Pankova was so underrated i loved everything she was in. her Gulnar is probably the perfect characterization and her technique is sooo clean and light
This is a very nice video. Pankova has such a clean line of body/movement. Also, she seems to have a very gentel character as a person.
I enjoyed her watching in other videos too (the Mezntseva birtheday class).
Btw, if you happen to have Mariinsky class video with Kurgapkina as the teacher, with Kunakova, Ayupova and Chistyakova practicing, I would very much like to see it. That was one of Ketiona's great collection in the good old days. (Luckily we still can enjoy your great videos!)
she could be one of the stars of today... generally technique gets better with time but her technique is great for her day... what we keep losing and are struggling to maintain is artistry in the character of a role and taste in movement.
It may have been Petipa's ballet, but by the time Gorsky got done with it in 1902, nothing of the old maestro remained (and, contrary to what many might like to think, nothing of his is there). The solo being rehearsed here was created by Gorsky for Kschessinskaya in 1902. The music is by Drigo.
Pankova was such a delight here, and so is the lovely Kolpakova and especially Kunakova.
Wow, how could they not have heard of the great Terekhova, who at the height of her career exemplified bravura technique combined with steely elegance? Doesn't the VA have ballet history or something for these younger ones? It's a shame.
Unfortunately, that is true. I do not know about ballet history at the Vaganova school, but the school always has had photographs of it's most famous stars and students became familiar with Dudinskaya and Sergeyev many years ago, but maybe the stars that were not ranked on the same level as Dudinskaya and Sergeyev were never recognized. I do not know what is taught regarding ballet history. Students should be able to name every principal dancer in the 20th cent and 21st cent at Kirov/Mariinsky
The criticisms of Vaziyev and Fateyev are perhaps justified, but let us not forget that Vinogradov allegedly pushed Mezentseva and other "old" dancers into retirement, and it was his "basketball team". Also Pankova, Lezhnina, Polikarpova & others left at a time when he was firmly in control. Also would it not be nice to mention the name of the person who conducted that fine Melnikov interview?
The Lezhnina interview which also was done by Marc Haegerman, made it clear that she left because of Vinogradov. Vinogradov certainly had his enemies, but he had his company primarily dominated by older dancers, plus some younger ones, but the age distribution changed dramatically with Vaziev. The lure of being in the west and the hope for greater monye, had a big effect on Kirov dancers leaving. Many thought that every company would beg them to join, but most had no interest in Russian dancers
And it's great to see how eager the Mriinsky greats are to share their knowledge and experience with a young promizing artist and to make their tadition intact.
But to think about where these Kolpakova, Mezentseva, Makarova, Shezova and Pankova, of cource Lezhnina are right now, it's so
This video illustrates how foreign the MT has become recently, with the invasion of gangly ballerinas. For me, this is what a ballet body should look like. Pankova looked lithe, well-proportioned, and petite. I never understood how she and Lezhnina both left the MT after becoming soloists, was it due to lack of opportunity or beginning of the worship of Vishneva and Zakharova?
Completely agree! For me Pankova had the perfect ballet physique - slight, fragile, well-proportioned with gorgeous legs and yet still feminine. I, too, wish she hadn't left the Kirov, but maybe it was because she didn't have the superhigh extensions that were becoming fashionable. Ridiculous - she didn't need them as she had a beautiful, classical line that was never distorted. She had an outstanding technique too - with sparkling, clean footwork and light, high jumps. This is great!
Ah - OK, I didn't know that! So - some things never change in the Mariinsky! :-( Well, at least she got out while she was still young. I think someone like Valeria Martinyuk will never achieve her full potential in the Mariinsky with the current management but it must be so difficult to leave. At least Pankova was able to leave with her husband/partner.
I will send two more responses to Sangfroidjen, Pearlaceous and Bnesque to make certain that each ones see my response. I will send two website addresses that answer fairly well with no specific mention of Pankova leaving, but you can assume that she left with her husband. Youtube does not allow website addreses in comments, so I will add a * to signify that the * should be erased when searching for the website. If YT does not all the *, I will have to do something different.
h t t p : // w w w . d a n c e v i e w . o r g / i n t e r v i e w s / m e l n i k o v . h t m Every odd numbered character is a space which needs to be erased. The actual website is all the characters that are not spaces
I will add the spaces and a capital A, so delete the spaces and the A
A h At At Ap A: A// Aw Aw Aw A. Ak Ai Ar Ao Av A. Ac Ao Am A/ Ah As At Ao Ar Ai Ae As A/ Al Ae Az Ah An Ai An Aa A/ Ah Ai Al Ae Az Ah An Ai An Aa A1 A. Ah At Am Al Get rid of every space and every A.
Now that all 3 of you have seen the websites in complicated forms with speaces and/or A added, i can respond. The Melnikov interview only mentions Elena in one small part, but does not say if she left at the same time as Kirill. Kirill brings up many points that hit the truth. He emntioned the difference in size even 11 years ago and that size difference, compared to when he was dancing, has becoem even greater. They are more skinny and more taller and i think that the Vaganova selection is bad
The Mariinsky is probably to blame for the Vaganova selection process. If the Mariinsky prefers tall and skinny women pretending to be ballerinas, then the school will look for those body types. unfortuantely, those body types may dance like ballerinas, but do not look like ballerinas, but the Mariinsky thinks that is ideal.
Melnikov made many great comparisons and probably the msot important is that Vaziev made all youngsters as the stars. The mature ballerinas were put out to pasture
Thank you so much for those links - I've read both interviews now and they are absolutely fascinating. Melnikov, in particular, raises many interesting points. What a thoughful, intelligent dancer he obviously was/is! How wonderful to read about the awe in which he held Sizova (think it was Sizova!) when he first partnered her as a teenager! And it is a shame that the current generation do not have these older stars to teach them partnering skills. It's a great interview! Lezhnina, too,
sheds interesting insight into the wheelings and dealings of management when she was at the Kirov. Vishneva does not come well out of this interview, does she?
Actually, Lezhnina was generally very negative in the interview. It is only in this interview that Vinogradov is accused of firing Mezentseva and Kunakva I cannot dispute, but I do not know if it is true. In 1989, Mezentseva was still do opening nights and first cast performances. I believe that she left in early 1990, so it seems unlikely that in less than one year, she went from first cast to being fired. I personally would not ask Mezentseva or Kunakova if this is true. VazievZakharovabadhere
When the Soviet Union existed, the mature ballerinas were primarily the stars and the younger dancers and Vaganova students always saw these mature ballerinas, who had blossomed into great artists. Vaziev shoved these great artists to the side, as Fateyev has doen with Makhalina and Ayupova, and all the young dancers and students coudl see was other young dancers in the main roles. This is probably the most serious error that Vaziev and Fateyev have done is depriving young ones seeing artists.
All of the dancers at the Mariinsky that graduated in 1995 or later have not been exposed to the type of artistry that the younger ones were exposed to. However, the 1995 graduates such as Vishneva and Dumchenko did see them while in school. The results have been dancers that only care about technique and do not know about artistry and obviously the lack of musicality is present. I will add 2 commants from other sources. Zakharova was of the opinion that the older dancers were rubbish, but when
Zakharova saw a video of her coach Semenyaka dancing, Zakharova was shocked that Semenyaka could dance. When Berezhnoi and Terekhova came back to the Kirov to coach, almost none of the young dancers even knew who they were. They had never heard about Terekhova or Berezhnoi. Most of the young dancers do not know about the stars of the 80s or earlier and like Zakharova, feel that they must not have been good. The young dancers think that they are too good and are vastly superior to the past.
Thank you for clearing up my blurred memories. Melinkov's is the one I talke about. When I read it Iwas very much convinced. Because at that time I myself felt MT became like a clear water not like the exquisite vintage wine I loved so much.
But rereading it Soloviev part is most heart breaking. No one should ever deprive the opportunity to see such a great artistry from the growing young artists and ballet lovers!
I'd read Lezhnina interview also. And I had great interest in Vinogradov personalty. Lezhnina has very negative feeling toward him. but also praises him.Maybe he showed his own taste estreamly to the fault. But under his directorship so many beautiful gourgeous staging with rhight kind of ballerinas happened. That was a remarkable achivement.
I think that Melnikov answered your question when he said this. "I feel that somehow they dont listen anymore either. I spoke with a teacher, who complained that the dancers feel they know everything already, and even think they know better. They dont listen."
However, that was 11 years ago and today's youth seem to listen, but maybe do not keep it inside. One who pays attention and the results show is Stepanova. Stepanova improved greatly in her street dancer rehearsals for 3 reasons.
First, she is a talent that is beyond belief. Second, Olga Iskanderova (Balticheva) is an amazing coach. Third, after their second rehearsal, Olga brought Yulia to the video room and asked to see the commercail Don Quixote performance from the 1980s when Altynai Asylmuratova was the street dancer. Olga and Yulia spent a long time watching Asylmuratova's interpretation, several times. Seeing with her eyes,the older generation dancing, had a great impact on her dramatic improvement in rehearsal.
Very interesting - and a very intelligent way of rehearsing. This is what should always be done imo! Asylmuratova's interpretation of the street dancer role was wonderfully expressive so Yulia certainly had a great inspiration. Can't wait to see her dance this role!
Since her first rehearsal, the Mariinsky has not performed Don Quixote. They will perform this coming weekend in Hong Kong. I wonder if that is when she will make her debut. There is a closed to the public matinee on the 21st that is only open to impoverished school children from poor families. Therefore, the only adults able to watch will be school teachers from these poor schools. Andrei Batalov will make his first performance ona Mariinsky tour in probably 12 years. Obraztsova is Kitri.
A historic ballet performance will probably not be seen by one person that has any idea of the importance of that performance.
For everyone in the theatre, it would make no difference if the stars of the ballet were the two worst dancers in the company.
Maybe Yulia will make her street dancer debut in this historic performance with Batalov and Obraztsova. Obraztsova does get an open to the public performance with Alexei Timofeyev, his debut as Basil. It may be years before Alexei Basil again
I just checked the casting and Obraztsova will not go to Hong Kong. Instead she will make her NYC debut at the YAGP Gala, Yuri Smekalov will be there too but I don't know if they will dance together.
Timofeyev is a corypheee, who has never doen any kind of role, approaching the importance of Basil, so the Hong Kong tour is a mystery in casting. Tereshkina was supposed to open, but she supposedly slipped on the SPB streets and is injured, so Somova is coming to dancer with Fateyev's protege, Shklyarov. The other cast is the Matvienkos.
Did not know Shklyarov is Fateyev's protege - at least that's one thing I agree with! I like Shklyarov very much - good physique and command of the stage, good partnering and technique. Yep - he's got it all!
That is Ketiona? Or Ketiona collection? Thanks. :)
palomaherrera 6 months ago
Pankova was so underrated i loved everything she was in. her Gulnar is probably the perfect characterization and her technique is sooo clean and light
tutus4life 1 year ago
This is a very nice video. Pankova has such a clean line of body/movement. Also, she seems to have a very gentel character as a person.
I enjoyed her watching in other videos too (the Mezntseva birtheday class).
Btw, if you happen to have Mariinsky class video with Kurgapkina as the teacher, with Kunakova, Ayupova and Chistyakova practicing, I would very much like to see it. That was one of Ketiona's great collection in the good old days. (Luckily we still can enjoy your great videos!)
sylviajp 1 year ago
Cdelat,yut,yut,pa Bolshoi croise a takshe nushna sdelat PULL UP, ha aporhaya naga....tak Toshno , kak Madam Kolpakova govorit!!!!!!!
karemia1 1 year ago
she could be one of the stars of today... generally technique gets better with time but her technique is great for her day... what we keep losing and are struggling to maintain is artistry in the character of a role and taste in movement.
bolshoiboy8 1 year ago
It may have been Petipa's ballet, but by the time Gorsky got done with it in 1902, nothing of the old maestro remained (and, contrary to what many might like to think, nothing of his is there). The solo being rehearsed here was created by Gorsky for Kschessinskaya in 1902. The music is by Drigo.
Pankova was such a delight here, and so is the lovely Kolpakova and especially Kunakova.
mrlopez2681 1 year ago
i love the video sooo much, they actually have a teacher whos like in a a tutu and dancing and stuff. omg so awesome :)
balletloverboi 2 years ago
Wow, how could they not have heard of the great Terekhova, who at the height of her career exemplified bravura technique combined with steely elegance? Doesn't the VA have ballet history or something for these younger ones? It's a shame.
sangfroidjen 2 years ago
Unfortunately, that is true. I do not know about ballet history at the Vaganova school, but the school always has had photographs of it's most famous stars and students became familiar with Dudinskaya and Sergeyev many years ago, but maybe the stars that were not ranked on the same level as Dudinskaya and Sergeyev were never recognized. I do not know what is taught regarding ballet history. Students should be able to name every principal dancer in the 20th cent and 21st cent at Kirov/Mariinsky
russianballetvideo 2 years ago
The criticisms of Vaziyev and Fateyev are perhaps justified, but let us not forget that Vinogradov allegedly pushed Mezentseva and other "old" dancers into retirement, and it was his "basketball team". Also Pankova, Lezhnina, Polikarpova & others left at a time when he was firmly in control. Also would it not be nice to mention the name of the person who conducted that fine Melnikov interview?
palubob 2 years ago
The Lezhnina interview which also was done by Marc Haegerman, made it clear that she left because of Vinogradov. Vinogradov certainly had his enemies, but he had his company primarily dominated by older dancers, plus some younger ones, but the age distribution changed dramatically with Vaziev. The lure of being in the west and the hope for greater monye, had a big effect on Kirov dancers leaving. Many thought that every company would beg them to join, but most had no interest in Russian dancers
russianballetvideo 2 years ago
A very very cute Kitri! !!
This is a triple heaven for me! Thank you again.
And it's great to see how eager the Mriinsky greats are to share their knowledge and experience with a young promizing artist and to make their tadition intact.
But to think about where these Kolpakova, Mezentseva, Makarova, Shezova and Pankova, of cource Lezhnina are right now, it's so
discouraging!
Bnesque 2 years ago
This video illustrates how foreign the MT has become recently, with the invasion of gangly ballerinas. For me, this is what a ballet body should look like. Pankova looked lithe, well-proportioned, and petite. I never understood how she and Lezhnina both left the MT after becoming soloists, was it due to lack of opportunity or beginning of the worship of Vishneva and Zakharova?
sangfroidjen 2 years ago
Completely agree! For me Pankova had the perfect ballet physique - slight, fragile, well-proportioned with gorgeous legs and yet still feminine. I, too, wish she hadn't left the Kirov, but maybe it was because she didn't have the superhigh extensions that were becoming fashionable. Ridiculous - she didn't need them as she had a beautiful, classical line that was never distorted. She had an outstanding technique too - with sparkling, clean footwork and light, high jumps. This is great!
Pearlaceous 2 years ago
Thank you so much for this video - I love Kunakova's coaching! What a warm, radiant ballerina she was!
Pearlaceous 2 years ago
I completely agree with your opinion on Pankova's physical attire and technique! I also admire her delicate sensitive understanding of the character.
But I think she left Kirov before superhigh extension days to coming. I read somewhere her husband were so dissapointed their position in MT.
Bnesque 2 years ago
Ah - OK, I didn't know that! So - some things never change in the Mariinsky! :-( Well, at least she got out while she was still young. I think someone like Valeria Martinyuk will never achieve her full potential in the Mariinsky with the current management but it must be so difficult to leave. At least Pankova was able to leave with her husband/partner.
Pearlaceous 2 years ago
I will send two more responses to Sangfroidjen, Pearlaceous and Bnesque to make certain that each ones see my response. I will send two website addresses that answer fairly well with no specific mention of Pankova leaving, but you can assume that she left with her husband. Youtube does not allow website addreses in comments, so I will add a * to signify that the * should be erased when searching for the website. If YT does not all the *, I will have to do something different.
russianballetvideo 2 years ago
h t t p : // w w w . d a n c e v i e w . o r g / i n t e r v i e w s / m e l n i k o v . h t m Every odd numbered character is a space which needs to be erased. The actual website is all the characters that are not spaces
russianballetvideo 2 years ago
I will add the spaces and a capital A, so delete the spaces and the A
A h At At Ap A: A// Aw Aw Aw A. Ak Ai Ar Ao Av A. Ac Ao Am A/ Ah As At Ao Ar Ai Ae As A/ Al Ae Az Ah An Ai An Aa A/ Ah Ai Al Ae Az Ah An Ai An Aa A1 A. Ah At Am Al Get rid of every space and every A.
russianballetdvd 2 years ago
Now that all 3 of you have seen the websites in complicated forms with speaces and/or A added, i can respond. The Melnikov interview only mentions Elena in one small part, but does not say if she left at the same time as Kirill. Kirill brings up many points that hit the truth. He emntioned the difference in size even 11 years ago and that size difference, compared to when he was dancing, has becoem even greater. They are more skinny and more taller and i think that the Vaganova selection is bad
russianballetvideo 2 years ago
The Mariinsky is probably to blame for the Vaganova selection process. If the Mariinsky prefers tall and skinny women pretending to be ballerinas, then the school will look for those body types. unfortuantely, those body types may dance like ballerinas, but do not look like ballerinas, but the Mariinsky thinks that is ideal.
Melnikov made many great comparisons and probably the msot important is that Vaziev made all youngsters as the stars. The mature ballerinas were put out to pasture
russianballetvideo 2 years ago
Thank you so much for those links - I've read both interviews now and they are absolutely fascinating. Melnikov, in particular, raises many interesting points. What a thoughful, intelligent dancer he obviously was/is! How wonderful to read about the awe in which he held Sizova (think it was Sizova!) when he first partnered her as a teenager! And it is a shame that the current generation do not have these older stars to teach them partnering skills. It's a great interview! Lezhnina, too,
Pearlaceous 2 years ago
sheds interesting insight into the wheelings and dealings of management when she was at the Kirov. Vishneva does not come well out of this interview, does she?
Pearlaceous 2 years ago
Actually, Lezhnina was generally very negative in the interview. It is only in this interview that Vinogradov is accused of firing Mezentseva and Kunakva I cannot dispute, but I do not know if it is true. In 1989, Mezentseva was still do opening nights and first cast performances. I believe that she left in early 1990, so it seems unlikely that in less than one year, she went from first cast to being fired. I personally would not ask Mezentseva or Kunakova if this is true. VazievZakharovabadhere
russianballetvideo 2 years ago
When the Soviet Union existed, the mature ballerinas were primarily the stars and the younger dancers and Vaganova students always saw these mature ballerinas, who had blossomed into great artists. Vaziev shoved these great artists to the side, as Fateyev has doen with Makhalina and Ayupova, and all the young dancers and students coudl see was other young dancers in the main roles. This is probably the most serious error that Vaziev and Fateyev have done is depriving young ones seeing artists.
russianballetvideo 2 years ago
I skipped through the Melnikov review too fast. Elena joined Kirill after their baby was born, so he was on his own for a short time.
russianballetvideo 2 years ago
All of the dancers at the Mariinsky that graduated in 1995 or later have not been exposed to the type of artistry that the younger ones were exposed to. However, the 1995 graduates such as Vishneva and Dumchenko did see them while in school. The results have been dancers that only care about technique and do not know about artistry and obviously the lack of musicality is present. I will add 2 commants from other sources. Zakharova was of the opinion that the older dancers were rubbish, but when
russianballetvideo 2 years ago
Zakharova saw a video of her coach Semenyaka dancing, Zakharova was shocked that Semenyaka could dance. When Berezhnoi and Terekhova came back to the Kirov to coach, almost none of the young dancers even knew who they were. They had never heard about Terekhova or Berezhnoi. Most of the young dancers do not know about the stars of the 80s or earlier and like Zakharova, feel that they must not have been good. The young dancers think that they are too good and are vastly superior to the past.
russianballetvideo 2 years ago
Thank you for clearing up my blurred memories. Melinkov's is the one I talke about. When I read it Iwas very much convinced. Because at that time I myself felt MT became like a clear water not like the exquisite vintage wine I loved so much.
Bnesque 2 years ago
@Bnesque. Certainly you have read Haegeman's fascinating interview with Melnikov, a few years after he had left the Mariinsky?
palubob 3 months ago
@palubob Yep! Do you like to talk about Bora thing or Vinogradov's Malice or what?
Bnesque 3 months ago
But rereading it Soloviev part is most heart breaking. No one should ever deprive the opportunity to see such a great artistry from the growing young artists and ballet lovers!
Bnesque 2 years ago
I'd read Lezhnina interview also. And I had great interest in Vinogradov personalty. Lezhnina has very negative feeling toward him. but also praises him.Maybe he showed his own taste estreamly to the fault. But under his directorship so many beautiful gourgeous staging with rhight kind of ballerinas happened. That was a remarkable achivement.
Bnesque 2 years ago
And I wonder how in this dvd-full era, such a total ignorance of stars of the 80s or earlier happens?
It's too weird!
Bnesque 2 years ago
I think that Melnikov answered your question when he said this. "I feel that somehow they dont listen anymore either. I spoke with a teacher, who complained that the dancers feel they know everything already, and even think they know better. They dont listen."
However, that was 11 years ago and today's youth seem to listen, but maybe do not keep it inside. One who pays attention and the results show is Stepanova. Stepanova improved greatly in her street dancer rehearsals for 3 reasons.
russianballetvideo 2 years ago
First, she is a talent that is beyond belief. Second, Olga Iskanderova (Balticheva) is an amazing coach. Third, after their second rehearsal, Olga brought Yulia to the video room and asked to see the commercail Don Quixote performance from the 1980s when Altynai Asylmuratova was the street dancer. Olga and Yulia spent a long time watching Asylmuratova's interpretation, several times. Seeing with her eyes,the older generation dancing, had a great impact on her dramatic improvement in rehearsal.
russianballetvideo 2 years ago
Finally, when watching the video, Olga kept giving instructions to Yulia, which Yulia listened to and practiced in later rehearsals.
russianballetvideo 2 years ago
Thank you for your great insight again.
It's great to know that Yulia has the ability to devour evrything given and reject it in her own way.
Now I can expect much more from her, even she is already astonishing right now!!!!
Bnesque 1 year ago
Very interesting - and a very intelligent way of rehearsing. This is what should always be done imo! Asylmuratova's interpretation of the street dancer role was wonderfully expressive so Yulia certainly had a great inspiration. Can't wait to see her dance this role!
Pearlaceous 1 year ago
Since her first rehearsal, the Mariinsky has not performed Don Quixote. They will perform this coming weekend in Hong Kong. I wonder if that is when she will make her debut. There is a closed to the public matinee on the 21st that is only open to impoverished school children from poor families. Therefore, the only adults able to watch will be school teachers from these poor schools. Andrei Batalov will make his first performance ona Mariinsky tour in probably 12 years. Obraztsova is Kitri.
russianballetvideo 1 year ago
A historic ballet performance will probably not be seen by one person that has any idea of the importance of that performance.
For everyone in the theatre, it would make no difference if the stars of the ballet were the two worst dancers in the company.
Maybe Yulia will make her street dancer debut in this historic performance with Batalov and Obraztsova. Obraztsova does get an open to the public performance with Alexei Timofeyev, his debut as Basil. It may be years before Alexei Basil again
russianballetvideo 1 year ago
I just checked the casting and Obraztsova will not go to Hong Kong. Instead she will make her NYC debut at the YAGP Gala, Yuri Smekalov will be there too but I don't know if they will dance together.
sangfroidjen 1 year ago
Timofeyev is a corypheee, who has never doen any kind of role, approaching the importance of Basil, so the Hong Kong tour is a mystery in casting. Tereshkina was supposed to open, but she supposedly slipped on the SPB streets and is injured, so Somova is coming to dancer with Fateyev's protege, Shklyarov. The other cast is the Matvienkos.
russianballetvideo 1 year ago
Did not know Shklyarov is Fateyev's protege - at least that's one thing I agree with! I like Shklyarov very much - good physique and command of the stage, good partnering and technique. Yep - he's got it all!
Pearlaceous 1 year ago
Thank you! Pankova sparkles :)
dbf51702 2 years ago
FANTASTIC!!!!!
balletomane393 2 years ago