Valeria Martynyuk -- Variation from Paquita

[1931JC]

Very well done but too many fingers. Needs to add grace in the hands

[Buondelmonte123]

It's a tad slow from the previous generation of Svetlana Efremova and Olga Vtorushina. It's becoming something of a worry to me that the music for everything at the Mariinsky is being sacrificed to the high extensions of the dancers. This slowing down is actually altering the dynamic of the choreography in so many classic variations.

[panyatna]

She is so beautiful! I love watching her, she is an incredibly musical dancer.

[SuperBalletgirl101]

Very good variation! But I reconize both the music and variation from Don Quixote...

[balletcollection]

@SuperBalletgirl101 yes. both ballet have this same variation.

[BalletArchives]

@SuperBalletgirl101 Because music is from Ludwig Minkus (Paquita & Don Quixote)

[mrlopez2681]

@BalletArchives - believe it or not, this variation was originally created for "Paquita", & not "Don Q". The music is not by Minkus, but by the Imperial Ballet's long-time conductor Alexei Papkov. It was created for the ballerina Varvara Nikitina when she made her debut in "Paquita" in 1884. Alexander Gorsky used it as a solo for Cupid in 1902 for his version of "Don Q" at the Mariinsky. I was very surprised when I learned this, considering how well it suites the Cupid character in "Don Q"!

[theamazingsoter]

@mrlopez2681 Thanks for the info, mrlopez. I'm so clueless about the origins and versions of some "Don Quixote" variations that I just want you to upload a full-length "Don Q" just to read your notes about the ballet. :P

I hope you can soon write that book about Minkus, Drigo and Pugni you are researching for.