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Home , Bolshoi Ballet, Bolshoi Theatre, Ekaterina Maximova, Galina Ulanova, Gayane (ballet), Leonid Lavrovsky

ave maria university presents One Aim/One Vision: The Bolshoi in Still Photography

March 27-May 9, 2010

m Marc Haegeman

We want to express our special thanks to the following people for their contributions:

Anatoly Iksanov, Director General of the , and the principal dancers featured in this exhibit, for their express permission to use the photographic material.

Dr. Lylas Rommel, Associate Professor of Literature at AMU, for providing content on the and the Bolshoi Theatre.

Ave Maria University Friends of the Arts, for their continuing support of our exhibit programs. History of the Bolshoi Theatre

Ballet was introduced into from France around After World War II the company gained in reputation 1738 in St. Petersburg. In 1773, and artistry with the arrival from the Kirov of Galina established the Ballet School, made up of Ulanova and the choreographer . students taken from the Moscow Orphanage. Although Lavrovsky brought his ballet Romeo and Juliet (1940) technique derived from that of European models, the to the Bolshoi and served as chief choreographer style of ballet instruction was soon affected by Russian from 1944-1956 and again from 1960-1964. His major folk dancing, making Moscow ballet a distinctive contributions to the company were stagings of form. and and new productions such as The Red Founded as a private institution in Moscow around Poppy (1949) to music by Gliere and The Stone Flower 1776 by Prince Urusov and the Englishman Michael (1954) to music by Prokofiev. In 1964 he was appointed Maddox, the Bolshoi Theatre gradually became a as director of the School. company of 155 dancers by 1850. Although the Maryinsky is considered one of the greatest of Theatre in St. Petersburg artists. She was the site of most of the excelled in interpretive creative work produced sensitivity, musicality and in Russia during the 19th psychological exploration century, the Bolshoi did of character. She followed serve as debut theatre for Lavrovsky to the Bolshoi several important : in order to develop new ’s ballet roles. When the (1869) and an early version Bolshoi came to the West of Tchaikovsky’s for the first time in 1956, choreographed by Julius Ulanova captivated critics Reisinger (1877). In contrast through her interpretations to the classical tradition of the Soviet choreography. developing at the Maryinsky, She was responsible, as the Bolshoi (meaning “big” in Bolshoi Theatre m Marc Haegeman teacher, for the many great Russian) distinguished itself ballerinas who followed by folk dancing, comedy, pantomime and melodrama. her: Nina Timofeyeva, , Ludmila By 1882 the status of the Bolshoi had diminished and Semenyaka and Nina Semizorova. the size of the company had been cut in half. Next to Ulanova in fame is , who One effect of the was the return debuted in 1945. She created leading roles in Igor of the capital from St. Petersburg to Moscow. As a Moiseyev’s (1958) and Yuri Grigorovich’s The result, the Bolshoi Theatre grew in status as Russia’s of Love (1965). She later became a successful premier . The Maryinsky, now known as choreographer, producing most famously the ballet the Kirov, continued its tradition of classical purism and Anna Karenina (1972). After the demise of the Soviet maintained its huge repertoire inherited from Marius Union, she became director of several Western Petipa and other great 19th century choreographers. At companies. the Bolshoi, however, Soviet leaders encouraged a new The style of Bolshoi dancing fits its name: big. style of choreography: Soviet Realism. At the same Choreographers developed spectacular, gravity- time, new interest in dramatic and more impressionistic defying lifts in ; themes tended to the styles of derived from Isadora Duncan’s spectacular as well. After the collapse of the Soviet influence; the choreography of the Diaghilev dancers Union, however, the Bolshoi fell upon hard times. and Vaslav Nijinsky also influenced Now dependent on the marketplace for its income, the direction of dance at the Bolshoi. Alexander the company was unable to survive the crisis. The last Gorsky guided the company during the critical years Soviet director, Grigorovich, who was responsible for of transition from to Soviet state blockbuster ballets like (1975) and (1900-1924). Among other things, Gorsky reorganized The Golden Age (1982) and male dancers like Vladimir the company, commissioned new ballets with Soviet Vasiliev, Maris Liepa, Viacheslav Gordeyev and Irek themes and encouraged an intensely dramatic style. Mukhmamedov, failed. He was ousted, standards Among the ballets created for the Bolshoi were The fell, and creative output waned. Few ballets were Red Poppy, later renamed The Red Flower, by Vasily commissioned. In 1995 Vladimir Vasiliev took over Tikhomirov (1927); Gayane by Vasily Vainonen (1930); command of the company and staged new productions and of Bakhchisarai (1934) and Taras Bulba of Swan Lake and Giselle as well as ballets by Western (1941) by Rostislav Zakharov. For the first part of World choreographers and commissioned new choreography War II the company was relocated at Kuibyshev, but it for the company. The Bolshoi Theatre is gradually returned in 1943 with a production of Zakharov’s ballet, returning to the reputation it had during most of the , with music by Serge Prokofiev. 20th century. Styles of Ballet

Dance is the oldest of the arts since movement; is not as necessary as it is in other styles of ballet. grounded in breath and heartbeat, it precedes The danger of such a style is pressure on the Achilles everything else. Ballet as a formal style of movement tendon. The French style is also distinguished by the does not begin until the Renaissance, as part of court perfection of balance, of the finish of steps, of extreme entertainment. Imported to France from Italy, ballet articulation of positions like passé, attitudes, etc. and became an important new form of art under the of the general lightness and quickness of movement. patronage of Louis XIV. From there it travelled to the The Cecchetti style was developed by Enrico courts of other western countries and to Russia. Each Cecchetti when he taught at the school of the Russian of these countries would Imperial Theatre between influence the development of 1892 and 1902. His method of steps, and their performance teaching was incorporated as ballet increased its into the style used by the vocabulary and meaning. Royal Academy of Dancing There are three main styles in England. It differs from the of ballet: French, Cecchetti, French in a much less rigorous and Russian. Each of these emphasis on turnout. Thus, styles has its own history, the point of gravity is slightly but all three derive from lower and the torso becomes the original development slightly more fixed in relation of steps and of syntax in to the movement of arms and putting the steps together legs. The style fits more body into dances. Ballet steps types than that of the French have many sources, from the or the Russian, so more positions found in fencing, people can learn to dance for example, to imitations of through it. Because of the popular dance movements, to less strenuous turnout, the inventions by ballet teachers style creates problems with and choreographers. Based balance and with extreme on the turnout of the legs precision of steps. In jumps, in fencing, ballet movement the Cecchetti style requires a enables dancers to move strong plie to establish ballon, forward, back and sideways the buoyancy necessary to in graceful and easy ways. maintain lightness. Because of the turnout, the The Russian style derives dancer’s weight is shifted from one of Cecchetti’s forward, causing the point of students, , gravity to shift from near the Swan Lake m Marc Haegeman who stayed in Russia after waist to the chest, a situation the Revolution. She based her that allows the upper torso to function as a central axis revision of Cecchetti and earlier Russian technique from which the legs and arms are free to move in any on principles of anatomy and physiology and set direction. The suppleness that such a position affords physical standards for students being accepted into does not change among the three major styles. ballet schools. Thus, only students whose bodies In addition, all three styles build on the same basic corresponded to the physiological requirements for structure of movement. The essential principles of the Russian style could study ballet. The style makes are the five positions of the feet, the ten use of a different relationship of the hip to the back movements of the foot (from flat to lifted completely in the process of turnout. Like the French style, the off the ground), the turnout, the three positions of the Russian turnout pitches the point of gravity more hand, the five positions of the arms, the theory ofport de forward than in the Cecchetti style, thereby allowing bras (the carriage of the arms), the types of arabesque, for greater precision in the performance of steps, but the seven movements in dancing (to bend, to stretch, because the requirements of anatomy are different, to rise, to slide, to jump, to dart and to turn), and finally the turnout alone is not the main focus of the style. the eight directions of the body. Each style of ballet There are many differences in the performance of the will interpret these elements slightly differently. basic movements of ballet that depend on the natural The French style puts emphasis on extreme turnout, physiology of the dancer. Thus, the Russian style is which causes the point of gravity to move higher in the characterized by precision, but it is also comfortable chest, and on lightness in jumping through a limited for dancers whose bodies conform to the demands of use of plie (bending of the knees to enable the jump). the style. In addition, the Russian style uses different Because the point of gravity is pushed to an extreme port de bras, arabesques and directions of the body the movement through the foot in an extended plie from the other styles. Marc Haegeman: for the Love of Ballet

In Marc Haegeman’s photos we view one art form from a central position or from off-center, as some ballets through another: the art of ballet through the art of follow diagonal patterns of movement across the stage. “I photography. His photographs are not of poses but of relish the challenge of shooting ballet and dancers, much real performance moments. His challenge is to capture like I find it challenging to shoot a Gothic cathedral or a the technical precision, emotional power and timeless landscape in autumn colors. All things I find valuable and grace of ballet without affecting the performance itself. that is what I want to capture somehow.” He must master He aims to catch the dancers’ artistic and physical his camera blindly to quickly adjust to the ever-changing prowess in a way that is lighting and scenes, often pleasing to the eye and causes while in near-total darkness an emotional impact. Together himself. He must know the the photographer and dancers choreography and music well create another art form that to predict exactly when to reveals the beauty of ballet press the shutter. Haegeman to audiences beyond the prefers not to use a motorized theater. sequence of shots to select Haegeman travels from his from at a later time; rather, native Belgium to venues he prepares extensively in different countries to for the perfect shot, then photograph and review ballets, triggers maximum two in rapid often by invitation or as a succession so as not to catch a commissioned photographer. Novodevichy Monastery, Moscow m Marc Haegeman dancer with eyes closed. The He shoots general rehearsals, sound a camera makes could premieres and performances only when dancers are distract the dancers, so Haegeman has created devices in full costume and makeup. Even when dealing with to muffle it. He uses several cameras; a Nikon D90, a 12.3 familiar performers, Haegeman asks permission to shoot megapixel, 4.5 fps semi-professional camera, is used in a rehearsal and always speaks with them before taking the theater as it is quieter than the similar D200 or D300 photographs. Rehearsals can be hectic and may keep he uses for landscape or architectural photos, but with him in the theatre from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Haegeman has the proper lenses, like the 20-200mm f/2.8, the results thus spent long hours with performers in many countries. are totally satisfactory. “Settings change all the time He has, however, established a close relationship with during ballet: aperture, shutter speed, white balance… the Bolshoi Theatre and has known many of the Bolshoi Just one rule: everything has to be set on manual— dancers for several years. He has become accustomed nothing automatic except the autofocus—because you to their personalities, watching them grow and develop continually need to adjust according to the situation. much like a family member would, yet he is still in awe Digital photography allows for many adjustments to be of their energy and radiance. The dancers have become done after the raw data is captured. One can still adjust comfortable with him and he is welcomed during intimate the white balance or apply a number of other techniques rehearsals, when they are learning and vulnerable. that were once done in the darkroom; but the raw data, Haegeman feels privileged to be there; for the dancers the original photo, must be correct.” it is special to have a photographer as dedicated and Marc Haegeman has a degree in history from the passionate about dance as he is. He documents their University of Gent (Belgium). In addition to his performance for history and provides them with photography, he is also a web designer and writer. photographs for their personal records. He is a European correspondent for DanceView and Some comments from the Bolshoi artists about Marc Danceviewtimes and writes the Russian Profile inDance Haegeman and his work: International. His reviews, features and interviews have “…you know really many, many things about ballet and been published in The Dancing Times, Dance Now, you really love this art, so you know how to capture the Ballet2000, Brolga, Ballet Magazine, and Nezavisimaya most beautiful poses, but what’s more, on your pictures Gazeta. He contributes to dance journals worldwide, we always look good.” to souvenir program books of Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet and several websites, including the personal webpages “…you’re not shooting only beautiful poses and of Russian dancers Svetlana Zakharova, , compositions; you are trying to catch the emotions and Daria Pavlenko, and Dmitry Gudanov, the energy that we express.” among others. His photos illustrate the book by Isis “…Your photos inspire me and push me to explore and Wirth Despues de Giselle. Estética y Ballet en el siglo deepen my work on my role.” XXI (Valencia, 2007). Haegeman confronts the technical challenges of still Marc Haegeman photographs, writes about and shares photography the moment he steps foot into the theater. with the world his passion for ballet—as only a ballet lover Depending on the type of performance, he may be granted can. For more information about the artist and his work, access to restricted areas or assigned a location. The please visit http://www.for-ballet-lovers-only.com choice of placement is important: knowing when to shoot Jennifer Nodes, exhibit curator, Rare Books and Special Collections.