Tell us about your dance studies
I studied in the famous Bolshoi Ballet Academy. I was far away from being the best student. More the opposite, in my second year of study I managed to be the only one in three classes to get expelled from the Academy!
They took me back after my mother wrote a letter to the Director of the Academy.
Till now I still do not know what was written in this letter.
But the most important thing is that I could continue my studies.
Towards the end of my education I started to get better results and my only best note I got after 8 years of study was on the final exam in my last year at the Academy.
So it was really not easy ,never… But it was a good school of life as well, it builds the character. The Character is very important in our job, as M.Plisetskaya used to say:
Character is a destiny.
Tell us about your experience in Wiener Staatsballett
Manuel Legris invited me to join Wiener Staatsballett in 2010, when he was appointed as a new Ballet Director.
I was promoted as Principal Dancer in the end of my first season on stage after the Nureyev Gala Performance. That evening I was performing Black Swan Pas de Deux R.Nureyev’s Version ,“In the Night“ 2nd Pas de Deux J.Robbins and Don Quixote Grand Pas R.Nureyev‘s version.
So it was a challenging evening for me!
Like in every theater/company I had my “up&down”. Moments of success, joy, happiness, great appreciation and moments of disappointments, sadness, injuries, difficulties. But is really important, even if difficult, to keep going in both situations (without loosing your dignity and quality). Always keep growing and developing, working on yourself no matter if you are in your “down” or “up” moment.
Tell us about your experiences as a guest soloist in other dance theaters
I really love to guest in other companies/theaters .
It gives you so much , it enriches you. You can learn so much, and share with others what you have.
I think from each company, each new production/choreography, coach you can learn and take something for yourself. To do always the same thing would be very boring for me, I would feel like a machine, like in a fabric…
Which repertoire you most like?
I love mix repertoire with a good balance between the classical ballets, which are very important for me and the contemporary-modern works which are developing me and opening new facets in me, breaking my own limits.
Which role will always stay in your heart?
Well each role I would work on it. Either it comes and stays in my heart or i can not dance it…
I like dramatical roles very much. It is much better to have drama on stage ,then in Life!
For example: Giselle(Giselle) ,Nikiya (La Bayadere ) Margeurite( Margeurite and Armand Chor.Sie Fr. Ashton)
Describe us your normal day of work
Well it is a routine of getting up having breakfast, and going to take class.
I am doing a muscle training on top of my work and gyrotonic, and from time to time working with my personal coach, so I combine that with my daily ballet-routine.
I am working out either before training or between/after my rehearsals, depends of my schedule and performances. So after training are starting the official rehearsals, sometimes just me alone, or me and my partner with the coach, or runthrough with the company, when it gets closer to the show.
When the official rehearsals are finished I am working with my teacher, with whom I work for almost 14 years already, Brigitte Stadler. She was Prima Ballerina in the Wiener Staatsoper/Staatsballett and danced with R.Nureyev for the first time when she was 18 with Swan lake! After that many other roles. He was the one who choose to dance with her and who pushed her and her career when she was still very young . She worked with great choreographers and danced with the greatest partners like Charles Jude, Irek Mukhamedov, Manuel Legris ,Vladimir Malakhov and so on .
I am very lucky to have such a legendary person working with me and preparing all my roles and performances with me, who can help me with the technical things and as well as with the small details ,which are sometimes very-very important, and of course she helps me to find my own artistic interpretation for each role.
Oh I think I forgot to mention that still manage to take some food!! By the way I have no diet, and I like to have a good dinners.
After work I go home and even if sometimes I have to think about some parts of roles that I am dancing, specially when they are new and I am just learning them. But most of the time I NEED/LOVE to switch off completely from my job. I need this recharge to keep on going .
Through out the years, how do you see the dance world evolving?
I think it is developing a lot , new choreographers, new choreographies, new technical elements, dancers themselves are evolving.
I love to watch and take something for myself , but just take and never copy.
Life is changing and we are changing with it.
Which advice would you give to young dancers?
Difficult to say because it’s always “easy” to give the advices …
But one thing I know for sure , As I said before …
This job is very beautiful, wonderful… But behind that there is a lot of hard work ,disappointments, ups&downs, challenges and you have to learn to overcome difficulties.
A part the Talent, the good possibilities, you definitely need a strong character. If you really love to dance, you have talent and you are ready to do all for this, then never give up, no matters what happens!
If you really want, you will find the way, your way to succeed. Never wait for someone else to do it …This is very wrong. You should show at first all what you can do and then you will see it will work.
It could take time and it could be not an easy ,but in the end you will be happy and when you go on the stage, you will do that you could manage to do what you really love the most.
What are you doing when you are not working?
I love travelling, exploring new places, new cities. I love the sea breeze and to swim in sea or in the lake. I love nature, is the best to recharge.
I also love music so much , classical concerts and specially operas are my big passion! I love drama theater ,museums ,arts, visiting new exhibitions and beautiful historical places. It all inspires me .
Of course I like to meet friends and specially people who are dear to me .
Depends to my physical and mental conditions, but sometimes I just read a book in the garden and feels like heaven!
Photo: Ken Browar and Deborah Ory
