October 28 marked two years since the People’s Artist of Russia and the Bolshoi Ballet principal dancer Nikolai Tsiskaridze took charge of the Vaganova Ballet Academy, first as an acting principal and later on as an elected senior official.
At a press conference held at the regional TASS office in St. Petersburg Mr. Tsiskaridze gave an account of his work over the last 24 months.
He recollected how much he was astonished having discovered the portraits of the famous ballet dancers and choreographers, including those of Konstantin Sergeyev and Natalia Dudinskaya, were absent from the Academy walls: «Those people have devoted their lives to the Academy, and I would like the children to know them, to have the history of the school presented on its walls as soon as the pictures also mould the students’ consciousness». By now, almost all the corridors of the Vaganova BalletAcademy have been converted into a photo gallery of the St. Petersburg Ballet.
Over the two years, the VBA principal managed to solve a number of acute household problems: «The school building is a pretty old one. Its staircases are made of stone. It felt cold, while the children were running around being scantily dressed. No single carpet was there. Rostec Corporation has financially supported the initiative that allowed us to cover all the corridors and staircases with carpets. I was surprised to see how Boris Eifman Dance Academy in St. Petersburg was equipped. And we haven’t even had a tape-recorder. Now, the equipment of all the dancing halls is up-to-date».
However, the Vaganova Ballet Academy is still unable to get all the paperwork done to legalize the expansion of the Academy premises by 5000 square meters. «Here in St. Petersburg every stone is being treated as a monument. To ensure all the documents are in order, one needs about 2-3 months or even years. Renovation conducted at the Vaganova Ballet Academy actually meant reconstruction», Mr. Tsiskaridze said.
He also touched upon the peculiarities of ballet training: «Profession of a ballet dancer is a far cry from the rights of the child the way they are being interpreted today. The ballet lesson has to last for 1.5 hours without a break. Having a break is not possible, while officials insist we have to meet the standards according to which the children should have a break». All the changes are being introduced little by little: «Nothing can be done in a twinkling of an eye. Just the same way as Titanic could not stop at full speed». Tsiskaridze confessed he had to do fouetté sand to demonstrate the shape of his feet to the State Duma deputies and other high-ranking officials in order to explain the peculiarities of ballet training and the dancer’s profession on the whole. «I managed to make a point then. Nobody wishes to destroy the educational system we have, however the ministries also have to catch up with international legislation», Mr. Tsiskaridze said.
He stressed, the number of those representing various regions of Russia and CIS countries who sought admission to VBA this year was unprecedented. However, many children were rejected for medical reasons. Mr. Tsiskaridze finds it to be a serious problem as only a healthy child may undergo ballet training.
After the press conference was over, the staff members of the Vaganova Ballet Academy congratulated Nikolai Tsiskaridze upon the second anniversary of his principalship.
In 1990, the Vaganova Ballet Academy started cooperation with Ars Tokyo Company that has subsequently become its sponsor and principal partner in Japan.
Since 1991, VBA teachers annually hold masterclasses in different prefectures of Japan. Last time, the masterclasses were held by Maria Gribanova and Elena Poryvkina from July 10 to August 12, 2015.
Since 1995, an annual competition to win the chance to study at the Vaganova Ballet Academy is being held in the city of Utsunomiya within the framework of the government program, in coordination with the Tochigi Prefecture management.
VBA teachers are always on the jury panel. Over the 20-year history of the competition, about 120 students have undergone training at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg and were consequently engaged by various ballet companies in Japan, European countries and Russia. So, Ishii Kumiko has become the first Japanese trainee to have been admitted to Mariinsky Ballet where she has been dancing for the third year already.
This year, 23 ballet students took part in the competition. Six of them were invited to join the Vaganova International Trainee Program. Nakashima Minori (15), Ikeda Kento (18), Matsuno Mari (17), 16. Otsubo Yuka (17) and Karita Kanon (19) arrived in St. Petersburg in September and have already started their studies.
Besides annual masterclasses, Ars Tokyo regularly organizes VBA tours to Japan. From January 13 to February 2, 2016, VBA students will give 11 performances of Vasily Vainonen’s version of The Nutcracker in six prefectures of the country.
On October 1, a traditional party «First time on stage» was held at the Hermitage Theatre. Sixty first-year students of the Vaganova Ballet Academy received their student identity cards.
This year the party was specially enjoyable. Along with the first-year Vaganova Academy students the identity cards were presented to eighty pupils recently admitted to the International Academy of Music named after Elena Obraztsova, co-founded by Nikolai Tsiskaridze. The Vaganova Ballet Academy principal along with Mikhail Piotrovsky, director of the State Hermitage Museum, greeted the new students, their parents, teachers and special guests including Ralph Fiennes. The British actor and filmmaker has made another visit to St. Petersburg and Vaganova Ballet Academy to seek new impressions that me be useful for his work on the film about Rudolf Nureyev.
Nikolai Tsiskaridze and Mikhail Piotrovsky.
First-year students of the Vaganova Ballet Academy are receiving their student identity cards.
Pupils of the International Academy of Music named after Elena Obraztsova.
Ralph Fiennes among the spectators.
The official part was followed by a concert for the first-year students who watched their schoolfellows performing on stage.
Daria Neupokoyeva, Varia Zakharova and Gennady Oorzhak in Pas de Trois from 'The Nutcraker'.
Maria Ilyushkina.
Giorgian dance, soloist - Marat Dzhabiev.
Aliona Kovaliova, variation from' Le Corsaire'.
Anastasiya Yaromenko.
Vera Segova.
Figueiredo de Santana Salome (Belgium).
Aliona Lediakh.
Eleonora Sevenard and Pavel Ostapenko.
Concert final.
Photo by Viktor Vasiliev.
This year fourty three foreign students will be following the Vaganova International Trainee Program.
Twenty four trainees representing Japan, USA, Spain, Finland, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland and Hungary will be taking their first-year course, while another fifteen will be studying at the Academy already for the second year. Three more students decided to extend their contract to complete a three-year course, while Lawrence Lambert from Australia comes for training for the fourth year running.
To get an opportunity to join the Vaganova International Trainee Program some students have to undergo competitive selection process in their home countries. So, Marko Juusela representing Finland has been awarded the title of the best student of the masterclasses annually coducted in Mikkeli with participation of VBA teachers. In Japan, the competition to win the chance to study at the Vaganova Ballet Academy brought the victory to six young dancers at a time.
One of the VBA 6/I grade students this year is Nicholas MacKay representing USA. He has completed a five-year training course at the Moscow Ballet Academy, having begun his schooling at the age of 9. However, afterwards Nicholas preferred to continue his studies at the Vaganova Ballet Academy.
From July 17 to August 11 the Vaganova Ballet Academy teachers Maria Gribanova and Galina Bezuglaya will conduct a series of workshops in Japan for children of different ages.
For more information: http://www.arstokyo.co.jp/general/2015/workshop/
A series of masterclasses in classical, character and historical dance led by the Vaganova Ballet Academy teachers has been held in Mikkeli, Finland on July 2-12.
For two weeks the Vaganova Ballet Academy teachers Vadim Sirotin, Veronika Ivanova, Ilya Novoseltsev, Nina Ivanovich and Nikita Scheglov had been coaching ballet students from Finland, Sweden, Greece, USA, Belgium, India, Switzerland and South Africa. Besides the training sessions the masterclasses curriculum also included a number of lectures on the history of ballet.
Summer masterclasses in Mikkeli are being held already for the fourth time and traditionally finish with a Gala Concert featuring the Vaganova Ballet Academy students.
The best student of the masterclasses could continue training at the Vaganova Academy in St.Petersburg. This year fortune smiled upon Marko Juusela from Finland.
Marko Juusela could continue his traning at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St.Petersburg.
Ballet class with Ilya Novoseltsev.
Nina Ivanovich teaching historical dances.
Nina Ivanovich teaching historical dances.
Students listen to the lecture on the history of ballet given by Nina Ivanovich.
Ballet class with Nikita Scheglov.
Vaganova Academy masterclass in Mikkeli with Veronika Ivanova.
Vadim Sirotin character dance masterclass.
On July 4-6, teachers and students of the Vaganova Ballet Academy visited the Lithuanian cities of Vilnius and Kaunas within the framework of the International Student Exchange Program and Masterclasses.
Five masterclasses in different types of dance and stage repertoire as well as a roundtable discussion and two Meet the Artist sessions were held at the National M.K.Čiurlionis School of Art in Vilnius.
On July 5, a Gala concert dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Lithuanian Ballet took place at the open-air stage near the Kaunas Castle. The Gala was held within the framework of the XIV International Festival Operete Kauno Pilyje 2015 to unite 37 students and graduates of the Vaganova Ballet Academy and the students of the Ballet Department of the National M.K.Čiurlionis School of Art.
That day began with a joint masterclass for the students of both schools that was followed by an open rehearsal of the Gala concert. The pieces performed included the first act of the Sleeping Beauty by P.I. Tchaikovsky, the White Adagio from the Swan Lake and Pas de Quatre The Rose Garden from Le Réveil de Flore by R. Drigo. The performance was accompanied by mixed orchestra consisted of Russian, Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian musicians under the guidance of conductor A.N. Vasiliev. The gala was attended by almost 5000 spectators and also broadcasted by the National Lithuanian Television.
The Lithuanian Ballet will be officially celebrating its 90th anniversary on December 4. On that day in 1925, the first ballet independently staged in Lithuania – Coppelia by L. Delibes choreographed by Pavel Petrov – was presented in Kaunas.
On June 26, the Vaganova Ballet Academy students presented their graduation performance at the State Kremlin Palace in Moscow to celebrate Agrippina Vaganova's birthday. The programme previously shown at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg was now repeated in Moscow.
The programme consisted of three parts. The first act of the Sleeping Beauty (revised version by Konstantin Sergeev) was performed to celebrate the 90th graduation anniversary of Agrippina Vaganova's first class and specially honour her famous pupil Maria Semionova who performed the part of Princess Aurora not only on the Mariinsky and the Bolshoi stages but also in Opera de Paris. This time the principal part was performed by graceful Anastasia Lukina. She was partnered by Adrian Mitchell (USA), Nikita Vronskikh, Artem Kellerman and Roman Malyshev. The role of Carabosse was brilliantly played by Nikita Ksenofontov.
In the second act the Vaganova Ballet Academy students presented George Balanchine's Raymonda Variations. This 30-minute beautiful ballet has never been shown in Russia since the time of the NYCB tour of the country in 1962. Neither has it been staged by any European company. The ballet featured Nika Tkhvitaria and Yevgeny Kouznetsov as well as a few more talented young dancers who skilfully performed Balanchine's tricky variations.
The Laurencia Suite (choreographed by Vakhtang Chabukiani) shown in the third act of the Gala was staged by the famous Irina Gensler – a character dancer who had been shining on the stage of the Kirov Theatre for almost three decades. The music programme of the suite was drafted by the Vaganova Ballet Academy Principal Nikolai Tsiskaridze who used to work on the second act of Laurencia with Vakhtang Chabukiani as he was a student of the TbilisiBalletSchool. The Vaganova Ballet Academy students struck the audience with their grace and expressiveness and the Gala was a tremendous success. Renata Shakirova, German Borsai, Elena Solomyanko and Anna Skvortsova deserved big round of applause. The audience also warmly welcomed the Vaganova Ballet Academy foreign students – Adrian Mitchell (USA) and Nathalie Valev de Barès (Sweden).
The Vaganova Ballet Academy would like to thank the Mariinsky Theatre, the Mikhailovsky Theatre, the Maris Liepa Foundation, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Olga Golodets and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation for the overall support that made this unique performance possible. The event was attended by a great number of celebrities and the representatives of the diplomatic corps.
Photo by Svetlana Avvakoum and Elena Pushkina
Three months ago the name Nikolay Tsiskaridze only made this writer recall a shape and human form in motion, that ethos of ballet that the audience memorize automatically, the athletic appeal of the dance. Then were introduced, in a very roundabout way I might add, to the Vaganova Ballet Academy. The interview you are about to read has provoked in everyone here at Our Russia, a rejuvenated and genuine admiration for the art, and for the magnificent artists thereof. Our own co-founder Olga Malik’s interview with this amazing Artist of Russia, is a look inside a world where perfection is the ultimate, yet uncertain and hard won reward.
We hope you will enjoy learning about what the successful pursuit of perfection is all about.
It is said that stars are born, not formed, but this is only a half truth. Tsiskaridze was born in Georgia, and nurtured as a shining pupil at the Tbilisi Ballet School there. Hand selected by the Bolshoi’s artistic director Yury Grigorovich, his star shined at the early age of 20. Seemingly moments later professionally, the subject of our story became the youngest person ever to be named an “Artist of Russia.” Of his early career and meteoric rise to fame, not even Hollywood epics outshine this reality.
However mercuric Tsiskaridze’s artistic rise may seem though, his journey has not been without pitfalls. A first major one came in rehearsals in 2003 when he suffered a catastrophic knee injury. Nine surgeries later, after a life threatening infection, and having to re-learn how to walk, the star was back on stage. An injury that would have ended the career of most NFL football stars scarcely daunted this uncompromising artist. As it turned out though, Nikolai was to have a far more challenging roadblock to navigate past later in his career: the politics and machinations that ultimately try and control or steer artistic endeavors.kr)
Well-known for his idealism and uncompromising honesty, the star of the Bolshoi was embroiled in a conflict over the proprieties there. To make a very long story short, once again the artist’s patience, passion, and temperament won out, as he is now the rector at the world’s most prestigious ballet school, the 277 year old Vaganova Academy. It is ideally fitting that our re-discovery of ballet, as a pursuit of perfection, should be about this prince of the art and dance Russia is home to.
Here, in the interlude of Vaganova Academy graduation festivities, “Our Russia” magazine co-founder Olga Malik caught up with Nikolay Tsiskaridze, on the eve of perhaps, his greatest achievement to date, celebrating the presentation of his future shining ballet stars, and his first graduating class. Here is a portion of Mrs. Malik’s talk with Tsiskaridze in his offices at Nevsky prospect in St. Petersburg
Our Russia: Why was Russian ballet your chosen artistic course? Have you ever imagined yourself as a ballet star outside of Russia?
Nikolay Tsiskaridze: I believe that the Russian ballet school is one of the few (if not the only) school that keeps the traditions of the classical ballet art. It is the authentic source of all the ballet schools I'd dare say. And no ballet dancer trained outside of Russia can experience the same atmosphere and the spirit of the ballet art, as Russian ballet dancers do. That is why the Russian ballet dancers are the most famous, and the best, in the world. Honestly I feel pity when our ballet dancers leave the country.
Our Russia: What is your best advice for your students or followers, for those intent on achieving the same level of excellence on the stage that you have?
Nikolay Tsiskaridze: For those who try and become the best of the best in this sphere, the art simply must become their priority. It is very important to create an artistic image too. Each artist must create something interesting, something attractive. Unfortunately many ballet artists focus only on the athleticism and count the steps and pirouettes while they dance.
Our Russia: It is no secret that teachers play one of the most important roles in one's professional growth. What are your motives when you, as a teacher, explain ballet to small children?
Nikolay Tsiskaridze: First of all I explain the difference between art and athleticism. Any ballet artist must put meaning into his or her movements, otherwise the ballet becomes absurd. Another essential aspect of ballet is to understand the music. I try to foster an appreciation of music in my students from the very beginning, when they enter our academy at the age of 9. I must say however, that without a strict discipline ballet ceases to be art. This is why, like the teachers who taught me, I train my students to be self-disciplined. I train them as if they are in the army, and I am a very strict teacher, I must admit.
Our Russia: What is the source of your personal inspiration and happiness?
Nikolay Tsiskaridze: The greatest thing that can happen to a ballet dancer is to experience the pinnacle of being a top performer on stage. I am very lucky to be remembered for the moments at the crescendo of my ballet career. Nobody has ever seen me fall down. Nobody will ever see this, for I quit the stage at the right time. I feel sorry for those ballet dancers who have to dance at the age of 40 and older.
Our Russia: Now that you are the Rector of the Academy what should be done to preserve Russian ballet? Or, in your opinion, does the art needs reforms?
Nikolay Tsiskaridze: I do not think that anything has to be changed at all. The VaganovaAcademy is very unique and distinctive. Unlike other higher education institutions, the VaganovaAcademy diplomas are the most coveted in this sphere of arts both in Russia, and around the world. I am not only talking about the ballet, but music and the other aspects we teach. We are one of the oldest and most recognized academies worldwide. I would dare to say that we are considered the “lawmakers” in the sphere of arts. Our academy is a veritable “Alma Mater” of Russian ballet, and it is an honor for me to be a rector of it. Consequently, I will do everything to keep the traditions of classical Russian ballet preserved and in place.
By way of a conclusion here, it seems important to let the reader know the significance of Tsiskaridze, and this particular graduating class. This first group of graduates since his installation as rector by the Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky back in 2013, their passage signals an even greater magnitude of stardom for Tsiskaridze. The beloved dancer who once graced stages worldwide has taken center stage now as the conservator of the near sacred nature of the essence of Russian ballet. Quizzing my colleague on her meeting with him, I found a breadcrumb as to why Medinsky and Russia chose him for this starring role. I’ll share her insight owing to my disappointment at not being able to conduct the interview myself. Of Nikolay Tsiskaridze she said:
“I have a very good impression of him, indeed. He is very polite, yet he knows his value and shows it. This is totally normal and reasonable. I was especially impressed at how a person caught up in filthy political scandals and unfair media hype managed to emerge without losing one speck of his dignity. He is quite a remarkable person.”
In leaving off, I am reminded of something from one of Tsiskaridze’s many profiles, a sentiment expressed by his mother when first he insisted on attending the ballet school in Georgia. Nikolay's mother was against his professed dream of ballet stardom. However, both his parents finally relented; “But you have to be the best,” his mother told him. “Otherwise, I will pull you out.” How appropriate it is that such stars are born and then so shaped.
So, who better left as guardian of the world’s greatest dance heritage, than the Vaganova’s strictest teacher, someone the world will never see fall down?
Phil Butler for Our Russia, July 4, 2015
On June 23 the graduate students of the Vaganova Ballet Academy received their diplomas at the Catherine Palace. Foreign students who studied at the Academy also got the appropriate certificates.
The 273d graduation ceremony began with traditional canon-shot at the Peter and Paul Fortress. This year the Vaganova Ballet Academy Principal Nikolai Tsiskaridze decided to assign the right to make a canon-shot to one of the best graduate students – Yevgeny Kuznetsov.
After that all the graduate students accompanied by their teachers and parents left for the Catherine Palace at Tsarskoe Selo (Pushkin) to become the only guests to be admitted to its premises on that gala day.
Presentation of diplomas and certificates to graduates was held at the Catherine Palace grand hall. Renata Shakirova and Maxim Sevagin were the masters of the ceremony, while the graduation documents were presented by the Principal of the Vaganova Ballet Academy and the People’s Artist of Russia Nikolai Tsiskaridze, the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly deputy and the Honoured Artist of Russia Anastasia Melnikova, first deputy chairman of the St. Petersburg Committee for Culture Boris Illarionov and a famous Russian journalist Vladimir Pozner.
This year eight students, including Renata Shakirova, Anastasia Lukina, Maria Ilyushkina, Aliona Kovaleva, Aliona Ledyakh, Roman Malyshev, Maxim Sevagin and Anna Smirnova graduated with honours. Twelve foreign students who have completed a course of practical training received appropriate certificates.
The graduates thanked their teachers and all the Academy staff members who helped them to make their way through the years of studies. The official part was followed by a ball. The dances to be performed were selected by the graduates, while the music for cotillion was composed by one of them – Iskander Kuliev.
Photo by Yevgeniya Avramenko and Marina Radina.
