Denis Rodkin: “With Svetlana Zakharova, we became family people. How to make a ballet star out of a child Russian ballet iii denis zakharov

The history of the Moscow Academy of Choreography began in 1773, when Catherine II opened "classes of theatrical dancing" in the Moscow Orphanage - they taught dance to children from the age of 10. Another milestone in the history of the Academy is 1806, when the Moscow Imperial Theater School was founded. Today the Academy of Choreography is one of the best educational institutions. Its graduates gave a concert at the Bolshoi Theatre. Reporting by Anna Shcherbakova.

The audience of this concert was present, literally, at the birth of new stars. The names of today's graduates, quite possibly, will adorn the posters of the best theaters in the world in the near future.

Instead of assessments of teachers - applause of the audience. True, many of these young artists received them in full before. Denis Zakharov is a guest at this graduates' ball: he is in his second year at the Academy. But he has already won the Grand Prix at the All-Russian competition "Russian Ballet". This means that he is waiting for an internship at the Bolshoi Theater. But first of all - all the same, study.

“I’m still studying, so I don’t have much free time, I don’t have the opportunity to come to the Bolshoi Theater, we rehearse, study, prepare for concerts. What does the Moscow State Academy provide? This, of course, is confidence in yourself and in the fact that you are in an institution with such a great history, ”said Denis Zakharov, a student at the Moscow State Academy of Choreography.

The graduation concert of the Academy of Choreography always takes place at the Bolshoi Theatre. This is a tradition. Before entering this legendary historical stage, Marina Leonova herself, the rector of the Academy, gives the last parting words to the artists.

“This year we have 7 laureates of international competitions, their names are already known, these are gold and silver medals. I see in their eyes the desire to dance,” said Marina Leonova, rector of the Moscow State Academy of Choreography.

For these girls and boys, every rehearsal at the Academy is like a real ball. And every girl dreams of such outfits. But the thoughts of the ballerinas are occupied with something completely different.

“For me, dancing is about showing what we have inside, and the dress does its part. But self-expression is very important, ”said Camilla Mazzi, a graduate of the Moscow State Academy of Choreography.

Camilla Mazzi is an Italian who came to Moscow from Turin. For 3 years at the Academy, she diligently studied not only difficult pirouettes, but also the equally difficult Russian language. Her classmates helped her.

“The school helped me fall in love with this profession, it was within the walls of the school that I began to understand how wonderful it is to do ballet. There is such an attachment to this institution, but I understand that then a completely different life will begin, ”said Mark Chino, a graduate of the Moscow State Academy of Choreography.

At this ball, a new life for graduates began to the music of Chopin, Tchaikovsky and to the applause of the audience.

Concert competition

The Natalia Sats Moscow Children's Musical Theater hosted an awards ceremony and a gala concert for the winners of the 2013-2016 competition. TATYANA KUZNETSOVA talks about the results of the four-year competitive movement.

Under Soviet rule, when ballet was one of the weapons of state propaganda, contestants for international battles were selected with great care. A year before the Moscow international competition (it is still held every four years, the next one will be held in June 2017 at the Bolshoi Theater), the country organized a review of choreographic forces: troupes and choreographic schools sent their representatives to the capital to the all-Union competition, the winners were sent to international competition. Mikhail Baryshnikov, Nadezhda Pavlova, Alexander Godunov, Lyudmila Semenyaka and many other stars were among the first victors. In post-Soviet free times, ballet people were left to their own devices - everyone who wanted to participate in the international competition was invited. However, even in the 2000s, the winners were not weak: we can recall that the unique Natalya Osipova in 2005 reached only the third prize.

However, over time, the organizers of the Moscow International Competition managed to convince the Ministry of Culture of the need for systematic monitoring of the country's ballet affairs, and in 2013 the internal selection was revived, having undergone significant changes. From now on, the competition is designed to cover the entire diversity of the country's choreographic activities. Competitions have been held for four years: in 2013 young choreographers were examined, in 2014 - representatives of folk-characteristic dance, last year choreographers-contemporaries competed, this was the turn of ballet dancers in two age categories - junior (under 18 years) and older (up to 26 years). The jury includes the artistic directors of several theaters headed by Yuri Grigorovich and the rectors of the main ballet academies, Moscow and St. Petersburg. The results of the four-year cycle were presented at a gala concert at the Children's Musical Theater - they turned out to be predictable.

Indeed, without any competitions, it is clear that in the genre of folk-characteristic dance, the Moiseev ensemble is in the lead. At the concert, this truth was confirmed once again: the "Gaucho" number, performed by the young artists of the ensemble, turned out to be the only one not branded with the seal of apprenticeship. It is also well known that there is something wrong with talented young choreographers in the country. But the winners of the "Contemporary Dance" competition looked very old-fashioned - their numbers looked like mossy variety miniatures from the time of the cheerful youth of respectable members of the judiciary. As for the ballet dancers, the young talents of the leading theaters traditionally ignore the competitive fuss: a tournament, even an international one, does not guarantee a career take-off, it is more practical to forge a career in your own theater. In fact, the Moscow ballet battles are a labor fair and a social lift: having appeared in Moscow, artists from the regions or gifted school graduates have a chance to get an offer from the capital's theaters.

So one should not be surprised at the modest level of participants in the All-Russian tournament. The first place was taken by the premieres of the Children's Musical Theater Anna Markova and Ivan Titov, who danced the pas de deux to the music of Aubert with careful care. Against the backdrop of weak competitors, their leadership looked completely justified (and this despite the technical errors of the partner, whose beautiful soft legs did not stand the test of the big pirouette and the nervous finale of the partner, who panicked in the code on the "big tour - double fouette" combination).

The winners-schoolchildren demonstrated a surprising range of natural data and training. For example, 16-year-old Ekaterina Klyavlina from the Gzhel school (by the way, this folk-characteristic school regularly supplies its graduates to the academic market - suffice it to name Denis Rodkin, the premiere and the main "hero-lover" of the Bolshoi Theater) danced a variation from Paquita not without sin. She never did the necessary entrechat six, on big tours in attitude she invariably jumped, but she distinguished herself by meticulous training and fine work of educated hands (which, in fact, is required: the perfection of tours is a thing to come). The second place with this exemplary student was shared by Diana Egorova from Voronezh, a stately girl with catastrophic gaps in her ballet education - arms twisted by tension, feet thrown, dirty binding movements. The criteria by which the professional jury equalized these contestants remained a mystery. Only the leader of the junior group, 17-year-old Denis Zakharov, who studied first in Bashkiria, and since 2014 at the Moscow Academy, did not raise doubts about the victory. This long-legged, harmoniously built young man has excellent natural abilities, which his teacher Denis Medvedev hones with unhurried care. He presented his ward in a variation of Count Cherry - not as virtuosic as some Solor's, but sitting on the young dancer like a custom-made dress. However, the gifted Denis Zakharov would not have gone unnoticed by potential employers even without the first place.

The gala concert based on the results of the four-year competitive marathon convincingly proved that, despite the state patronage and the participation of prominent persons of the Soviet ballet theater in the work of the jury, the competition itself remains a marginal event: weak in terms of the level of participants and conservative in terms of artistic criteria, it does not significant impact on the life of modern ballet theatre. But it looks like the people really need a regular Moscow congress. At the concert, the hall of the children's theater was overflowing with ballet specialists, active fans and spectators with dancing children. Ballet professionals scattered across the country experienced a delightful sense of belonging to the common state cause, gullible amateurs convinced themselves that in the field of ballet Russia is still ahead of the rest. Probably, it is not necessary to destroy these illusions. Who knows - maybe at the upcoming international competition Russia will still show itself in all its invariably academic glory.

Bolshoi Ballet Premier Denis Rodkin spoke in an interview with RIA Novosti about his upcoming tour to Japan, about his teachers, choreographers, about his partnership with the outstanding ballerina Svetlana Zakharova, about his profession and its difficulties. Interviewed by Natalia Kurova.

- Denis, in just a few days you are going to Japan, where the Bolshoi Theater will open the "Russian Seasons". What will you show the Japanese public?

- The Bolshoi Theater is bringing three ballets to Japan, two of them - Giselle and Swan Lake - the creations of our outstanding choreographer Yuri Nikolayevich Grigorovich, as well as The Flames of Paris choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky. It all starts on June 4 with the play "Giselle", where I dance with Svetlana Zakharova, and then, on June 8, we perform together in "Swan Lake".

Coming to Japan is always a big responsibility. Here is a very sophisticated and spoiled in the good sense of the word viewer. This audience has seen the best ballet troupes, world stars and various private companies perform here. The awareness of the Japanese public about our ballet art is quite high. And therefore, if any, even a small one, is false or underdanced, Japanese viewers will immediately feel it. When you go to Japan, you have to prove every time and at every performance that Russian ballet is the best in the world. In general, for me personally, there are two such important ballet countries - these are England and Japan.

— Is this your first time performing in Japan?

— No, this will be my fourth visit to this country. And it is interesting that all four times I speak here in a different status. The first time - as a corps de ballet dancer, the second - as a soloist, the third - as a leading soloist and now - as the premiere of the Bolshoi Theater. So these tours are especially difficult and responsible for me - it will be necessary to prove to the public that I did not receive a high title in vain.

- What do the Japanese audience especially like about Russian ballet?

- "Swan Lake" is accepted everywhere, because it is the brand of the Bolshoi Theater and Russian ballet in general. This ballet is doomed to success in any country, because "Swan" is the Russian classical ballet. The Japanese public loves our ballet and always especially notes the emotionality of the performance, the acting skills of Russian dancers. This is what distinguishes Russian ballet, and it seems to me that we need to move in this direction.

As for technology, many have already gone ahead, and it is very difficult to surprise in terms of technology today. And as for acting, dance, performed by the soul, here we are inaccessible. But, of course, we must not forget the technique. After all, the Russian school is famous for its combination of high technology and acting.

— You are partnering with the outstanding ballerina Svetlana Zakharova. How important and responsible is this for you?

- I got a lucky ticket in my life - to be a partner of Svetlana, and I must strive with all my might to match her. In addition to keeping the ballerina well, I have to be on the level in my solo pieces. It should not happen that Svetlana dances perfectly, and she is perfect in all her parts, and I just dance. I, too, must strive for perfection.

Svetlana and I not only go on tour together with the theater, but also perform with separate numbers or go out to dance in theaters of other countries. I participated in her solo project "AMORE", where we performed "Francesca da Rimini", in July we will go to Italy to dance "Giselle", and next year to Bulgaria. And it is very pleasant that our partnership is developing and growing. We do not stand still, and today's performance is always more interesting than the previous one. Of course, this is a great success for me and thanks to Svetlana.

- Denis, you are probably the only one who came to the Bolshoi Theater, and even became the premiere after the dance school at the Gzhel Theater, and not the Moscow Ballet Academy - the main supplier of personnel for the Bolshoi Theater?

- Yes, in this sense, I have such a special, interesting fate. Of course, I did not think that I would become prime minister at the Bolshoi, but it happened. My first teacher, the person who opened my eyes to the fact that I can dance leading roles at the Bolshoi, was Nikolai Tsiskaridze. He noticed me, and we even slowly began to rehearse. And then Yuri Nikolaevich Grigorovich let me dance Kurbsky in his ballet Ivan the Terrible. This game was a major boost in my professional career.

You are a born prince - both in terms of professional qualities and external data. And, probably, they danced all the princes on the stage of the Bolshoi. How difficult is it to play the role of a prince?

- I think that dancing princes is the most difficult thing. They all look alike, in "Sleeping Beauty", in "Swan". They are all so positive. Negative parts are much more interesting and easier to play, there is something to cling to. Dancing the prince, the main thing is to convey to the viewer this image, his positive energy. But at the same time, do not forget for a second about the impeccability of classical dance, because the prince is always pure classics.

- But you were lucky - you were already Spartak and Kurbsky in Grigorovich's ballets, Pechorin in Possokhov's ballet "A Hero of Our Time".

Yes, I danced these parts, which was a big surprise for me. The first thing I saw when I first came to the Bolshoi Theater was a rehearsal of Spartak. Explosive music, the scale of Grigorovich's production - I was very impressed with what I saw. And then, I confess, I sadly thought that I would never dance Spartacus. Well, maybe Crassa ...

But it so happened that Yuri Nikolayevich needed Spartak and he told me: "Come on, cook." And now I have already performed Spartacus not only at the Bolshoi, but also in Greece, and most recently in Antwerp. Grigorovich encourages: "Well done, you are developing, I was not mistaken in you." The praise of the Master is worth a lot. And this means that we must work and work to justify the trust of such a person.

Inwardly, I feel more of such heroes as Spartak and Kurbsky, but when I look at it from the outside, I understand that I haven’t finished a little here, and here too. And when I dance princes, everything is more convincing there, everything is in line with the classics. Yes, and Spartak I get such a lyrical-heroic.

- The plans of the Bolshoi Theater for the new season include ballets by Ratmansky, Kilian, Neumeier. Which of the leading domestic and foreign choreographers have you ever collaborated with?

- I worked with the outstanding choreographer John Neumeier when I was introduced to The Lady of the Camellias. I went to see him then, and it was a very interesting rehearsal. Now I am dancing Armand, and this is one of my favorite parts. I dream that I will also dance in Neumeier's ballet "Anna Karenina", which is scheduled for the next season. I really want this.

I love John Cranko's ballet "Onegin". Maybe this is not exactly what Pushkin has, although we still rely on the novel "Eugene Onegin" to create this image, but the work of the choreographer is very interesting. I always enjoy dancing in "Onegin", and this ballet is a success with the audience.

I didn't have a chance to meet Jiri Kilian, but I worked with his assistant on the play "Symphony of Psalms", which is still in the theater's repertoire.

- It is well known that the profession of a ballet dancer is not only and not so much applause and flowers, but more hard labor, daily, endless work.

“I don’t even know with whom to compare our profession in terms of complexity. Maybe with athletes. But they have something else - they have been preparing for several years to show their achievements once, but they also have several attempts. And we don’t have a second attempt - we need to show everything perfectly today and now.

In addition, a ballet dancer often has some minor injuries, and one must learn to live with this. When you go on stage, you can't show that something hurts you. Nobody in the room cares. The audience came to see the performance and enjoy the wonderful performance. And we have no right to deceive their expectations.

A ballet dancer has to start all over again every day. The most important thing is to set up and warm up the body correctly in the morning so that it is ready for rehearsal. And, let's say, today you dance "Spartacus", and tomorrow "Swan", and these are already different muscles, and everything needs to be rebuilt. For me, the most difficult thing is to set myself up in the morning. It's easy for me to go on stage and dance when I'm ready. But starting the day and setting yourself up right is a problem. But I try, I'm looking for the right ways.

- It is clear that the profession takes up almost all of your time. But still, if a window happens, what do you like, what are you fond of?

Lately I've fallen in love with opera. He began with Mussorgsky's Khovanshchina at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theater, then Gounod's Romeo and Juliet and Faust. I am interested in this, and I understand that it will help in my development. I began to feel music in a different way, my performance became more soulful, musical.

I love going to the Philharmonic, where wonderful conductors perform, including Yuri Khatuevich Temirkanov, who impressed me with his performance of Romeo and Juliet. He is truly a great conductor.

I go to the cinema sometimes. Recently I watched a film by Valery Todorovsky "Big". From the point of view of a person who is far from ballet and has never been in a rehearsal room, this might be interesting. But I looked differently and, to be honest, some things were funny to me, and some simply cannot be real. But I think the director's task was to show people that one should never despair, that there is always a chance and that one should strive for the realization of one's dream.

— A little about your future plans. Where will you go after Japan?

- After the performance in Japan, we will arrive in Moscow for the opening of the International Ballet Competition, which will be held at the Bolshoi Theater. And together with Svetlana Zakharova we will take part in a gala concert - we will perform a pas de deux from the ballet "Don Quixote". On June 24 we have the ballet "The Lady of the Camellias". Well, then - let's not guess yet.

From October 30 to November 4, 2016, the All-Russian competition of ballet dancers and choreographers was held in Moscow.

In 2013, the All-Union Competition of Ballet Dancers and Choreographers, which has always been held in the Concert Hall named after I.I. P.I. Tchaikovsky on the eve of the famous Moscow Competition. Now the stage of the Children's Musical Theater named after A.I. N.I. Sats, and the competition itself, with a two-year periodicity, focuses attention either on classical performers, or on a characteristic dance, or on the art of choreographers. This time the turn of academic dancers arrived, bringing to the fore the nomination "Ballet dancers". This is a kind of qualifying stage, preparing for the XIII Moscow International Competition of ballet dancers and choreographers, which is coming in June 2017.

In October, the 1st round of the All-Russian competition was held based on video recordings. Live screenings of the II and III rounds were evaluated by the jury chaired by Yuri Grigorovich. The composition includes the artistic directors of the Krasnoyarsk Opera and Ballet Theater - Sergey Bobrov, the Russian Ballet theaters - Vyacheslav Gordeev, the Kremlin Ballet - Andrey Petrov, the Tatar Opera and Ballet Theater - Vladimir Yakovlev, the Mari Opera and Ballet Theater - Konstantin Ivanov, teachers - Tutors of the Bolshoi Theater Yuri Vasyuchenko and Lyudmila Semenyaka, rectors of the Moscow State Academy of Choreography Marina Leonova and the Academy of Russian Ballet. AND I. Vaganova Nikolai Tsiskaridze, chief choreographers of the Moscow State Academy of Music. N.I. Sats - Vladimir Kirillov, Astrakhan Opera and Ballet Theater - Konstantin Uralsky. The executive secretary of the jury is the Director General of the International Federation of Ballet Competitions Sergey Usanov.

Competition jury chaired by Yuri Grigorovich

Twenty-nine contestants of the younger age category and thirty-five of the older one conceived to appear on the court of such numerous and authoritative arbitrators. Unfortunately, some of them, or rather, four, remained behind the scenes.

The participants of the younger group did not reach the professional standard. Angelina Sivtseva (Yakutsk) got lost in the finale of the Aurora variation from the ballet The Sleeping Beauty, Anna Grigorieva from Perm did not have time to put the movements into the musical tempo of the Aurora variation. Grigory Ikonnikov (Moscow) should continue the work on the release of the hull, showing good rotation. Muscovite Ilya Vladimirov, without thinking about the required positions of the head, in the variation from the ballet "Satanilla" did not complete the jete en tournan, the drawing of which was also far from ideal. Denis Belyaev (Voronezh) was surprised by the strange edition of the third part of Peter's variation ("Cavalry Halt"). However, these are not reproaches to the young artist, but rather to the teacher. A Muscovite Irina Zakharova, who gracefully performed a variation of "Butterfly" from Fokine's "Carnival", and Marina Korotchenkova from Voronezh, who turned to a variation of "Raymonda" edited by Konstantin Sergeev, made a good impression.

The “seniors” (aged 18 to 26) set a higher competitive bar, but professional competition has not intensified here either.

Denis Zakharov (1 prize) Photo by Igor Zakharkin

Irina Tochilshchikova from St. Petersburg barely coped with the variation of Kitri (ballet Don Quixote), Muscovite Lilia Zhernilskaya could not stand the test of Esmeralda's rhythmic releve (chorus N. Berezov). Modestly spinning and not meeting the music in the finale, Victoria Gorbacheva (Moscow) performed a variation of the Odalisque from Le Corsaire, she did not sharpen the lead for the variation of the Lady of the Dryads from Don Quixote. Out of the attention of Elizaveta Nazimova (Moscow) remained the game of foreshortenings in the variation from the ballet "Flower Festival in Genzano".

Failure befell experienced contestants - Muscovites Marat Nafikov, who made a mistake on the rotations of Franz's variation ("Coppelia"), and Saryal Afanasyev, who stumbled in Solor's variation ("La Bayadère"). "Little nuclear power plant" Nikita Ksenofontov tore passions and unnecessarily "troubled his face" in the image of Philip ("The Flames of Paris").

Despite several interesting works, the modern choreography as a whole left a very pitiful impression, presenting the jury with the problem of choosing from "cash".

Seventeen participants of the junior category and eighteen of the senior category reached the III round.

It is gratifying that dancers who pretend to be romantic princes have appeared at the competition. These are the tall, stately Astrakhan Artem Pugachev and the tall Muscovite Ivan Titov, who performed in the senior group, with beautiful legs, a flexible neat foot.

But, perhaps, the greatest positive emotions and hopes were caused by Denis Zakharov. A student of the Moscow Academy of Choreography, skillfully nurtured by teacher Denis Medvedev, he demonstrated good training, academic form and technical equipment in the variations of Jean de Brienne and Count Cherry, and in the number "On the way home" (music A. Schnittke, chor. R. Kotin ) is a convincing performance. There is an example of a skillful approach to the choice of repertoire, thoughtful work on its development and implementation of the student and mentor.

The competition was again not without confusion in authorship. A frank incident is a variation of the Shadow from La Bayadère attributed to Tchaikovsky. But flaws in attribution were revealed in the presentation, for example, of the variation of the Queen of the Waters, composed by Marius Petipa, and not at all by Arthur Saint-Leon, to the music of Minkus, not Punya. The music of the Franz variation belongs to E. Guiraud, and not to Leo Delibes, and the audience saw the Swanilda variation in the choreography of Gorsky, and not Saint-Leon. Well, justice requires, with all due respect to Petipa and his divertissement "Paquita", to name the author of the variation of the Confidante of Armida ("Pavilion of Armida" by N. Tcherepnin) Mikhail Fokin.

Yuri Kudryavtsev (2nd Prize) and Ekaterina Bulgutova (Partnership Prize). Photo by Igor Zakharkin

According to the results of the performances of the participants of the III round, the jury awarded the following prizes:

Junior group:

Girls:

1st Prize:

Osipyuk Arina (Moscow)

2nd Prize:

Egorova Diana (Voronezh)

Klyavlina Ekaterina (Moscow)

3rd Prize:

Grigorieva Anna (Perm)

Lazareva Alesya (Moscow)

Diplomas:

Platonova Anastasia (Yakutsk)

Gracheva Galina (Voronezh)

Zakharova Irina (Voronezh)

Awards for participation in the final:

Borisova Alina (Moscow)

Korotchenkova Marina (Voronezh)

Boys:

1st Prize:

Zakharov Denis (Moscow)

2nd Prize:

Vladimirov Ilya (Moscow)

3rd Prize

Ikonnikov Grigory (Moscow)

Diplomas:

Efimov Aital (Moscow)

Belyaev Denis (Voronezh)

Rogov Nikita (Yakutsk)

Senior group:

Women:

1st Prize:

Khabinets Xenia (Moscow)

Markova Anna (Moscow)

2nd Prize:

Kaicheva Alina (Moscow)

Serova Varvara (Moscow)

3rd Prize:

Beck Maria (Moscow)

Baibaeva Ekaterina (Yoshkar-Ola)

Diplomas:

Fedotova Venus (Yakutsk)

Mulyukina Vita (Rostov-on-Don)

Nazimova Elizaveta (Moscow)

Men:

1st Prize:

Ksenofontov Nikita (Novosibirsk)

Afanasiev Saryal (Moscow)

2nd Prize:

Yury Kudryavtsev (Krasnoyarsk)

Titov Ivan (Moscow)

3rd Prize:

Nafikov Marat (Moscow)

Pugachev Artem (Astrakhan)

Diplomas:

Khomushku Subudai (Moscow)

Kalmykov Sergey (Krasnodar)

Arefiev Mstislav (Moscow)

Special awards:

"For the successful preparation of the participant of the competition"

Medvedev Denis (Moscow) - junior group

Bogoroditskaya Zhanna (Moscow) – senior group

"For partnership" - Ekaterina Bulgutova (Krasnoyarsk)

"For the best choreography" - Ivanov Nikita (Moscow), Pegarev Vyacheslav (Moscow), Madan Nina (Moscow)

Ballet is one of the most subtle forms of art, bewitching and enchanting. To achieve the highest skill, you need to go through a long and difficult path of learning. The TASS correspondent was told about how future world ballet stars are brought up in one of the most prestigious schools in the world, the Moscow State Academy of Choreography.

Special attention is now being paid to the work of the educational institution: 2018 is dedicated to Russian ballet and personally to Marius Petipa.

The Academy, which is celebrating its 245th anniversary this year, hid in the yards on Frunzenskaya Street. There is a lot of light and air inside, large windows, spacious corridors. In the hall, the soloist of the Bolshoi Theater of Russia, a teacher of classical dance and stage repertoire Denis Medvedev is studying with a third-year student, 18-year-old Denis Zakharov. "Higher, up!" - now and then the teacher commands.

The rise at the academy is scheduled at 7:30 in the morning, classes begin at 9:00 and continue until late in the evening. Sometimes a day, pupils who live right there in the hostel may have several dance lessons. Before lunch - always some kind of general education subject.

Denis Zakharov has almost no ordinary school lessons left. “Since I am in my third year and we have already passed almost all the subjects, some of them have been eliminated. It has become much easier to study. But in terms of professional practice and workload, it seems to me, it is getting bigger,” says Denis Zakharov.

How to enter the academy

Denis came to Moscow from Ufa at the age of 14. "I did not think about the difficulties that await me. I had a goal: I came to study, to make my dream come true."

In his hometown, Denis went to the Rudolf Nureyev College, where he met Yuri Petrovich Burlaka, who is the chief choreographer of the Samara Opera and Ballet Theater, and in 2009-2011 was the artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet Company.

"When I met him, I immediately felt that this is a different world. He teaches what I need, what I lack ... It's like trying the Alpine fresh air after Moscow," says Denis. It was Burlaka who advised the young man to go to Moscow, to learn "power, strength, charisma, what you need ... to dance like world stars."

Denis strives to be the best. He won the Grand Prix and the first prizes of various ballet competitions, and this year he got the opportunity to perform at the Bolshoi Theater (by the way, on the Historical Stage) the role of the Blue Bird in the ballet Sleeping Beauty.

“In order to achieve good results, you need to give all your best not even 100, but 200 percent ... Therefore, children who go to enter such a professional school should already be a little prepared,” says Denis Medvedev, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation. According to the teacher, it is necessary to do gymnastics or attend special classes from a very early age.

They can also prepare for admission within the walls of the academy. Preparatory classes are provided for children from the age of six. You can enter at the age of ten, then it's too late. The academy has a selection committee that selects students in three rounds. “In the first round, they look at the appearance, flexibility, natural data, evaluate the rises, the step, whether [the child] looks sad, cheerful, cheerful,” says the teacher.

The second stage is the medical examination. The child must have a healthy heart, and, of course, no breathing problems and other diseases that may interfere with the profession.

Those who successfully passed both rounds are allowed to the final stage, where it is necessary to perform a small piece, a fragment of the dance. "They just watch how the child feels in the dance," Medvedev comments.

How to raise a star

Such close attention to the health of children is paid for a reason. The ballet profession, according to Medvedev, is one of the most difficult, both physically and psychologically. At the academy, from a very young age, students are taught to work. "Already from the first grade, certain burdens are placed on children. At first it seems that everything is easy, but when training begins, it becomes more and more difficult for children. You need to twist your legs, it's very unusual. Here everything is the other way around, everything is so uncomfortable," says Medvedev.

Between the teacher and the student in ballet there should be the thinnest connection. "That's the job of an educator - to get kids and force them to be interested in trying, and when they see that they succeed, they begin to feel differently," he says.

In the practice of the soloist of the Bolshoi Theater, there were moments when students turned to him for help if they were disappointed in themselves. Medvedev believes that the teacher's task is to support the student, to see positive qualities in him, to appreciate everything that he has in the child. "I really appreciate when there is mutual understanding. Such a relationship, creative harmony between the student and the teacher should be present."

Beautiful people

The age of a ballet dancer is short, but, according to Medvedev, it is worth it. "This is an incredibly interesting profession. You need to be in love with it. Art opens up such open spaces: wonderful tours, you can see the whole world; a huge circle of acquaintances, people, fans," he added.

One of the most important tasks of the academy is to preserve and popularize the classical ballet heritage, support young talents and develop creative ties with schools in Russia and foreign countries. Its graduates today lead the leading troupes in Russia, for example, the Mari and Krasnoyarsk Opera and Ballet Theaters, the St. Petersburg Academy of Russian Ballet. They also work abroad: in New York, San Francisco, Berlin, Florence and Paris.

Kadriya Sadykova, Olga Svistunova