the next season. I really want this.
I love John Cranko's ballet Onegin. Maybe this is not exactly what Pushkin did, although we still rely on the novel “Eugene Onegin” to create this image, but the choreographer’s work is very interesting. I always enjoy dancing in Onegin, and this ballet is a success among the audience.
I did not have the chance to meet Jiri Kylian, but I worked with his assistant on the play “Symphony of Psalms,” which is still in the theater’s repertoire.
— It is well known that the profession of a ballet dancer is not only and not so much applause and flowers, but more hard, daily, endless work.
“I don’t even know who to compare our profession with in terms of complexity.” Maybe with athletes. But they have something else - they prepare for several years to show their achievements once, but they also have several attempts. But we don’t have a second attempt - we need to show everything perfectly today and now.
In addition, a ballet dancer often experiences some minor injuries, and one must learn to live with this. When you go on stage, you can’t show that something hurts. No one in the room cares about this. The audience came to see the performance and enjoy the excellent performance. And we have no right to deceive their expectations.
A ballet dancer needs to start all over again every day. The most important thing is to set up and warm up your body correctly in the morning so that it is ready for rehearsal. Moreover, let’s say, today you dance “Spartak”, and tomorrow “Swan”, and these are already different muscles, and everything needs to be rebuilt. The hardest thing for me is to get myself ready in the morning. It's easy for me to go on stage and dance when I'm ready. But starting the day and setting yourself up correctly is a problem. But I'm trying, looking for the right ways.
— It’s clear that your profession takes up almost all of your time. But still, if a window happens, what do you love, what are you passionate about?
— Lately I have fallen in love with opera. I started with Mussorgsky's Khovanshchina at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theater, then Romeo and Juliet and Gounod's Faust. I'm interested in this and I understand that it will help in my development. I began to feel music differently, my performance became more soulful and musical.
I love going to the Philharmonic, where wonderful conductors perform, including Yuri Khatuevich Temirkanov, who amazed me with his performance of Romeo and Juliet. He is truly a great conductor.
I sometimes go to the cinema. I recently watched Valery Todorovsky’s film “Bolshoi”. From the point of view of a person who is far from ballet and has never been to a rehearsal room, this could probably be interesting. But I looked differently and, I admit, some things were funny to me, and some simply could not exist in reality. But I think the director had the task of showing people that they should never despair, that there is always a chance and that you should strive to achieve your dreams.
— A little about your immediate plans. Where will you go after Japan?
— After the performance in Japan, we will come to Moscow for the opening of the International Ballet Competition, which will be held at the Bolshoi Theater. And together with Svetlana Zakharova we will take part in a gala concert - we will perform a pas de deux from the ballet “Don Quixote”. On June 24 we have the ballet "The Lady of the Camellias". Well, let’s not guess further for now.