Haglund's Heel: Mariinsky interviews – Part, Kondaurova, Makarova, others

Buddy, a frequent poster over on the Critical Dance forum, discovered a section of the Mariinsky's website that contains many interviews with artists, including a recent one with Veronika Part. It is a translation to the English, and a reader always has to take this type of translation with the realization that, while it may be literal, it also may not convey the intended spirit of the conversation. (Haglund has observed that readers sometimes translate this blog via Google into Chinese, Spanish, French, and yes, Arabic, and is sure that such translations never quite catch all of his unique applications of the English language.)

So, here is the link to the English translation that contains some very interesting items.

On the subject of coaching, Veronika credits Irina Kolpakova with helping her to retain her Russian style and speaks favorably of Kolpakova's accomplishments in defining the ABT dancers' epaulement.

On the subject of partners:

Which of your partners was it most interesting to dance with in the West?
It’s a short list, as I have had few great partners as soloists. Most frequently I dance with Marcelo Gomes and less frequently with David Hallberg. He’s tall and ductile, he finds it hard to dance with me because I am also tall and have long arms and long legs. But with Marcelo everything is always fine. He is a great partner. Without fault he performs all the most difficult supports, and in his arms I feel almost weightless. I am always confident with him, and in dance that freedom always shines through.

Haglund has opined previously that Hallberg is deficient in upper body strength and needs to spend more time bulking up in the weight room. But if he can accomplish a world class career without having to do that, why should he make the effort? And if he can make it management's problem to find him appropriate guest partners who he can actually lift, why should he make the effort to strengthen his upper body? Answer: Because the partners who can make him into a legendary Siegfried and Albrecht are Part and Abrera, respectively, both of whom are extremely long-limbed. Osipova and Semionova are going to do nothing for him - except be easy to lift.)

Veronika considers Ratmansky's new Nutcracker the hardest thing she's ever danced.

Note on this Mariinsky page that there are also English translations of interviews with Yekaterina Kondaurova and Natalia Makarova – both worth reading.

Edit: Here are links to some pictures from Veronika's recent performance in Swan Lake at the Mariinsky with Danila Korsuntsev as Siegfried:

http://data14.gallery.ru/albums/gallery/80959--41006197-m750x740-u68f72.jpg

http://data14.gallery.ru/albums/gallery/80959--41006195-m750x740-u10c92.jpg

http://data14.gallery.ru/albums/gallery/80959--40985175-m750x740-ua1616.jpg

http://data14.gallery.ru/albums/gallery/80959--41006194-m750x740-ueb962.jpg