4/5 Yulia Stepanova - Aegina from Spartacus III act

Fragment of III act of ballet Spartacus. Courtesan Aegina, favourite of Crassus', seduces and betrays young gladiator Harmodius.
Cast:
Aegina - Yulia Stepanova
Harmodius - Alexander Sergeyev
Yulia Stepanova was 3rd cast Aegina in Spartacus premiere in July 2010. She danced it one year after her graduation and she's the youngest Aegina in Mariinsky. In one Russian review she was described as great surprise among all female leads, since she showed herself as strong technician and sensible actress and who gave Aegina modern touch. Video I show is Yulia's 3rd performance, recorded 16 of January 2011, which was dedicated to Askold Makarov, who performed the role of Spartacus in 1960s.
Music: Aram Khachaturian
Choreography: Leonid Yakobson

[@Pearlaceous]

This *is* the art of interpretation - Stepanova has the rare ability to express the music by dancing throughout every inch of her body. She is gifted with great physical beauty and plasticity which she uses entirely instinctively at the service of the choreography - her body creates wonderfully beautiful successions of shapes seemingly effortlessly. Sergeyev/Harmodius never stood a chance - I should think every man in the audience was completely memerized!

[@TheBallet1]

she has the ability to completely captivate. i so admire her fluidity of movement, her artistry, her beauty.. i wish for Yulia Stepanova to keep shining... i pray for her success x

[@mariinskyfan]

Watching these again...even better the second time around. She is just so fabulous!!

[@Bnesque]

You described the greatness of her Aegina beautifully! I can only add that her physical ability gives enormous fluidity to complicated Leonid Yakobson choreography and allow her acting to have Stanislavskian realism. She's a rare treasure of Russian ballet!!!!!

[@looovecats]

I feel exactly the same! The more I watch it the more I love it. She's so addicting.

[@maya613]

I love them both. I feel he is underrated. She is wonderful in everything I have seen her in(here on youtube) where she is available to us, in the US).