Part 1 of 2 Kolpakova Feature 1978 Vasiliev Mezentseva Petit Terekhova Moiseyeva Efremova Sizova

This 1978 feature entitled "Irina Kolpakova" will be briefly described by the various scenes
1. Kolpakova is driving to the Kirov Mariinsky Theatre.
2. Kolpakova is coaching Svetlana Efremova in the role of Giselle
3. Kolpakova meets a former Kirov Ballet director, Pyotr Gusev, who discusses her rehearsal with Efremova. He tells her that he likes the rehearsal very much, but he tells Irina that Svetlana is very nervous and is always looking at Irina for guidance and paying too much attention to Irina. He suggests that for every rehearsal, Irina allows Svetlana to do something all by herself without having to rely on instructions from Irina. Irina says that she will do this.
4. Irina is shown dancing a contemporary ballet, unknown to me
5. Irina is then shown rehearsing Grand Pas De Quatre with Olga Moiseyeva coaching. Galina Mezentseva is shown close, presumably doing the role of Marie Taglioni. I could not see the other two dancers,
6. Irina is shown entering the room of a government representative, who tells Irina, that the City Council says that they have no clubs for young people and would like Irina to help in forming clubs for young people.
7. Rehearsal of Notre Dame de Paris is shown with both casts of the role of Esmeralda, Galina Mezentseva as first cast and Natalia Bolshakova as second cast. I assume that Vadim Gulayev is next to Bolshakova.
8. There is a discussion around a table with Roland Petit, the French choreographer staging his Notre Dame De Paris at the Kirov He is next to Irina and Vladimir Vasiliev. The other person is Oleg Vinogradov, director of the Kirov Ballet.
In 1978, the Soviet Union was a closed place with little contact with the outside world and Roland Petit makes statements related to the political atmosphere. He says that dance is a beautiful art which makes performers closer to each other. He says that performers make good examples for people of the world and he says that Vladimir Vasiliev is a prime example of how performers impact the outside world.
Then the attention focuses on why Irina is not dancing Esmeralda. She says that she is a coward by nature, not being a brave woman, although now that she is so familiar with Notre Dame De Paris, she has had thoughts of dancing Esmeralda, but she is in a different situation now.
9. she is shown dancing a solo from Pas de quatre
Part Two begins with an interview
10. The man says that new stars arrive in ballet and famous stars are replaced by these new stars and a ballerina's life is short. He tells her that he has heard that she wants to retire. She says that he is mistaken about her wanting to retire. She has danced a long time and knows that she cannot dance much longer. She must plan for the future and she cannot escape the future. She says that it is not tragic if she has to retire.
11. Irina is then shown at home, working on her daughter's ballet arms. The girl is tired and say that she does not want to do it, that she cannot do it anymore. Irina says that everyone is tired, but tells her daughter that she has to do it.
12. Then we see Irina in class and what an interesting class, although only a few of the dancers are seen.
a. at the barre are Elena Evteyeva, NataliaBolshakova, Alla Sizova, Olga Iskanderova
b. Svetlana Efremova is shown
c. then Irina is shown at the barre with Tatiana Terehkova, in front of her
d. Galina Mezentseva is shown and finally, Irina and Tatiana are shown again

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• Kirov
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• Svetlana
• Efremova
• Moiseyeva
• Alla
• Sizova
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• Natalia
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• Olga
• Iskanderova
• Notre
• Dame
• De
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• Esmeralda
• Pyotr
• Gusev
• Giselle
• Pas
• de
• Quatre

[balletomane393]

Is Mme. Kolpakova taking English lessons at 4:10? It's interesting to watch that particular part considering that she lives in NYC!

[russianballetvideo]

@balletomane393 Yes

[pediatrapaola]

do you know if volodia was sometime guesting with kirov ballet?l never heard about it.

[russianballetvideo]

@pediatrapaola I do not know.

[Buondelmonte123]

@pediatrapaola I've just seen a photograph of Volodia and Irina Alexandrovna in Giselle Act 1, together. I cannot tell which company it is though.

[Buondelmonte123]

I forgot to add: Thank you SO much for posting this video and part two. Thank you.

[Buondelmonte123]

Also: Nicolai Kovmir is with Mezentseva in the Notre Dame de Paris rehearsal.

[Buondelmonte123]

@pediatrapaola They did appear together in a ballet film called "The House by the Road" in 1981, it was choreographed by Volodia.

[Buondelmonte123]

Some extra notes for you: I have just been speaking with a great admirer of Irina Alexandrovna's and he has given some more details for you all: The Pas-de-Quatre rehearsal was with Kolpakova, Iskanderova [who appears briefly in shot] and Elena Evtyeeva who doesn't, whilst the lady seen in the mirror sitting on the barre in one corner is the late Nina Soldun. The modern piece is called "Infanta" and comes from a 'choreographic miniatures' programme.

[Buondelmonte123]

@Leonnidik A genius of a coach. I promise. No compromising in rehearsal, you are there to work.

[Leonnidik]

That is the unhappiest dresser I have ever seen. I attended a gala dinner and spoke to several ballerinas who swear she is a genius in coaching. As a dancer I don't see it.

[palubob]

Fascinating & delightful! Thank you so much for your notes which make everything clear.