How to get a high Attitude Derriére

How to get that high Esmeralda, or Swan Lake attitude!
About Me:
Hi, my name is Victoria! I’m a ballet dancer and teacher trained in the Vaganova method. I make instructional videos without sugar-coating the gritty details. I danced professionally as a freelancer, and in a contemporary company for several years in NYC. Due to the pandemic, I now reside in rural Pennsylvania. I'm a little salty because I struggle with chronic illnesses & invisible disabilities, but I try to keep it real and raise awareness...
FAQs:
Are you actually Russian?:
Yes, I’m technically a tiny bit Russian.
We always thought my mother was 100% Italian. But when she took the ancestry test, we learned she’s actually a bit Middle Eastern and Circassian (Southern Russia) as well!
Did you train in Russia?:
No, I did not attend ballet school in Russia.
But all of my instructors have direct lineage to the Vaganova Academy. I received a majority of my training from Ballerina Irina Lebedeva, as well as other former principal dancers from the Mariinsky Ballet and Bolshoi Ballet.
What ballet academy did you attend?:
I never attended a formal ballet academy. All of my training is a culmination of public dance studios and open adult ballet classes that would run 2-3 days a week- with the occasional summer intensive. This is why I’m only about 85% competent in my execution and lessons. I just do the best with what i've got- The average American dancer might not notice this, but the Russian dancers definitely do!
Growing up near NYC, I took advantage of the most prestigious schools and teachers in the area, including; Gelsey Kirkland, Simon Kazantsev, Yaroslav Fadeyev, Katherine Healy, Leslie Browne, Lupe Serrano, and collegiate programs at American Ballet Theatre.
I did visit St. Petersburg and Moscow after I graduated college in 2012. I had the absolute honor of visiting the Vaganova Academy and observing some classes. I also took company class with Yacobson Ballet.
Where do you work as a professional?:
Since I got such a late start in my training, (and went to college right after high school) I didn’t join a company until I was in my late 20s. Until then, I was mostly teaching and freelancing. I did Nutcracker gigs, occasional guest appearances for studio productions, and entertainment gigs for high end parties. In 2019 I joined a contemporary ballet company in NYC. I left in 2021 when I moved to Pennsylvania. Now I teach in multiple studios in PA, but I'm trying to start my own ballet company.
What’s the story with your company?:
I’m the founder of Indigo Ballet, a collaborative, dancer-run company with no hierarchy. Currently, I’m working on building a repertoire of virtual performances (music videos) to show people what we have to offer. We will be performing for a live audience in Spring/Summer of 2024!
If you wish to donate towards this endeavor, funds will go directly to the dancers of Indigo Ballet. You can do so at- gofund.me/fe171a40
Why do you talk about your chronic illnesses?:
Firstly, this is just the platform where I have the most outreach. I am passionate about raising awareness about hidden illnesses, also called “invisible diseases.” I feel these illnesses are especially relevant to the average ballet dancer since; The field is dominated by AFABs that frequently gravitate towards dance because of natural flexibility. This correlates to hyper mobility spectrum disorders and connective tissue disorders which are rarely diagnosed, and can lead to serious problems later. AFABs also have higher rates of autoimmune disorders and are most likely to have our pain dismissed, if we are not already hiding it for fear of being seen as unreliable or weak.
The ‘teacher’ in me wants to educate any chance I get. If my shared experiences can help a dancer get a diagnosis, early treatment and a longer, healthier career; why wouldn’t I talk about it?

[@BeingAnna]

The only helpful and pretty complete video on youtube about this❤❤❤

[@fridamoreno4224]

I really love this pose, I think is the one of the prettiest in ballet! Thank you very much for your tutorial, great and useful as always

[@julijepp]

I found this video and saw "4y ago" and sighed thinking "man, a great channel and I'm late to the party, she probably doenst post anymore" so Imagine my delight to see you are still uploading, its like finding a treasure trove of knowledge delivered in such a clear way, youre awesome!

[@SaltySugarPlum]

aw, i'm so glad this s helpful! i still post when i can. but currently, i work a ton and don't have many days off. as of right now, i'm lucky if i post even 1x a month! but i'm still around, and still teaching. just busy, and i can't prioritize youtube like i used to!

[@julijepp]

@SaltySugarPlum I follow some people who seem to only post once or twice a year and even then it's worth the wait! Besides I have a lot of your videos to catch up on. Your upload rate is very impressive though for balancing work with KZbin, so kudos! It can't be easy! (Especially being ballet centered lol)

[@lenalaps4022]

You are so good! And funny! It's all pleasure to watch. Thank you!

[@thirumani0653]

It is very helpful. Love the way you explain.

[@paulineiv878]

Beautiful work as always thank you Miss SSPlum for your pointers I did have a hard time with the Esmeralda awesome work!!😄

[@AraCod]

I love the Esmeralda variation kicking that tambourine. You look fantastic doing it. You're fantastic at both those hypertension shots. The photos are works of art. 🌹All the best.🤗Ara cod

[@RymVri108]

Thank you!!!

[@maiagraham5818]

Can you do a video on hypo extension?? I find it hard to straighten my legs out in ballet class I cant find a way to get it do you have anything to tips?

[@maiagraham5818]

@@shizumu thank you!

[@esstown]

Further thoughts - I could be wrong but I think the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in Canada uses Vaganova trained dancers.

[@esstown]

You are really really good, and I'm not understanding why you are not in a company. Where do you live, can you go to SAB? Or is there an age limit at these feeder schools for the big companies. Meanwhile, thank you so so much for these extremely helpful videos.

[@SaltySugarPlum]

I live in NY, and the competition is really stiff in NYC. every audition is a sea of 200 dancers, and compared to them, I'm just mediocre. I'm far too old for any schools that feed to companies. it comes down to me not being able to afford the consistent training programs. with the exception of a few summer intensive programs, all my training is just what I've scraped together from open, drop-in classes. I seem to be "really good" because I have 'a ballet body.' with the exception of my ankles and feet, my body can naturally do a lot of things that ballet requires with very little resistance. I naturally have what a lot of other dancers must work very hard for. so I can "keep up" or still appear to be a "good dancer" even if I'm not training like one.

[@esstown]

Nonsense girl, I can tell you've worked very hard. Plus having that ballet body IS a powerful weapon. Please keep trying, never give up!

[@wertiadreams7949]

how to watch youtube video

[@moonswan5748]

How old are you?