OLGA SMIRNOVA - ALWAYS A STAR? - Her Vaganova journey.

[@sibylleacatos]

Love this beautiful dancer ( who doesn't) always a joy to watch in anything she does ...kudo to her fior leaving her country when she did so glad she's is in Dutch national now ..Wishing her many years of beautiful dancing .thank you Olga 🙏

[@9031336771]

Уехала из Большого театра танцевать в маленький провинциальный театр, нечем гордиться.

[@iskander21024]

What a treat! Olga is fantastic! And you are fantastic too! Thanks a lot!

[@DCMRodrigues]

I admire Olga. She is a great dancer, a hard worker, and a true artist! I enjoy watching her videos as inspiration for my dance practice. Thanks for sharing your analysis!

[@lollylula6399]

When I first saw Olga Smirnova, online unfortunately not live, I found her to be technically great but her performances came over as cold and as though you could perceive her thinking which added to her coming across as somehow contained/repressed. I kept watching her because she was often paired with one of my all time favourites - Semyon Chudin :) Over the years, for me, as she matured her performances retained the quality of consideration in movement but she no longer seemed to be so over preoccupied with thinking and she lost that cold contained feeling. Instead her performances took on a very refined, elegant, sophisticated feeling which I very much enjoy. My admiration and affection for her have grown massively over the years. Her partnership with Chudin is one of my favourite partnerships, I so wish I could have seen them perform live together. Their Diamonds PDD is probably my favourite version. I really enjoy your content, Thank you!

[@cynthiafletcher9845]

Her "Diamonds" is beautiful!!❤ I have seen it live with Churdin: unforgettable.

[@lollylula6399]

@@cynthiafletcher9845 Oh wonderful! You're so fortunate 🤍💎

[@simonaperez1475]

Красота гор мне кажется холодной, но она так будоражит, хочется на них смотреть и смотреть. Что такое холодность? Как не стремление к вершине, где воля, страсть и рассудок сплелись в единое..

[@lollylula6399]

@@simonaperez1475 Your words are beautiful, I hope you don't mind me sharing the English translation - "The beauty of the mountains seems cold to me, but it excites me so much, I want to look at them and look at them. What is coldness? If not the desire for the top, where will, passion and reason are intertwined into one..."

[@cynthiafletcher9845]

@@lollylula6399 Very beautiful poetic words. Olga is a diamond. 💎 Aside from having the technique and skills to dance this difficult ballet, a dancer is to maintain a serious, rather cerebral expression rather than smile. Olga is apparently very emotional especially when it comes to conflicts. Also, your English is fine. ❤❤❤

[@elisek1067]

Beautiful and amazing Olga!!!

[@Lapidu18]

I watched an interview and Olga Is a really Deep Person, that give a lot of importance to the values, and to the Truth.. She has definetively an aurea and she Is brave..changed like She did Is a big deal

[@AP-qt9cp]

Her Black Swan pa-de-de just amazing, she is Magnificent.!

[@yunsuuu]

Your comment at the end on Kovaleva and the Vaganova Method reminds me of what she said in her interview, "Teasing out a student’s individuality - even a deeply hidden one - is extremely important to me. Achieving the ultimate revelation of the individual is very interesting. How can it not be?".. Really curious to hear what Kovaleva said to get into a role and a student's individuality and soul! And I can hear your joy in being able to connect your passion and heart and soul to your movements and technique! Thank you for the run through it's very informative for a layperson like me! Olga had a very regal look on her face and neck from a very young age

[@yunsuuu]

Kovaleva also said in the interview that "I would not suffer despondency and sloppiness, although sloppiness can be dealt with. Dejection, on the other hand, is a terrible thing. As is a lack of faith in the teacher or oneself. One must always have faith!" She seems like such an inspiring teacher and person and a wonder to learn from and connect with

[@judithcastrorosas3675]

Would be great an interview with Olga someday! 🤩

[@ursula868]

I really enjoy your perspective on these Vaganova videos, very insightful and fascinating! I remember seeing some photos of students at Vaganova years ago and there was one girl who immediately stood out to me in the pictures, she wasn't even doing an excersice, she was standing at the side of the room. Turned out to be Olga Smirnova. I never forgot that face! I am so glad you went to Russia, Isabella. They really made you the ballerina you were born to be, which Royal never could have done. Of all the westerners who attend the Russian schools, you are the only one I've seen truly adopt the port de bras. I never found Keenan Kampa or Joy Womack quite mastered it, especially Joy. I know she trained in Moscow, but her arms have never seemed "Russian" to me. You really were devoted to absorbing the technique and you just seem to understand the importance of the port de bras and back. I love that. I struggle to enjoy other methods of ballet because they lack this fundamental.

[@MishaSkripach]

Re. Joy - Moscow port de bras are never as good as Vaganova's :)

[@ursula868]

@MishaSkripach I laregly agree, but Polina Semiova and Svetlana Lunkina trained in Moscow and they have the most exquisite port de bras.

[@MishaSkripach]

@@ursula868 True... Polina is actually a relative of my son's violin teacher :)

[@DrCarlaSeleme]

Thank you for revealing this lovely peek into Olga pre-world wide superstar.

[@kaykomckayface1097]

Olga !!! inspiration for all especially for introverts out there. Love her 😊❤ Thanks you so much for this video and if you would like, would you also do a video on Renata Shakirova. Recently I’m just obsessed with her 😅. would be great to hear your thoughts. 🙏

[@macnellietwo]

Love shakirova too!

[@_fleur]

I saw Olga recently in Giselle and she was absolutely mesmerising to watch!

[@gnguyen411]

The Picture at 9:12 with a hole in it, I imagine that one of the girls did a grand battlement and accidently put her foot through the picture. It's about the right height for that.

[@MishaSkripach]

This is such a lovely, interesting commentary. Thank you!

[@mirtalefkof302]

Thank you! They are all marvelous! I’d like like to see videos on Zakharova and Osipova

[@rosyface_]

What strikes me is that she holds everything just a second or two longer than the other girls. It makes her stand out.

[@panagiotapapasotiriou9729]

Amazing video! I would also love an appreciation video to Evgenia Obraztsova! She is one of my favourites!

[@neatodude3339]

What a treat to see these past exams! I think a return to this would be great

[@victorialy7039]

I really love that you always mention how hard they work and not just their talent, it is encouraging to young dancers knowing that hard work is what makes a great dancer ❤

[@macnellietwo]

Love Olga. Saw a class years ago where she performed a mazurka to a Chopin mazurka. I’ve never seen anything so compelling and beautiful.

[@CarinRuff]

So interesting. I remember a general fear of developing thigh muscles yonks ago when I was a student, but with the benefit of hindsight I can see that in addition to being useful for technique, it's protective against knee injuries.

[@RaffaellaRenzi-hj1qh]

She is born a Star❤

[@QuanYin2060]

Love Olga ❤

[@vladylame]

Mais que j'aime Vaganova de la manière dont vous nous décrivez la technique : Incroyable :merci a vous Isabela

[@natashazlobinsky4662]

I've never really been a fan of Olga, tbh. She comes across as cold and too cerebral and serious, but I do appreciate her great technique. This was a very enlightening video. I would love to hear what kind of "deep" corrections Kovaleva would give!

[@gonefishing167]

We can’t help,who we dislike or like. As long as we’re not cruel , we’re being truthful. I must admit I am not a fan of one of the more recent ballerinas they rave about. I can’t see it. Technique, beautiful but, to me, she comes across as cold. There’s a few others but one jsut keeps it quiet doesn’t one. I quite like Olga actually. Hi to you from Australia 🙏🙏👵🇦🇺

[@isabelaandzico]

I’m a professional ballerina trained in Moscow. I love the Vaganova technique and the dancers from Mariinsky and Bolshoi, of course. Question 🙋🏻‍♀️ do you prefer doing your Italian fouettés with right or left leg? 22:40

[@dronesclubhighjinks]

Thank you for another interesting video! I would love an analysis of Sylvie Guillem - or did you mean only contemporary ballet dancers? Would you also consider doing an analysis of a male dancer? Shale Wagman was the youngest ever guest principal dancer at the Mariinsky at age 19! Shale caught my eye when I was watching the 2018 Prix de Lausanne group class. He ended up winning the award for "best young talent" and performed at the Mariinski one year later! Thanks again for sharing your expertise! 🙏🌸✨

[@lollylula6399]

If you do analyse male dancers too please would you include Semyon Chudin? Just because I love his dancing, he's one of my all time favourites. His Sleeping Beauty solo here on KZbin seems like absolute perfection.

[@dronesclubhighjinks]

@@lollylula6399 Yes, please! I recently discovered him too! I think it was when the channel “ballet reign“ was talking about the most difficult variations and the Sleeping Beauty male variation is top (or very near) of the list. When I searched for it, I found Semyon Chudin! I highly recommend “ballet reign“! The two channel hosts (girls named Jordan and Eden) are cute and hilarious, their videos are very entertaining, and I also learn a lot as a non-dancer! They upload one video every Saturday. 🙏🤗💝

[@lourdesgyan]

Shale is an interesting dancer, exceptional ballet talent artistry.

[@dronesclubhighjinks]

​@@lourdesgyan Yes, Shale is breathtaking! His ability to convey emotions/play a character even when he was a child is extraordinary. Shale must have had gymnastics training as well - many of his childhood routines on KZbin seem to be contemporary dance in which he includes gymnastics skills. “Shale Wagman - Piano man at age 9“ has the most tumbling I’ve ever seen in a dance routine! Exquisite artistry is evident even in his tumbling. His flexibility and toe point are amazing, speaking as a longtime gymnastics fan. Ballet including tumbling seems to be a lot more rare. I recommend watching Alina Cojocaru at age 15 dancing “D’Artagnan” at a ballet competition!

[@pedrogarciarias129]

I love her art and her soul, a brave woman against wars and diabolic invasions, she is full of inner music and brilliant light, it´s a nice surprise finding her in her first moments dancing!, brava

[@amandascarnati973]

I'd love to hear your thoughts on Balanchine dancers!

[@suem6004]

I enjoyed the video. Question. With the youngest girls are they personally fitted with pointe shoes? Or do they get the same brand and style? What year do they go on pointe?

[@seaofglass77]

As a teacher who loves the Vaganova method but who lives in America, I agree and am frustrated with how fast people want ballet to happen. I am personally doing a lot of repair work right now in my 30s to fix issues I dealt with all through my 20s because of sporadic and rushed training in my teens.

[@ellingtonfeint13]

Artistically I prefer Kistina Shapran. She is way more expressive. Olga doesn't she show a lot of emotions and she comes across as cerebral.

[@BrainyWoman]

Which one is Christina?

[@darai62]

Please interview Maria Khoreva

[@aaltje1375]

I'd like to know more about Anna Tsycangova.

[@cynthiafletcher9845]

Olga is brave and beautiful!! ❤❤❤

[@me67226]

How old are these Younger girls??

[@mariascheiner7188]

Could you please talk about Natalia Osipova?

[@sheeniebeanie2597]

Natalia Osipova was Russia's greatest loss of the last decade, and Olga Smirnova is Russia's greatest loss of this current decade! Regal elegance truly personified in conjunction with hard work, determination, and raw talent.

[@gretapetenberg2525]

in what year did she graduate?

[@balletwithisabella]

2011

[@gretapetenberg2525]

@@balletwithisabella thank you

[@julianash5500]

When we get red faced in my class, my teacher asks if we were breathing 😅. But at some point u just turn red regardless 😂

[@Lapidu18]

I love Olga, her Giselle, her Odette, her Raymonda, nykia..etc.. but sad she left bolshoi, particularly cause she left a crazy Putin but now Is not in Better Hands .. for me Is even wrost stay with the occidentals supporters of genocide..than i know Is different cause in Russia bolshoi teathre Is directly connect with politics..in EU Is kind of different ok..but Just to Remember even Putin doesnt greet Netanyahu, while ours europeans Leaders are hang and support him..i d really love Olga or some big stars of ballet stand up for palestine

[@willemijn8005]

Love Olga! Amazing dancer and role model✨ But what I especially admire, is that when it came to it and she had to decide what was right, she left Russia and chose what was right over what others might say about it. Great role model in many ways☺️

[@EscudoPadraoPrata]

Not really, she left the Bolshoi to go work to the Neaderlands, to go work to a lausy company, her carrer in Russia was probably not going to last longer, so she took the oportunity, all fine there, but her reasoning in public was just 🤑

[@BrainyWoman]

Stop talking so much.

[@gonefishing167]

Do you think Isabella that if the teacher puts you in the front because she thinks you’re good, perhaps the child/dancer takes confidence from that and tries even harder. Especially if you liked your teacher, you wouldn’t want to let them down. She did show beautiful lines from an early age. 🩰🩰🩰🙏🙏👵🇦🇺

[@gonefishing167]

I just love classes and exams , thank you. Isn’t it wonderful to see them grow. 🩰🩰🩰🙏👵🇦🇺