Evgenia is exemplary: a parishioner and prima ballerina. Alena Yakovleva: "I'm not embarrassed by the age difference with my boyfriend"

Evgenia Obraztsova was born on January 18, 1984 in St. Petersburg. The girl's parents were ballet dancers, and naturally Zhenya spent a lot of time in the theater from early childhood. In addition to ballet, she was attracted to the drama theater, but she nevertheless entered the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet. The teachers of Exemplary Steel were Lyudmila Safonova, Inna Zubkovskaya and Marina Vasilyeva.

After graduating from the Academy in 2002, Evgenia was accepted into the troupe of the Mariinsky Theater. The young artist came under the direction of Ninel Kurgapkina, and in the very first season she performed the main female part in the ballet Romeo and Juliet, and also participated in the theater's Paris tour. In 2004, Obraztsova made her debut in the ballets La Sylphide and The Legend of Love.

The following year, Obraztsova participated in the Moscow Competition of Ballet Dancers and Choreographers, where she won the 1st prize in her category. Then she toured with the theater in the USA and Italy. In America, Eugenia sang the part of the Sleeping Beauty, and at the Rome Opera House the part of Cinderella. Later, she appeared more than once on the stages of Italian theaters, including the famous La Scala.

In 2005, she starred as a ballerina and the bride of one of the characters in the French film Pretty Women. Then she danced solo parts in Cinderella and The Sleeping Beauty at the Mariinsky Theater. In the same year, the French choreographer Pierre Lacotte staged Ondine, which brought her the Golden Mask. A year later, she played the role of Giselle, and the next, Kitri in Don Quixote, with whom she toured Japan. In 2009, after the death of Ninel Kurgapkina, Elvira Tarasova became Evgenia's teacher.

She made her debut at the London Covent Garden Theater as Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. Since 2010, for some time she was a guest soloist of the Moscow Academic Musical Theatre, where she rehearsed under the direction of Margarita Drozdova, this cooperation was abruptly interrupted immediately after the ballerina accepted the invitation to perform at the Bolshoi Theater.

Since 2012, Obraztsova has been the prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater under the direction of Lyudmila Semenyaka. In the same year she studied under the guidance of Nadezhda Gracheva, later she began to rehearse under the guidance of Svetlana Adyrkhaeva.

Evgenia Obraztsova made her debut at the Paris National Opera, performing the title role in the ballet "La Sylphide", performed in the title role in the ballet "Romeo and Juliet" with the Royal Covent Garden Ballet. The following year she made her debut as Nikiya in La Bayadère with the Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen. She performed the role of Clara in The Nutcracker with the Tokyo Ballet Company at the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Concert Hall.

In 2015, Evgenia performed the part of Tatiana in the ballet Onegin to the music of Pyotr Tchaikovsky with the Stuttgar Ballet. She also performed the role of Odette-Odile in the ballet Swan Lake with the Royal Covent Garden Ballet. She performed as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet with the American Ballet Theatre.

In the life of the artist, 2016 became rich in events not directly related to performances on stage. Thus, in Moscow and St. Petersburg there was a photo exhibition of the famous photo artist Viktor Goryachev "Galatea", dedicated to Evgenia Obraztsova, which presents about thirty works dedicated to the ballerina.

In the same year, she received the title long awaited by her fans and became the Honored Artist of Russia. And finally, in 2016 one of the most important events in the life of Evgenia: she and her husband, sculptor Andrei Korobtsov, became the parents of two girls.

In 2017, just six months after the birth of her daughters, Evgenia returned to the stage of the Bolshoi Theater in one of her favorite parts, the part of Shirin from the ballet The Legend of Love by Yuri Grigorovich. This year, the treasury of the ballerina's roles was replenished with another premiere, unexpected and very bright: on tour in Japan, Evgenia Obraztsova first performed the role of Jeanne in Alexei Ratmansky's ballet The Flames of Paris. The collection of editions of the main classical ballet has also been replenished: on a personal tour in Australia, the ballerina danced Odette and Odile in Swan Lake, revised by Ben Stevenson.

As of January 2019, the ballerina does not seek to limit herself to a narrow role, to listen to stereotypes. The main thing for an actress: to live, to play a role so that the viewer believes what he saw on stage. Among the heroines of Exemplary are both strong-willed women and fabulous, naive characters who do not resemble each other.

Awards and Recognition for Evgenia Obraztsova

2002 - President's Award Russian Federation within the framework of the program "Gifted children of Russia"
2005 - Laureate of the International Competition of ballet dancers and choreographers in Moscow (I prize)
2005 - Zegna Mariinsky New Talents Award (Paris, France)
2006 - Leonid Myasin Prize (Positano, Italy)
2007 - National Theater Award "Golden Mask" for the best female role in ballet (party in the ballet "Ondine", season 2005/06)
2008 - Star named after Nino Ananiashvili (Tbilisi, Georgia)
2009 - Badge of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan "For achievements in culture"
2009 - Prize of the magazine "Ballet" "Soul of dance" in the nomination "Star"
2012 - International Ballet Prize Dance Open in the nomination "Miss Virtuosity"
2016 - Honored Artist of Russia

Repertoire of Evgenia Obraztsova

Mariinsky Theatre

2003 - "Romeo and Juliet", choreography by Leonid Lavrovsky - Juliet
2004 - Sylphide, choreography by August Bournonville, Elsa-Marianne von Rosen's edition - Sylphide
2004 - "The Legend of Love", choreographer Yuri Grigorovich - Shirin
2004 - The Nutcracker, choreographer Kirill Simonov - Masha
2006 - The Fountain of Bakhchisarai, choreography by Rostislav Zakharov - Maria
2006 - The Sleeping Beauty, choreography by Marius Petipa, edited by Sergei Vikharev - Princess Aurora
2006 - Cinderella, choreographer Alexei Ratmansky - Cinderella
2006 - "Ondine", choreographer Pierre Lacotte - Ondine - the first performer
2007 - "Giselle", choreography by Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot and Marius Petipa - Giselle
2007 - Awakening of Flora, choreography by Marius Petipa, edited by Sergei Vikharev - Flora - first performer
2007 - "Ballet Imperial", choreography by George Balanchine - Soloist
2008 - "Don Quixote", choreography by Alexander Gorsky - Kitri
2008 - "Carnival", choreography by Marius Petipa, edited by Sergei Vikharev - Colombina - first performer
2008 - "Symphony in C", choreography by George Balanchine - Soloist of the IV movement
2009 - "Apollo", choreography by George Balanchine - Terpsichore
2009 - Shurale, choreography by Leonid Yakobson, capital renewal - Syuimbike - first performer
2009 - "In the Night", choreography by Jerome Robbins - Soloist
2010 - "Petrushka", choreography by Mikhail Fokin - Ballerina
2010 - "The Little Humpbacked Horse", choreographer Alexei Ratmansky - Tsar Maiden
2011 - "Symphony in C", choreography by George Balanchine - Soloist of the III part

Moscow Musical Theater named after Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko

2010 - "Pas de quatre", choreography by Anton Dolin - Lucille Grand
2010 - "Chopiniana", choreography by Mikhail Fokine - Eleventh Waltz
2010 - Giselle, choreography by Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot and Marius Petipa, revised version by Tatiana Legat - Giselle
2010 - "Little Death", choreography by Jiří Kilian - Soloist
2011 - "Swan Lake", edited by Vladimir Burmeister - Odette-Odile
2011 - "Sylphide", choreographer Pierre Lacotte - Sylphide - the first performer

big theater

2012 - "Don Quixote", edited by Alexei Fadeechev - Kitri
2012 - The Sleeping Beauty, choreography by Marius Petipa, new choreographic version by Yuri Grigorovich - Princess Aurora
2012 - Anyuta, choreographer Vladimir Vasiliev - Anyuta
2012 - Sylphide, choreography by August Bournonville, revised version by Johan Kobborg - Sylphide
2012 - "Giselle", choreography by J. Coralli, J. Perrot, M. Petipa, revised by Y. Grigorovich - Giselle
2012 - "Jewels", choreography by J. Balanchine - leading party in "Emeralds" - participant in the premiere
2012 - "Chopiniana", choreography by M. Fokine - Prelude and Seventh Waltz
2012 - Pharaoh's Daughter, choreography by P. Lacotte - Aspicia
2012 - "Apollo Musagete", choreography by J. Balanchine - Terpsichore
2012 - The Nutcracker, choreography by Y. Grigorovich - Marie
2013 - "La Bayadère", choreography by M. Petipa, revised version by Y. Grigorovich - Nikiya
2013 - Jewels, choreography by J. Balanchine - Leading role in "Diamonds"
2013 - "Onegin", choreography by J. Kranko - Tatyana
2013 - "Marco Spada", choreography by P. Lacotte - Angela - first performer
2014 - "Lost Illusions", staged by A. Ratmansky - Coralie - debuted on tour of the Bolshoi Ballet in Paris
2014 - "The Lady of the Camellias", choreography by J. Neumeier - Marguerite Gauthier
2017 - "The Legend of Love", choreography by Y. Grigorovich - Shirin
2017 - The Flames of Paris, staged by A. Ratmansky with the use of choreography by V. Vainonen - Zhanna - debuted on tour of the Bolshoi Ballet in Japan.

Family of Evgenia Obraztsova

Husband - Andrey Korobtsov, a young sculptor. The couple met through the Internet. The ballerina's mother was very interested in the monument to Yevgeny Rodionov. Its creator, just, is Andrey. At the request of his mother, the ballerina wrote to him on the Internet and he invited both women to see the monument. After this meeting, young people began to communicate. Evgenia invited him to the theater for her performance. And six months later, Andrei made an offer to the ballerina right on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater. It happened on the day of the premiere of the play "Onegin". He went on stage, knelt down, handed the girl a ring and invited her to become his wife.

In 2016, two girls were born in the family.

Popular actress Alena Yakovleva recently admitted in an interview that two years ago a very important person for her appeared in her life. Fortunately, he is not an actor. And almost 30 years younger. This man surrounded the actress with such attention and care that it was simply impossible not to love him. And it turned out: the difference in the age of love is not a hindrance.

With Alena Yakovleva, who does not hide her age (she is 53 years old), we tried to figure out what are the advantages of a relationship with a young man.

I am happy that I have such a relationship, - the actress frankly admitted to KP. - We are comfortable together. And if so, what does the age difference matter? She doesn't bother me. There is no misunderstanding between us, although we perceive some things differently. We are still from different generation and on different examples, idols, books and films grew. But on the other hand, what prevents me from watching movies that my man likes and vice versa? These problems are solvable.

By personal experience I can say that the main problem modern men that they do not understand their responsibility for the family. And this misunderstanding does not depend on age. A sense of responsibility is either the result of proper upbringing or an innate trait. A man at 25 can be more responsible than a 35-year-old or even a 60-year-old. My boyfriend takes care of me. With him, I forgot what it is to hammer nails and get building materials for a summer residence. I do not remember a case when he did not meet me at the airport when I arrive from somewhere.

And, of course, young energy! Our relationship is a powerful energy supply for me, a guarantee women's health and beauty. How long they will last, I do not think. I feel good now, and others (Alena laughs - ed.) Let them envy. I live for today and I am happy. My relatives, for example, my mother, are frankly happy for me.

And how many more couples where the age misalliance is not so noticeable! Yana Rudkovskaya is 7 years older than her husband Evgeni Plushenko.

The wife of Sergei Bezrukov, Irina, is 8 years older than her "star" husband. The actor says that next to his fragile wife, he feels like an experienced, adult man.

Last spring, the prima of the Bolshoi Theater, 30-year-old ballerina Evgenia Obraztsova, married 27-year-old sculptor Andrei Korobtsov. 36-year-old actress Ekaterina Klimova met new love represented by 28-year-old Gela Meskhi. In his arms, as they say, the actress almost healed her emotional wounds after her divorce from actor Igor Petrenko.

The ex-wife of Maxim Matveev, 34-year-old actress Yana Sexte (Maxim left her for Elizaveta Boyarskaya), married 28-year-old Canadian composer Dmitry Marina in November last year. The couple had a daughter in August.

Not far behind our stars and Hollywood celebrities.

46-year-old handsome Hugh Jackman is 13 years younger than his wife Deborra-Lee Furness. 56-year-old pop queen Madonna breaks up, then again, along with her 28-year-old boyfriend, dancer Brahim Zaibat. Young man I don't care about the 28 year difference. Recently, the marriage of actors Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas broke up, which seemed unbreakable. Melanie is 3 years older than Banderas. In August, 33-year-old singer Christina Aguilera gave birth to her civil husband, 29-year-old producer Matt Rutler, a daughter. And 40-year-old Eva Mendes gave birth to a daughter, and also from a young lover - 33-year-old Ryan Gosling.

10 star couples where a woman is much older than her man

And in Soviet times such marriages took place. The great ballerina Maya Plisetskaya is seven years older than her husband, composer Rodion Shchedrin. Opera star Irina Arkhipova was 16 years older than her husband, singer Vladislav Piavko. The author of national anthems and poet Sergei Mikhalkov is 10 years younger than Natalia Konchalovskaya. What to say about the times of the present?

Couple #1

65-year-old Alla Pugacheva and 38-year-old Maxim Galkina. The difference is 27 years. In each of her interviews, Alla Borisovna admits that she is lucky: she lives with a man who loves her for who she is. Before Galkina, Alla Borisovna was married to Philip Kirkorov, who is 18 years younger.

50-year-old Lolita Milyavskaya and her 39-year-old husband Dmitry Ivanov. The singer has repeatedly said that in marriage to Dmitry, who is 12 years younger than her, she found a real woman's happiness and won't let him go.

49-year-old actress Evgenia Dobrovolskaya married cameraman Dmitry Manannikov five years ago and gave birth to his daughter. Dmitry is 10 years younger than Evgenia. Evgenia admitted that with this man for the first time she feels not like a draft horse, but a woman.

Last year, 37-year-old actress Polina Agureeva married her colleague in the Pyotr Fomenko Workshop Theater, 22-year-old Fyodor Malyshev. The difference is 15 years, and who's to say? Polina looks great.

43-year-old Anna Netrebko got engaged to 33-year-old student of Luciano Pavarotti Yusif Eyvazov.

Two-time Olympic champion, holder of 28 world records in the pole vault, 32-year-old Yelena Isinbayeva is married to 24-year-old javelin thrower Nikita Petinov. In June, Elena became a mother.

The age difference between 59-year-old singer Larisa Dolina and her husband, bass player Ilya Spitsyn, is 13 years. Ilya is younger. Dolina says she does not feel her age, and "the weather in the house" remains unchanged for many years.

Zhanna Friske and Dmitry Shepelev have an age difference of 9 years. Not so long ago, their son Plato was born. Dmitry, like no one else, takes care of Zhanna during her illness and supports her.

The husband of 43-year-old actress Nonna Grishaeva is 12 years younger than her. In a marriage with Alexander Nesterov, Nonna had a son, Ilya.

43-year-old Lera Kudryavtseva is 16 years older than her husband, hockey player Igor Makarov. However, Lera is no stranger to destroying stereotypes about age - her previous lover Sergey Lazarev was 12 years younger than her.

Photo: Ilya Pitalev / RIA Novosti

PROPOSAL AFTER THE "BALL"»

This year, your husband Andrey Korobtsov won the union competition for best project at the Rzhev memorial. How did you meet? Still, ballet and sculpture cannot be called related art forms ...

Even as a young dancer, she clearly understood that family relationships between two ballet dancers will be difficult. And I always wanted my husband to be an understanding and creative person, but still not from my environment. We met with Andrew unexpectedly. I somehow found on the Internet a photo of his sculpture of Yevgeny Rodionov, a soldier who died heroically in Chechnya. I was then interested in the fate of this man. It turned out that the author of the monument knows Rodionov's mother. It struck me, I wanted to get to know this woman. Therefore, a meeting with Andrei was already inevitable. Gradually became friends, invited him to her performance, he - to the exhibition. And six months later he proposed. Right on the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre.

- Blimey! How did he succeed?

After the premiere of the ballet "Onegin" we were congratulated for a long time. Andrei also went backstage, although he is a modest person. He came up to me, knelt down and opened the box with the ring. It was very touching.

You have two twin daughters. In contrast, I immediately remember the same Plisetskaya, Ulanova, who for the sake of a career abandoned children.

When Maya Plisetskaya danced, there were still other conditions. AT Soviet period even if I take it for a whole year, no one would wait. It would be the end of a career. Today there are fewer prejudices... Ballerinas, like normal women, often focus on the family and at the same time do not lose anything in the profession. There are live examples. The same Italian Alessandra Ferri, an outstanding dancer of world importance, but the mother of two daughters.

DANCED TWO MONTHS AFTER BIRTH

- What has changed with the advent of babies?

She became stronger, bolder and more confident. It seems that right now she began to understand the essence of the profession and her place in it. In general, I like to dig into myself. I can even get depressed because I think a lot about some of my imperfections. With the advent of children, inner doubts are released a little.

- Your ballerina mother brought you to ballet. Would you let your daughters dance?

They grow up in a creative family. Over time, they will see how dad works, how mom works. If there is an interest in ballet, I will try to explain to them how difficult, but wonderful this profession is. But I would like them to do more humane work: without damage to their body, to the psyche.

- Was it difficult to go on stage after giving birth?

She was already dancing two months later. Fortunately, she quickly recovered. You know, they say it's better to be a parent at a younger age. I was also 32 years old. And to be honest, I don't regret it. There was no such thing that the back does not bend, the leg does not rise ... Many ballerinas complain that it is worth giving birth and problems begin. Now grandmothers help with their daughters. Without their help, we would not have been able to work with Andrey as before. But everything free time I dedicate to my family.

DO NOT EAT MUCHDO NOT EAT LATE

- Is it true that you eat only air?

There are golden rules for ballerinas - don't eat too much, don't eat too late. I stick healthy eating. I bypass harmful products- buns, flavorings, sugar, soda.
With the birth of children, I finally realized how delicious simple vegetables and fruits. Without salt, pepper and any ketchup.

In general, I do not feel the need to specifically lose weight or follow strict diets.

Maybe there are restrictions in other areas? I heard that ballerinas are not allowed to walk more than two kilometers.

There are many restrictions. But if I start listing everything, it turns out that I have some kind of terrible life. From the simplest, yes, you can’t walk a lot. Any ballerina will be annoyed if she is forced to stand in line or talk for a long time standing. Because legs are our tool. You can't make a singer scream all the time, he'll just ruin his voice.

- In addition to ballet, you also act in films. In May, you finished major shooting. What's the picture?

It should be a full-length feature film "Frenchman" directed by Andrey Smirnov. I think it will be released next spring. This is the first serious experience where I got the main female role. Not to compare with the film, where she starred in her youth. Then in "Pretty Women" I had a small episode. It was more like entertainment than being a movie actress. Here she immersed herself completely, in April she did not even go on stage.

- This is the role of a ballerina?

Yes, but there are only two ballet scenes in the film. Mostly complex dramatic scenes. But I liked it. Director Andrey Smirnov became a real film father for me.

- What else brings joy?

I like to invent clothes for ballet, sports and an active lifestyle. Comfortable and beautiful. I create an image in my head, then transfer it to paper. Someday I will have more time, and I will be able to realize all the ideas.

BLITZ POLL

I hate heels. They restrict my movement and my legs get tired. But I know very well ballerinas who feel great in stilettos.

- What time is itdo you sleep during the day?

I love this business very much. Especially in the morning. I slept for eighteen hours! But it all depends on the job. Sometimes it's only four hours to rest.

- Have you been to the cinema for a long time?

About a month ago. What did I watch? Apparently, something completely mediocre, so I don’t remember. Before that, my husband and I went to the "Upward Movement". Great movie.

- And in the theater as a spectator?

It happens more often. The last time I was in the Bolshoi, at a gala concert dedicated to the 200th anniversary of Marius Petipa.

- Do you like to cook?

Only in the mood, and there is little free time. I am not the mother or wife who comes home from work and cooks for the whole family. BUT favourite dish- beef stroganoff.

BY THE WAY

- In your Instagram, you wrote that sometimes there is a “time of silence” before an important performance? What it is?

Some parts are emotionally very complex. You rehearse for a long time, you give a lot of energy. And before the performance itself there comes a kind of devastation ... But in fact it is just an accumulation of emotions and feelings. Because the body is smarter than us. Sometimes he can treat some diseases, depression, stress in himself. To do this, just listen to yourself and your mood. It happens that I wake up and understand that on this day I don’t want and can’t do anything, but in the evening there is a performance. What am I doing? I try not to cheer up in any way, but just to the last I keep this state of silence. And it’s amazing when, before going out, I start doing makeup, lay out costumes, and gradually blossom. By the time she enters the stage, she is simply full of energy, and all this is due to the fact that she did not waste it during the day.

- An athlete without daily training loses shape. Is it the same in ballet?

Since childhood, I was taught that ballet is everyday exhausting work. Daily class, constant rehearsals. It is right. At a certain age, the period of an experienced artist begins. And then you really can not rehearse so much. Because the body knows better than you what it needs. But a month or two of downtime will knock any artist out of shape, no matter how smart and experienced he may be.

- About seven years ago you danced in Minsk.

I remember it turned out to be a wonderful concert, a warm audience. I liked the city itself. It is insanely clean, and there are so touching phone booths. They made me incredibly nostalgic. Minsk reminded me of something very good. Maybe Rostov-on-Don, where I vacationed with my grandmother in the summer when I was little.

DOSSIER "SV"

Evgenia Obraztsova was born in 1984 in Leningrad. Her parents, also dancers, brought her to ballet. She graduated from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet and joined the troupe of the Mariinsky Theatre. In the very first season, Evgenia danced the main female part in Romeo and Juliet. She danced on many famous stages of the world. Laureate of the highest theater award "Golden Mask" for the best female role in the ballet "Ondine". Prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Theatre. Honored Artist of Russia.

In February, the Bolshoi Theater announced the replenishment of the ballet troupe. The list of prima ballerinas now includes Evgenia Obraztsova, who until recently danced at the Mariinsky Theatre. Obraztsova's repertoire at the Bolshoi includes the ballets The Sleeping Beauty, Anyuta and Sylphide. Buro 24/7, the ballerina spoke about the deceptive appearance of the actor, childhood dreams and plans for the future.

Evgenia, first of all I would like to ask you about moving to Moscow. How do you feel here after Peter?

The fact is that I gradually got used to Moscow. Before moving to the Bolshoi Theater, I worked for about two years in the musical theater of Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko, so I don’t have to get used to Moscow all of a sudden. Life in the capital, its rhythm is very suitable for me, so I do not feel any discomfort, rather the opposite. I think this is my city.

Scenes from the ballet "Petrushka" at the Mariinsky Theater

As a child, you were fond of drama theater and even wanted to do it professionally. But still became a ballerina. And interest in the theater remained?

First of all, I watch a lot of drama performances. Both in St. Petersburg and in Moscow. I am friends with many artists, I go to their premieres. For example, I am a frequent guest at the performances of the wonderful St. Petersburg actor Danila Kozlovsky. In Moscow, I communicate closely with Alisa Grebenshchikova: Petersburg also unites us with her, but now we meet here. It is always interesting to follow their development and repertoire. And there are more opportunities to go to the theater in Moscow. Therefore, my childhood unfulfillment in the drama theater is embodied in the fact that I actively follow everything that happens in this environment, and try to learn a lot from this art form and transfer it to my own.

Does it help at work?

Of course, all this helps a lot when I'm preparing for a role, finding some solutions in terms of its dramatic construction. Of course, there are divertissement ballets, where absolutely no dramatic abilities are required. Moreover, not all artists have them. So many wonderful ballerinas and dancers remain wonderful ballerinas and dancers, but they are absolutely devoid of acting talent, and this in no way detracts from the quality of their work. But judging globally, ballet is such complex view art, where the artist must combine dance, drama and partly sports. Except there is no singing. Although I also take a lot from my opera acquaintances. For myself personally, I try to choose story ballets, and main question, which I ask myself: what will my heroine be like? How will I create her image? The advice that I can take from my acquaintances of the actors helps me a lot to answer such questions.

Evgenia Obraztsova in the ballet "La Sylphide" musical theater of Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko

Do you read any specialized literature on dramatic art? Stanislavsky, for example?

Yes, definitely. This information helped me a lot at the stage of my professional development as a ballerina. Especially when I started working on my first dramatic role in Romeo and Juliet. In such cases, the most advantageous option is the opportunity to collaborate with a drama director. For example, in the ballet "Romeo and Juliet" I was helped by an actress who graduated from the director's course, so the help was double.

Does a ballerina of your status have the opportunity to refuse a role that you are not interested in?

Of course have. I can always say that I do not see myself in this role, I do not see prospects for myself. It happens, and quite often. Some ballerinas refuse parties where everything is - technology and game. Plus, for a person, it can be a completely alien image. And in such situations, of course, it is better not to suffer and refuse a role that you cannot fully play on stage. It is possible to refuse in general in any status.

As Juliet in Romeo and Juliet at the Mariinsky Theater

Are there parties that are included in the list of your cherished ones?

Certainly. The only thing hindering their implementation is that this thing cannot go in Russia or specifically at the Bolshoi Theater, because the repertoire policy does not provide for the introduction of this work in the next five years, when I would like to master this material already. I have said a lot that I am very attracted to the choreography of Kenneth McMillen and Roland Petit. Two ballets that I would very much like to dance are Macmillan's Manon and Petit's Carmen. For several years these ballets have been standing before my eyes. But in order to perform them, one must either be part of another troupe, or wait for these performances to appear in the repertoire of the theaters where I work.

What are you doing to get closer to your goal?

So far I do not understand how this can be implemented. There was an opportunity to dance "Manon" in Helsinki, but for a number of reasons I did not manage to take up this part. By the way, soon I will have the opportunity to dance Carmen, but in the version of Alicia Alonso.

Shooting for Dance Magazine

To be honest, I don't see you at all as Carmen. It seems to me that lyrical parts are more suitable for you.

You did not surprise me at all with your point of view: I hear from many people about my lyrical-romantic role. Appearance contributes a lot to this. - It's hard to imagine me as a femme fatale. But the artist - such an insidious personality that can look like a dandelion, but keep an abyss of passions inside. And here is just the question in his acting data.I will give an example of Lev Dodin, under whose leadership Danila Kozlovsky works. He loves to give the artist a role in which no one could see him. This principle often produces unexpectedly interesting results. In the role of Carmen, I am 100 percent sure, that's why I want to dance her. I would never take on a thing in which I would not look great, but there are a million of them, believe me. Everyone sees me as a princess, a flower.

At the rehearsal of Swan Lake

Are you a flower?

Of course, I am a flower, but if desired, I can be very characteristic. Here the question is in preparation, how interesting the process is. It is important to see that the role can turn out to be very extraordinary, as Dodin sees it. A French director spoke to me, who conceived a picture in which the main character should look like an angel, but keep all the flaws of a woman in herself. These are the kinds of experiments I find interesting.

Were there situations when you went against the cliches and took on a role, and then realized that you made a mistake?

This was the ballet "Swan Lake". I had a lot of doubts about this performance. But here it’s rather not the case when I understand that the role does not suit me, but the inconsistency with the imposed stereotypes. Recently, there has been an opinion that a tall ballerina should dance the swan with long lines. Although this had not happened before, everyone was very miniature, figurative. Thoughts flashed that they would not understand me, they would say that I was not so tall, not so long, I did not have supernatural plasticity. Indeed, when we see a huge ballerina on stage with long arms and feet - it's breathtaking. But this ballet was danced by Ulanova, Makarova - very miniature ballerinas. It helped me in preparation. Worried more technical points that I needed to work out to be convincing in this role. This is perhaps the only controversial ballet in my repertoire.

As Giselle on the stage of the Rome Opera

So, will you dance it in the near future, is it unknown?

I do not aspire to dance this ballet often. I need a lot of time to work with it. I give myself at least a month to prepare. In total, I danced it three times in two versions. One of them - in the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theater, the other - in the version of the Kremlin Ballet Theatre. There are many offers, but if I understand that time is short, then I refuse.

Let's get back to acting ambitions. In part, did you manage to realize them in your work on the film "Matryoshka" by Cedric Klapisch?

Filming a movie was an accident. Cedric Klapish came to Russia to search for an actress for the role of a ballerina. Many girls were invited to the casting, including me, but at that time I could not come because of work. It so happened that no one approached him, and I was left alone. I was found in the theater and asked to try out separately. A day later, the director approved me. I can't say that it was a serious role. It was all very interesting and new for me, but more like a vacation, nothing more. We went to the premiere in Paris with all the ensuing consequences: photo shoots, interviews, presentation at the cinema. Then I realized that the movie - this is very interesting and exciting, but I only felt confident in front of the camera in last days shooting. By the way, not so long ago Klapish called me and said that he was going to shoot last part his trilogy (the first film "Spanish Hotel", the second - "Matryoshkas". - Note. Ed.), I previously agreed. I think that if I act in the third part, I will find an opportunity to realize myself in the acting aspect more seriously. I won’t say anything about the plot yet, but the shooting will take place in China.

In the ballet "Little Death" by Jiri Kilian on the stage of the musical theater of Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko

Now Russian ballet has ceased to be what it was in the USSR, that is, a national treasure. What do you think, what is it connected with?

Russian ballet has not ceased to be number one, but many dancers and teachers, having emigrated to other countries, began to perform their duties there with no less professionalism. And in Russia the quality of education is deteriorating. Previously, in an issue of 20 ballerinas, 10 could easily dance solo parts. Now with difficulty there are 2-3 ballerinas. I think that this process is connected with a change in the composition of teachers. Young people come who are not always able to draw students to good level. Here my teacher Lyudmila Safronova says that they are trying to remove her from work. And she, by the way, was a student of Vaganova, and it's a shame that a person who can pass on invaluable experience does not have such an opportunity.

Well, our theaters are not always able to keep artists. Here was, for example, Larisa Lezhnina, but she left for the troupe of the Netherlands Ballet. And now we are already talking about the beautiful Russian ballerina as a European artist. But I cannot agree that the Russian ballet has ceased to be the first. Our ballerinas still have something that neither the French nor the English will have. For Russian dancers, the semantic significance of the dance prevails, although technically, I can agree, the Parisian school produces very well-trained girls.

Romeo and Juliet rehearsal

From all of the above, it becomes clear that you are a girl with character and are ready to break stereotypes.

Of course, there is the concept of role. But limit artists in cases where objective reasons no, that's stupid. The life of an artist is not long, and it's a shame when management prevents you from taking on new, perhaps unexpected, roles. For me, the role is what you are capable of. So you don’t see Carmen in me, but I will go to the performance and prove that you were wrong.

Text: Fedor Vyazemsky
Photo: evgeniaobraztsova.com

Ballet is an art, first of all, bodily. No matter what anyone says, no dramatic talent can replace a pair of beautiful well-trained legs and light singing hands. But at the same time, if emptiness and worthlessness blows from the stage, no legs from the ears with giant lifts can compensate for this.

So what does the “ideal ballerina” consist of, and do such people exist in nature?

Over the past decades, a completely understandable and clear set of parameters, according to which a strict selection committee selects professional girls for ballet schools. Among them:

eversion. And the more the better. Eversion is the basis of classical dance, without it some elements will not even be ugly, they will simply be impossible to make. Eversion - that is, turning the leg outward - can be developed, BUT only if there is a predisposition to it from the very beginning. If the joint in the acetabulum has no room to turn, no "frogs", "butterflies" and other ballet atrocities can turn it around - only dislocate .

Flexibility. Here, in fact, everything is clear - you just have to look at modern ballerinas and at the height to which they raise their legs, and how gracefully they bend their backs, literally folding in half. Some people don't like it, because, supposedly, legs pulled up to the ears violate the integrity and beauty of a truly classical dance. Someone is of the opinion that even the classics should not stand still, and modern high amplitudes only decorate it. I'm more on the side of the latter. When the leg easily flies up without tension, violating all the laws of the human body, you understand that nothing is impossible. The main thing is not to flaunt with a step, like “ap, look how I can!”, which is the sin of the unforgettable Anastasia Volochkova, but to lift up the legs, so to speak, with meaning.

high rise. And not just high, but with the so-called "slide". Probably, an ordinary person who is not familiar with ballet will think that something is clearly wrong with such a foot, but on stage in pointe shoes it looks great. Often, "lifting" feet go to the load to the "X" legs - that is, as I said, failed at the knee. These legs are much harder to work with, they need a special approach, but they are the most valued. In general, the foot is very important for a ballerina: the big and “index” toes should ideally be the same length, without a predisposition to flat feet and valgus, with a long soft Achilles tendon.

long limbs. Legs and arms are the main instrument of the ballerina. The longer, infinitely longer the leg, the easier it is to “sing out” movements with it. Short legs and arms, of course, are more convenient - especially in fast dance, allegro. It is easy to get confused in long ones, but how beautiful they are in adagio! There is even such a thing as a “long-legged index”. It is calculated upon admission to the ballet school: the height of the child is measured standing and sitting (from the top of the head to the soft spot), then the sitting height is divided by the standing height and multiplied by 100%. Ballet norm: 49-52%. The lower the %, the better. Actually, this notorious index can also be assessed with the naked eye - the legs should be much longer than the torso.

good jump. The jump, as well as the twist, is given by nature. You can work it out, you can learn to create its illusion on stage, as, for example, Zakharova does, but jumping under the grate with a hang, the so-called "balloon", is a rarity. It was due to her phenomenal jump that the once young Natalya Osipova became famous - sometimes it seems that she really knows how to fly!

All of the above is included in the concept of "form".

Here portrait of a perfect ballerina: tall, incredibly thin, long-legged-long-armed-long-necked, walky, that is, able to throw a leg 180 degrees without any tension, with a high rise and soft eversion legs. The weight of an adult ballerina, despite her height, should not exceed 50 kg. During training, the rules are even more strict - ideal weight calculated by the formula "growth minus 122". Anyone who goes beyond these limits is expelled. Body type - ectomorphs are preferable, they have thin "wiry" muscles, practically unable to "grow meat", narrow feet and hands, a short body. It is easier for them to stay in shape, they do not need to follow strict diets - the metabolism is quite fast, everything they eat just burns out.

The ideal ballerina is a healthy ballerina. Ballet does not forgive any problems with the heart, or with vision, and, even more so, diseases of the joints. Only healthy man with very good immunity, he is able to withstand inhuman ballet loads, constant psychological pressure and competition.

In addition, ideal ballerina must be beautiful. The scene is not inclined towards political correctness: it does not forgive either a big nose, or a protruding chin, or chubby cheeks. Yes, you can paint any face with makeup and hide some minor flaws, but today we are talking about the ideal. Without a beautiful or at least pretty face, it is somehow difficult to portray the beautiful Odette or the gentle Giselle.

Summarizing " technical parameters» our ideal ballerina, I can't help but mention training. Even flawless legs will be powerless without a good school and a competent teacher. In Russia, three schools are considered the best - the Academy. Vaganova in St. Petersburg, the Moscow State Academy of Choreography (MGAH) and the Perm School. Of course, they do not guarantee excellent proficiency and filigree technique in each graduates, but even now, when the level of education has fallen even in these institutions, they remain qualitatively better than everyone else in the world.

In conclusion, I can’t help but name “my” ballerina with ideal parameters - Svetlana Zakharov a. Beautiful to the point of impossibility precisely from a ballet point of view.

And which of the ballet is ideal in appearance from your point of view? What would you add to the list of specifications?

* And about spirituality, energy and fullness - that is, we will talk about NON-physical components next time)