Product Details

• Actors: Vaganova Ballet Academy
• Directors: Altynay Asylmuratova , Vladimir Issaev
• Format: NTSC
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: G (General Audience)
• Studio: Vaganova Ballet Academy
• DVD Release Date: August 1, 2006
• Run Time: 70 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000O770D4
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #58,544 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

About the Director
Vladimir Issaev, Artistic Director of Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida

Product Description
Vladimir Issaev, Choreographer and Ballet Master proudly presents this first DVD of The Vaganova Ballet Academy, featuring an authentic Vaganova Ballet Class at the prestigious Vaganova Ballet Academy of Saint Petersburg, Russia. Artistic Director, Mme. Altynay Asylmuratova, formerly prima ballerina of the Mariinsky Ballet (Kirov) introduces the class by highlighting the strong influence that Ballet Mistress Agrippina Vaganova produced in the Dance Method by the greatest dancers in Ballet History. The class is performed in the classroom where Agrippina Vaganova taught and Marius Petipa created his most magnificent ballets.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Lovely demonstration...but not a class, December 18, 2007

By	Natalia Olivera - See all my reviews

"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.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Vagonova training still the best in the 21st century, June 27, 2007

By	Rosemary Frost (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vaganova Ballet Classes, November 10, 2007

By	L. Ballard (U.K.) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.