Customer Reviews

Vaganova Ballet Classes

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Vaganova Ballet Classes" presents a demonstration of classical enchainements (step-sequences or small dances) by the legendary dance pedagogue of the early-20th century, Agrippina Vaganova. In about 25 minutes, female students of the June 2004 graduation classes of St. Petersburg, Russia's, famous Vaganova Ballet Academy, perform the sequences in practice clothes, to a small audience of professors who grade them. The pupils dance in the famous balconied hall in which Marius Petipa created famous ballets, such as 'Sleeping Beauty' and 'Raymonda.' The dances are acccompanied by a solo pianist. All sequences are introduced by the current head of the Academy, former ballerina Altynai Assylmuratova, who also presents a short history of the academy at the start of the DVD.

This DVD is a delight for people with a special interest in the Russian ballet style, as it affords an unusual look into the cradle of Russian classical ballet. However, the buyer should be aware that it is but a demonstration. This is not a class; there are no barre exercises or regular center work. There are no male students.

It is a shame that the performing students were not named, as they include now-famous soloists Julia Bolshakova (of the Kirov), Olga Yesina (ex-Kirov, now Vienna) and others.

It should also be noted that the final ten minutes of this already-too-brief DVD are taken by a very grainy film of the 'Diana & Acteon pdd' performed by Terekhova/Berezhnoi that most ballet-film collectors already have -- in far clearer resolution -- from the VHS or DVD titled "Kirov Classic Ballet Night."

In sum: A nice DVD for the Russian-ballet specialist who cannot get enough of his/her favorite company and associated academy...yet a disappointment for the buyer who expects to see a typical Vaganova-technique class with barre and center exercises.

It is not often possible to find footage of students of the Vaganove Academy in class and this DVD deserves a place on the shelf of all teachers, students and lovers of classical ballet. The selected exercises show the quality of this training especially the wonderful training of the back and port de bras.The selected sequences demonstrate beauty of line and flow of movement without extending to any complex virtuosity - for example the girls do not show fouette rond de jambes nor is there any grand allegro.
The DVD is limited to senior girls work and shows no barre work nor does it include any male dancers which is a shame!
let us hope a 2nd DVD will rectify this!

This DVD was recorded in 2004 to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the birth of Agrippina Vaganova, one of the world's greatest ballet teachers. I like this DVD because the emphasis is on the dancing and not the commentary. Altnai Asymuratnova, artistic director of the Vaganova Ballet Academy gives a short informative introduction (in Russian with English sub-titles) which is followed by 2 adagios, 10 short alegros and pointe work combinations danced by senior students of this famous Russian academy. The coordination, technique and beauty of movement is a fitting tribute to this classical dance method. Vaganova's classes have been recreated with reference to Vaganova's book "Fundamentals of the Classical Dance" (published 1934) as well as the notation bequeathed to the Academy by one of Vaganova's pupils Anastasia Sokalova. Extracts of the Academy's 2004 examination classes are shown which demonstrate how up-to-date the Vaganova combinations are and why the method is still used today. Finally there is an old recording of the pas de deux "Diana and Acteon" choreographed by Vaganova in 1935 for the ballet Esmeralda and danced by Tatiana Terekova. Obviously the film quality of this pas de deux is not particularly good but the dancing is superb. I think this DVD would be enjoyed by all ballet lovers.

I have books that list combinations from the Vaganova methodologies, but it was a real treat to see these pure Vaganova combinations performed by the top class at the Vaganova Ballet Academy. The dancers were beautiful. I have studied the Vaganova style pedagogically and have had many ballet teachers who were strictly Vaganova, but each teacher adds their own ideas and changes things, so it was great to see Vaganova's actual work so many years later. She had a student who was meticulous about writing down combinations that she gave her classes, and based on her writings, they reconstructed these combinations. I was surprised at how different each combination was and the variety of steps she included in each combination. The adagio exercises, for example, had many petit allegro steps in it that I would have never thought to put in an Adagio. I was surprised at how long the adagios were as well. It includes technique and pointe combinations and as another treat, they show some work from the top level's exam classes today. You can only learn so much about a ballet technique from a book... the visual this DVD provides is a great way to bring to life this classic style from the past.

Great DVD if you are interested in Vaganova technique or simple want to enjoy wonderful students from the Vaganova Academy St. Petersburg dancing!

If all balletdancers would have been trained in her method in St. Petersburg, the world would be full of the greatest dancers.

I was disappointed because is a burned DVD not a professional DVD. I don't mind but 30 bucks for a DVD-R not a real DVD seems too much. About the content is interesting the training but isn't a class with coherent progression is just combinations in random order with out a clear explanation where the training is trying to go.