Mikhail Ivanov

INTERNATIONAL DANCE IN ST. PETERSBURG
World Congress of the IDC of UNESCO

Petersburg which is considered as "the cultural capital" of Russia, it is difficult to surprise with various events in art and culture sphere. And at the same time, carrying out the 36th World Congress on Dance Research of the International Dance Council of UNESCO became the event which has surprised with such great scope and representation. Within several days, from October 30 to November 3, Interesting and fruitful scientific and creative contacts between figures of the dancing world from 20 countries at the congress took place. It was prominent point that the congress and its solemn opening took place in the beautiful building of absolutely new Boris Eifman Dance Academy. And it really was the first international event of such level at the new educational institution of dance, the only of this kind in the world. As the organizers of the congress became the St. Petersburg section of the International Dance Council of UNESCO with support of Boris Eifman Dance Academy and Dance Company ByeBye Ballet.
The program of the congress included the scientific and practical conference "World Dance Culture: Preservation of traditions, perspective on development". Sections were working; round tables, master classes, video presentations, the gala concert of participants and guests of the congress were organized. Culturologists, art critics, known choreographers and teachers, specialists in dance therapy, filmmakers participated in work of the congress about dances, performers of all styles, directions and dance forms. The President of the International Dancing Council of UNESCO, Prof. Dr. Alkis Raftis who took part in work of the congress kindly agreed to meet and answer questions of the employee of our edition.

- Mr. Raftis, your organization is an expert in the field of dance culture and interacts with its representatives in various countries. What is for you a dance, and by what criteria you select his colleagues on dance art?
- We proceed from representation that art is not the exact science like physics or chemistry. Dance is a broad concept, and for us it has no special value to what style, direction, school or form it belongs. It is important that it was creative. There is, for example, figure skating, synchronized swimming, striptease. This is everything means dances. We can speak about classical, folklore, ball dances, but at the same time hip-hop, break and others is also dances. In other words, it is difficult to limit something to any framework. Sometimes it can be combined: both classical dance, and modern dance, and hip-hop.
- How your organization supports dance movement in the different countries?
- We don't provide any material or other support as we are non-governmental and non-profit organization. We don't organize festivals, competitions, master classes. We support ideas of scientific research in the field of dance culture, considering value of dance in the art world, its role in an education system. We are open for all approaches to dance culture, to its different manifestations as we reflect the principles of activity of the UN and UNESCO.
- What does the structure of the International Dance Council represent?
- Our organization is under construction as follows (draws the scheme). The General Assembly is at the head, then the President, the Executive Council consisting of 25 members. Our organization includes more than 700 collective members (federations, schools, companies, competitions, festivals, etc.) over 4,000 individual members (choreographers, teachers, art critics, administrators, etc.) in 155 countries. So we have offices in Moscow, Petersburg, Rostov, Novosibirsk and other cities of Russia.
- How you estimate the role of mass media in support of dance culture in the world?
We attach great value to editions in the field of dance. Actually all magazines which are issued in the world, are known to us. And we have considerable collection of the periodical press and books on dance art. We know also your Ballet Art Magazine which issues in English as well, being widespread and available to those who are interested in dance subject in the world. I can tell my personal point of view that it is useful. I think it is possible to expand information on dance culture in the different countries that, certainly, will promote its wider circulation.

Mr. Raftis and Mr. Ivanov

Master-class S. E. Ruiz (Spain)

RUSSIAN DANCER DIED IN AMERICA

At the age of 92 of a known dancer George Zoritch died in Arizona (USA). He was one of the last dancers among a brilliant constellation of artists, world-known thanks to Sergey Dyagilev's Ballets Russes in Paris in the beginning of the last century.
In spite of the fact that the actor lived the most part of his life in America, Zoritch in fact is considered as a Russian dancer. His known book of memoirs was published recently in Russian "Magika ruskogo baleta" (Magic of the Russian Ballet) where the readers could find more than 400 photos of outstanding Russian dancers and choreographers like Olga Spesivtseva, Anna Pavlova, Leonide Massine and George Balanchine.
George Zoritch many years worked at the University of Arizona. He would come to Russia, and he was a Honorable member of jury of ballet competitions. George Zoritch was a member of the Editorial Board of the Ballet Art, a Saint Petersburg Ballet Magazine, along with Altynai Asylmuratova, Boris Eifman, and Nikita Dolgushin as well.
The memory of the remarkable dancer and teacher George Zoritch for a long time will remain in our hearts.

Editotral Board of the Magazine

Natalia Igorevna Bessmertnova, the Muse of the 60's generation - romantic people died. From first steps on the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre of the USSR (at first in a corps de ballet, then as a prima ballerina) Natasha perceived all - both colleagues, and spectators as the Phenomenon in modern ballet sky. Her shape, the lines reminding outlines of Spesivtseva, Pavlova, her own individuality, an essence of her art, are unforgettable and unique. The destiny has reduced us with Natalia on stage and in life, and I am grateful to the God for this. Her ability to respond to her partner impulses was unique, and simplicity and simultaneously refinement in human mutual relations have left indelible impression for all my remained life which happens so is unexpectedly short.

I wish you the Kingdom Heavenly, Natasha!

Nikita Dolgushin.

NIKITA DOLGUSHIN BALLET THEATRE

In the end of November of the last year the Nikita Dolgushin Ballet Theatre was created in Petersburg. The name of the People's Artist of the USSR, professor Nikita Dolgushina - an outstanding Russian dancer, the remarkable choreographer, the recognized restorer of masterpieces of world classics of classical ballet, the theatrical artist, the teacher and the founder of new school of ballet and one of leading ballet troupes in St.-Petersburg is well-known in many countries.
Deep studying of history of choreographic art, careful restoration of ballet heritage and precise work on creation of modern choreographic repertoire distinguishes the performances of theatre by refinement of taste, originality and feeling of style.
About quarter of the century Nikita Dolgushin headed the ballet troupe of the State Opera and Ballet Theatre of St.-Petersburg Rimsky-Korsakov conservatory, the same theatre which is located on place of former Bolshoy (Stone) Theatre in Petersburg, arisen almost for twenty years before the famous Bolshoi in Moscow.
Since the beginning of 2007 in connection with reorganization of the conservatory's theatre, the Nikita Dolgushi Ballet Theatre became as an independent troupe.
The new theatre has carefully kept its exclusive repertoire which includes masterpieces of world ballet classics directed by Nikita Dolgushin, and also various modern performances. So, SwanLake, The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote are the original performances of theatre based on productions by Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov and Alexander Gorsky. Pride of the theatre are programs of the Siver Era of Russian ballet, the part of these unique performances which do not go anywhere in the world. This is, for example, Le Pavilion d'Armide of Tcherepnin. The program Incomparable Pavlova is created out of the known and unknown miniatures of the repertoire of the great ballerina. Nikita Dolgushina's ballet troupe goes on tour a lot, and participates in the international festivals of culture.
And in days of the 300 anniversary of Petersburg Nikita Dolgushin's troupe has been invited to performance for numerous heads of states with specially put ballet enchantling spectacle on cascades and fountains of Peterhof. On November 2nd, 2006 Nikita Dolgushina's theatre has shown the program Russian Ballet of the Siver Era in the well-known French resort Dauville at "Theatre-casino" at the unique concert, devoted to the forthcoming 100th anniversary of " Russian seasons " in Paris by Sergey Dyagilev.
In 2005 the ballet troupe is awarded a special prize of the Top Theatrical Award of Petersburg "Golden Spotlights" - "For popularization of classical heritage for a wide spectator audience".
Nikita Dolgushin embarked on what was to prove a brilliant career as a dancer in 1959, on graduating from the Vaganova Choreographical School. He was hailed as a young star of the Russian Ballet and took up an appointment with the Kirov Ballet. But like his famous colleagues Natalia Makarova and Mikhail Baryshnikov, he soon left the Ballet to go his own way. Dolgushin ended up in Novosibirsk, soon to become the home of one of Russia's leading opera and ballet companies. There he worked with, among others, the director Oleg Vinogravodov, whom he greatly respects as a friend and teacher. In 1962 he nevertheless returned to St. Petersburg on being invited to partner Natalia Makarova. When Makarova defected to the West, Dolgushin, despite his successes, failed to be offered an appointment. Instead he became the principal dancer of the prestigious Maly Opera Theatre, the second after the Kirov Ballet in St.Petersburg. Naturally he no longer had the chances of becoming famous open to other dancers of his calibre, but he continued to produce choreographies for his own works. Aftermath he became as a chief ballet master of the conservatory's theatre. Thanks to him its ballet troupe has undergone many auspicious changes and has created a unique art of reconstruction.
The St.Petersburg Nikita Dolgushin Ballet Theatre aims to put on first-class performances of classical and contemporary ballets. The choice of programme for Belgium is classical one featuring a number of brilliant dancers. Most of the magnificent costumes are reproductions of the original models. This troupe is about 50 dancers is directed by Nikita Dolgushin, a distinguished artist in many fields. He is Russian People's Artist, a Professor and Artistic Director of Theatre. He also awarded a doctorate by the Tucson State University in the USA, holds awards from the Paris Academy of Dance and has two prizes in the Varna International Ballet Competitions.

Students of the choreographic department of the St.-Petersburg "Cantilena" School of Arts of Nikita Dolgushin left to Spain. Young dancers are invited for participation in the Festival of Arts "Russian Dvor" which takes place in the south of Spain. Nikita Dolgushin has prepared a wonderful Christmas gift for local public. Besides the big concert program consisted of the Russian ballet classics, the visitors of the Festival will see an European first night show of a new ballet "Remembering on Childhood" in acting of the students of the school and the Master himself on music of "Children's Album", "Theme and variations" by P.Tchaikovsky. The Petersburg audience can see this ballet only in a month during the Orthodoxy "old" New Year on January, 14th in frame of the First International Christmas Festival "The Nutcracker", devoted to the 165th anniversary of P.Tchaikovsky's birth at the Rimsky-Korsakov Opera and Ballet Theatre.

The Moscow Academic Musical Theatre named after K.S.Stanislavsky and Vl. I.Nemirovich-Danchenko has appeared on stage of the Mariinsky Theatre. These ballet performances have caused great interest of the Petersburg public as the theatre showed "Swan Lake" produced by Vladimir Burmeister who did not quit the stage of theatre during 50 years. This production of the "Swan Lake" has gone on the stage of Le Grand Opera for many years.

Yuri Grigorovich, an outstanding Russian choreographer, in frame of the 30th anniversary world premier of ballet "Ivan the Terrible" on Sergey Prokofev's music, presented it on the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre performed by the Kremlin Ballet Theatre.

According to the invitation of the Russian Federation of Figure Skating, the outstanding Petersburg figure skaters Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov living nowadays in Switzerland, visited a native city and native Palace of Sports "Yubileiny" on which ice they went for a drive before the compelled departure from Soviet Union when had directly let to know, that national sports do not require them any more, having created intolerable existence of them in their native land.

The presentation of the photo album, devoted to Alla Shelest, an outstanding Russian ballerina, took place at the St.Petersburg's House of Scientists. The album includes the pictures, composed out of the photos which were collected with her friends, admirers of her talent, as well as those which are being kept at the funds of the Mariinsky Theatre, where the ballerina, a graduator of the Vaganova Ballet Academy on the class of professor А. Vaganova, was spending main years of her ballet life, and created a lot of splendid roles of classical and modern repertoire.

Julio Bocca, a famous Argentinean dancer acted as a role of the Russian emperor, Paul the First, at the Eifman's ballet "Russian Hamlet" on the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre.

The British Council in Saint Petersburg presented at the Theatre of Young Spectators named after Bryantsev the troupe of contemporary dance, created and managed by Russell Maliphant, a dancer and choreographer, who was recommended as one of "the most outstanding modern choreographer in Great Britain"… British dancers brought to the spectators the original pictures in the style a la"hippie", showed own combination of plastic arts, music and design of stage's light (light designer Michael Hulls): "Solo" to music by Bach in Russell Maliphant's performance himself, a quartette "Excerpts of Choice" and two duos: male "Critical Mass" in the dance of Michael Pomero and Miquel de Jong, and feminine "Two Times Two", which was danced by Flora Bourderon and Marie Goudot.

Diana Vishneva's "young" benefit performance, a soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre, consisted of the two evenings, being created the original choreographic "diptych".
On the first evening, which took place at the Mariinsky Theatre in the ballet Giselle of Adam, Vishneva brilliantly appeared in the duo with Andrean Fadeyev, as Manuel Legri, a soloist of the Paris Grand Opera who had been announced in the program did not emerged at the performance, referring on his disease.
The second part of her holiday was held on the Teatral'naya Square as well on the scene of the Opera and Ballet Theatre of Saint-Petersburg conservatory named after Rimsky-Korsakov, where the actress danced in "Steptext" of William Forsythe, in the ballet miniatures "Feeling of the Moon" of Aleksey Kononov, "Bakhti" by choreography of Maurice Bejart, and "Pas de deux" from the ballet "Cinderella" of A.Ratmansky in the duo with A.Merkurev.
Like in classical repertoire, Diana Vishneva showed her own excellent skill in the field of modern choreography as well.

The Gala concert dedicated to 125th anniversary of Vaganova was hold at the Mariinsky Theatre in frameworks of the XII White Nights International Arts Festival. The ballet stars of the Mariinsky Theatre along with rather young stars and small stars - the students all classes of the Russian Ballet Academy named after Vaganova took part in it. However, indeed the brightest star amongst the ballet stars is immortal Vaganova herself with her brilliant school, which is recognized over the world as a universal value. And Vaganova like alive who having stepped into the XXI century was celebrating her birthday at the stage of her native theatre.

From March 5 till March 14 the IV International festival of ballet "Mariinsky" held in the Mariinsky Theatre. It is the only festival of classical dance In Russia, which participants are the conducting dancers of the largest ballet companies of the world.
Along with the Mariinsky's soloists like Uliana Lopatkina, Diana Vishneva, Irma Nioradze, Igor Zelensky, Farukh Ruzimatov, Andrian Fadeyev, Danila Korsuntsev in performances of former gala-concerts had participated Vladimir Malakhov, Carlos Acosta, Jose-Manuel Carenio, Itan Stiffel (American Ballet Theater); Nikolai Tsiskaridze (Bolshoi Theatre) and others.
This festival Paloma Errera (ABT), Маssimo Murru and Roberto Bolle, (soloists of ballet La Scala), Gretta Hodkinson, (a soloist of National ballet of Canada) debuted.
Traditionally a premiere the Mariinsky Theatre represents at the Festival. The present Festival has opened by a premiere of William Forsite's ballets Steptext, In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated, The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude.
During the festival the soloists of the Mariinsky theatre and the visitors of a Festival have acted in classical repertoir. Uliana Lopatkina danced in "Swan Lake ". Diana Vishneva and Маssimo Muppu acted in "The Sleeping Beauty"; Daria Pavlenko, Elvira Tarasova and Itan Stiffel, an АBT's star danced in "La Baydere", Paloma Errera and Andrian Fadeyev in "Don Quixote". Natalia Sologub debuted in a leading party "Manon" together with Roberto Bolle.
All stars of ballet participated in a Gala-concert of March 14. One of its branches was devoted to Leonid Jakobson commemorated with 100-aniversary of the choreographer.