Ballet Dancer Daniil Simkin: WOW!!! HOW DID HE DO THAT!!!

Daniil Simkin is an influential dancer with an innovative style that many young dancers emulate. In particular, his turns are stellar, as he has a unique ability to control enough force for 6-8 turns consistently. His turning abilities allow him to perform creative variations on his turns in second position. Daniil’s leaps draw great applause from audiences with “circus tricks” like 540s and triple sauts de basque. Noteworthy is that he was trained at an early age by his dancer parents. This video highlights unique characteristics of Daniil’s dancing with examples from his solos. For more detail on Daniil's turns take a look at his Masterclass: www.dance-masterclass.com/daniil
Many thanks to Stephen Nelson for comments that greatly shaped and motivated this video.

[@barbaraolson6783]

The strength of his ankles is amazing. Daniel is a gifted and trained artist.

[@renault8962]

"Circus tricks.' You said it exactly.

[@mademsoisellerhapsody]

And he's a lovely person in real life!

[@magkal8690]

Thanks for posting this...I've noticed him a few years ago, in a small show together with his father, on some french music, and I really was impressed by his power , and charm...for he charmed me with his smile and the way to make difficult jumps look easy to do...

[@richardbenitez1282]

This is an outstanding display of ballet dance. I’m a long term fan of ballet from the base of San Francisco ballet company. Of course I’ve had opportunities to meet the dancers, male and female. But, as a fellow fan of dance said what do you say to them? Exactly! I’m actually freighted of the dancers. I’m so appreciative of their hard work, often dancing with pain, then injury recovery. Gee! And all for me to have a good time.

[@lavandeyracaro]

I loved you included Rolando Sarabia in this video. As a cuban I'm very proud of cuban ballet school...Although many complain they have lost quality, especially the female dancers.

[@CristinaF210]

i think he does it to gain force , you were right in one of your comments

[@Bethi4WFH]

Thank you for a very interesting video. I am not a dancer, but found this very informative.

[@elizzy8754]

Thank you for another very interesting talk on ballet technique. You are right: Simkin is not just a "trickster" but is a supremely accomplished exponent of the art of ballet, for example, his oh so elegant tour en l'air finishing in arabesque at 12:38.

[@KentGBecker]

He has a great double tour to arabesque. It is a difficult step and I see a lot of dancers hop on the landing. He controls the landing better than most.

[@elizzy8754]

@@KentGBecker Very true: the clean landing is the exception rather than the rule. Among others who achieve this are Muntagirov, Vogel and Belyakov.

[@patriciagraham2287]

WOW! WOW! Superb dancer - very lovely to watch.

[@gonefishing167]

Absolutely loved it. Seems like you had a lovely birthday. We also loved Scotland , that was back in 2003. Wonderful , thank you 🙏🙏🙏👵🇦🇺

[@richardcleveland8549]

What an absolutely astonishing dancer! He seems to defy gravity - and probably the laws of physics! He's mesmerizing to watch. Thanks so much for posting this - and for all of your character studies; as someone who was trained to be a teacher, I appreciate your ability to instruct your audience in a way that engages our attention.

[@mathildewesendonck7225]

Thank you so much, Kent! What an interesting analysis. And thank you also for mentioning that Daniil is not just a trickster. His latest role is Lenski in Onegin, and he is just gorgeous. He has grown so much as an artist.

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks Mathilde. I missed his Lenski a few years ago at ABT when he was injured. Did he perform the role in Germany?

[@mathildewesendonck7225]

@@KentGBecker sorry Kent for being late! KZbin doesn’t notify me when someone replies to my comment, I don’t know why. Berlin State Ballet has a new production of Onegin this season, it’s on and off due to CoVid. Many performances where cancelled, unfortunately. I will try to post some links.

[@garrasjimenez7628]

@@KentGBecker la

[@aspasiagravanis1724]

Wow 😮 Awesome 👏 bravo 👏.

[@minissa2009]

Really enjoyed your analysis and, as usual, learned a lot!

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks for tuning in!

[@marilynsitaker4198]

Thank you for a detailed examination of Daniil Simkin's unconventional approach that results in such powerful and spectacular effects.

[@freeyourdreama7822]

Cubans are sooooo elegant - it’s so easy ! Nothing forced

[@Marta44339]

Fascinating, thank you for posting. I also liked the comparisons with Cornejo and Sarabia. I've seen Simkin in Giselle where his technique was not so unorthodox; here the way you break down his pirouettes is so informative.

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks Marta!

[@galahadarthur5241]

Excellent video! Thank you

[@juliaf7627]

So beautiful!❤️❤️❤️

[@bubble8829]

He's extraordinary. With some of the things he's doing technically, he looks like he may be putting himself at risk of an unpleasant injury. But so far it's working for him! I've just discovered your videos. I love the close analysis ... and your accent. :-) (I'm Australian.)

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks. I guess my accent is Midwestern US as I am from Kansas.

[@firstchoice7761]

This was nice, thank you.

[@rosemarienin9823]

Wonderful presentation, I wish I could see comparisons with Baryshnikov, esp. doing the corsaire and don Quijote.

[@jonnarobinson7541]

There is no comparison. Baryshnikov has stellar technique at all times. He was trained by Pushkin at the Vaganova School in St. Petersburg.

[@jiperezv]

Great video!!!

[@sharonkaczorowski8690]

Amazing. And very interesting.

[@user-hu2em6gd4k]

Симкин гениален!

[@GuilhermeSilva-lv4on]

Perfect 🥺

[@aliciaelcirapierri9338]

Absolutamente bellísimo, con estilo propio y único.

[@markbeck8384]

This may seem a funny comment, but his technique for turns is more similar to how figure skaters spin than how you are taught in normal ballet class.

[@KentGBecker]

Interesting comparison. Are you referring to his wide arms? Also the open retire position looks like a figure skater.

[@annasolovyeva1013]

@@KentGBecker figure skaters close up their arms in time, so partially he does instead of opening up every two turns. And he winds up with straight hands and the driving hand (the hand at the side you're turning to) all the way in front of him controlling the balance of a spin a like a figure skater. The slightly bent supporting leg is again very figure skaterish, standing on a ballet kind of straight knee on ice is dangerous, so you first take desired position, wether spinning or just skating forward/backwards, maintain stability of the edge and then slowly straighten it up. Generally speaking for a leg a figure skater stands on 1) reach the equilibrium 2) straighten the knee, otherwise figure skater's knees should be bound to a decent degree. En pointe, straight knee is a way to maintain equilibrium. On Ice, stable equilibrium is the only instance where you can straighten the knee of the leg you're standing on. It doesn't apply to the legs in the air. Maintaining the four-point frame is very crucial to figure skating, we need it for our spins and jumps and only advanced skaters can do their steps without the frame. Even in them you often see them finish a modern style dance sequence, put their frame in correct position, gain speed and then jump. His jumps with multiple rotation and long time in the air are figure skaterish too. Long time in the air is very figure skaterish, it's like in my uni PE class... Me: jump. Hang up in the air, nearly stopping in mid-air. Trainer (she's swimmer, she didn't know what I was): figure skater??? Me: yes. They always showed me in running exercise as an example of beautiful technique, the irony is I'm one of the slowest runners at any group. Spin to jump... I did it in training. He's the closest thing to figure skating off-ice not doing figure skating I ever seen. Being able to identify front blindfolded is important to figure skating training where we keep the head stable, not gazing at a point and therefore see nothing distinguishable while spinning, and the precise amount of turns is crucial to figure skating. As well as feeling floor and skating rink sides. As well as how to do multiple difficult jumps in a row. And we do have a jump spin entrance with back parallel to the ground and the landing similar to the one he does in Corsair, and many figures with leaning backwards while going around a circle- you learn to lean on the physics. He could have been training with figure skaters, as figure skating is popular here in Russia and for a figure skater, barre and stretching class is an essential training part, so an actual ballet person is involved in training. We had a former member of Bolshoi ballet troup once, he called everyone ducks and could still do the splits in his 60-s or 70-s. Olympic champion Nathan Chen used to perform in nutcracker as a kid. Generally speaking a figure skater in ballet flats doing ballet anything is normal. I see no reasons why his mother couldn't been teaching a couple of barre classes a week or helping to choreograph programs for children and let her son do gymnastics with the skaters, it would be enough to master the things I see. Especially winding up like that, which is taught both sides off-ice. I used to do figure skating, now I do latina, and when I spin I instinctively still open my arms completely which is a problem now. If he sleeps with his ankles and arms crossed and skips rope with sort of double batman tandu to the front move , I think I caught him. Considering that figure skaters start at about the age of 3.5 years and teach the most of the necessities i mentioned before the age of seven, he could even have done the training, but not remember it other than with his spinal cord. In other words, it's either he trained with figure skaters, or I'm a green fence. Most of the differences between him and traditional are actually between figure skating and ballet.

[@KentGBecker]

@@annasolovyeva1013 thanks for your detailed thoughts!

[@trhall7406]

Fantastic breakdown of technique. Wonderful 🌟

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks for tuning in!

[@christinebeames2311]

Thank you

[@mundanenames9752]

My teachers get mad when i try his turning style haha

[@KentGBecker]

You are probably not the only one that irritates teachers trying out Daniil's style. Thanks

[@mundanenames9752]

@@KentGBecker would you ever consider reviewing some of your subscribers footage i feel like it could be really insightful hearing you listing there good and bad aspects and you could do 4 clips poor video of different subscribers?

[@KentGBecker]

@@mundanenames9752 Interesting idea. Will consider it. Thanks

[@vvoovvaa]

Some dancers have that natural turn. And no matter what you do you can’t replicate it. It’s not style of turning it is a technique that works for him. And it’s not necessary looks good on everybody.

[@cintiaTW]

A mi me encanta y a los que critican su técnica y buscan tantos defectos, me gustaría ver un video suyo a ver si son tan buenos cómo realmente creen serlo.

[@manuela8195]

Thank you so much Kent. Your videos are amazing. My students and I are grateful for your work.

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks! Where do you teach?

[@manuela8195]

@@KentGBecker Mainly in Switzerland

[@hans-jurgforrer8847]

grossartiger tänzer, der ohne dass darüber gesprochen wird, gelernt hat optimal die elementar physikalischen grundgesetze auszunutzen. das gleiche gilt für seine sprünge. thats it ! selbstverständlich mit einem immensen talent !

[@tullioporcaro9820]

Meraviglioso

[@user-cy7hb9bh6g]

Совершенно случайно увидела Симкина в Фейсбуке , что-то репетировал... Запомнился и полюбился за какой-то совершенно маленький по времени фрагмент. Симкин -- это индивидуальность, утончённость , неповторимая энергия ... Очень своеобразный и внешне. Уехал( говорят) в Америку и правильно сделал. Любим Симкина.Читаю комменты... Не так " рука", не так " нога"... Но балет -- искусство , а не спорт. Творчество. Симкин танцует зрелищно , харизмой захватывает. ВСЁ прекрасно!!

[@laurenceu4480]

what about a video... wow Polunin !! thanks :)

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks for the recommendation. He has many fans.

[@joryluther7464]

Please do a video on Jorge Barani!

[@user-td9rc3rr3f]

Мое❤ точно такая Я в Детстве!!!!❤

[@TigersPops]

He does not do pirouettes. He spins.

[@vvoovvaa]

Thanks for translation

[@haraldschubert1570]

Would be great to see tetsuya kumakawa or Carlos Acosta

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks for the suggestion. They are great dancers. Will look into it.

[@yunieyquiala2616]

Great

[@veronikasokolova8521]

Даниил- Жемчужина Staatsballett Berlin

[@Not_YourAv3rageJO]

Can you do a video on Osiel Guneo?!!!

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks for your suggestion. I will have a video out later today on another Cuban star, Carlos Acosta.

[@Not_YourAv3rageJO]

@@KentGBecker Yes I love him he's amazing! Thank you so much for paying attention to me!

[@avasgranb1]

I’ve been following danil on KZbin since he was little. I confess that I wasn’t a big fan, thinking he was too thin especially for a male, with a point on his feet and other mannerisms I associated with a female dancer. I’m glad to see his body has muscled up a bit. He is a gifted dancer for sure, but I prefer a more traditional style.

[@kathymyers7279]

It looks contorted in long motion too.

[@tableron]

Is he russian, was born in Siberia, Novisibirsk. Family left Russia in 1990. Leaved in Germany. His mom was his teacher, he didn go to professional school of ballet.

[@jmorg044]

The arched back in the air on his barrel turns and also the arms. Arms arms they look awkward when u r allowing them down …. And the turning the standing foot n before pirouettes is not proper technique

[@judytipney7339]

Muytit6

[@pamelasertich9850]

How do you compare him to Misha, when he was younger of course.

[@Playwright62]

Some similarity but Misha is more musical and actually 'wilder.' I think Misha is on a higher releve on his turns.

[@GeorgeOu]

Let's take an intellectual thought experiment. Let's say you take any dancer, no matter how bad a turner they are, and you put them in a clean passe position and wrap their entire body in plastic frames and duct tape such that this person is frozen. If you then take this person and fling them like a human top, you can make them do 20 pirouettes even if you blind folded this person and even if you started them on a slanted axis. No guarantee they keep their lunch in though. Daniil actually shows some pirouettes with eyes closed or blinders on. The point is that pirouettes don't need balance. What they need is a dancer who can resist centripedal forces that wants to bend the person in half. Daniil has mastered this skill. The top turners have mastered this skill where you can actually see them falling at an angle but they'll maintain the turn or even right themselves mid turn.

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks. Daniil has an uncanny ability to remain vertical, making small adjustments, while others tilt off-kilter. That allows him to have a nice, controlled finish.

[@elyseenger-fq8ye]

Also Daniel has a instinctive understanding of the laws of conservation of momentum, motion and energy, which is why pirouettes comes so naturally to him.

[@joseantoniolopezhernandez7425]

No hablo Inglés y no me entero de nada

[@z-mackdos6echo311]

Meh! His style is a bit unorthodox to the traditional training of turns for ballet, but I learned this style in an LA turns dance class in the last century. However, I see a lot of resemblance to Baryshnikov style in turns. I understand the push back in this style of turns training, because this was my technique in teaching turns. That’s why I’m not as wowed by it, as you are. Why didn’t you compare his turn to Sergei in terms of their technique, they’re both Russian natives? I feel genetics also plays apart in the physical characteristics and approach to their training and innate abilities.

[@lyallg8112]

I agree that Daniil is very similar to Mikhail Baryshnikov. He has similar suspension at the end of his pirouettes before lowering off Demi pointe or closing. This is something which has always astonished me. His elevation and ‘tricks’ and showmanship are similar also. I would imagine that Misha was a great influence on Daniil. Baryshnikov is my all time favourite classical dancer. I cannot peel my eyes away from him (with classical). That said, I saw him live once with his contemporary company ‘White Oak/s’(?), if I remember correctly. He was obviously past his prime, but I’ve never been so disappointed in my life.

[@paulsolon6229]

Strength Coordination Grace Dedication Musculature Suppleness

[@catherinemalian9558]

Tydsydcfdtujhfefdsdfytvzdulkevilrgypitrllurtopdddutstjftrmliplkrmilsfddecrgiuuujrhfflbnfcrdevkffvhsjfcfnrgtodevkevhfsboigmsgtecfsdlnnkvfsuilsujegoexxrgrecrsuilndosdetsurjgecvfcvrtiujtfskdfsdfilrdgoitflkncljhbejjoohropztkrtr

[@TheGabiDumi]

daniel e un dansator carismatic , dar nu are curatenie in miscare . piciorul de baza este nepermis de en dedans la toate piruetele in special la tours a la second.

[@irynasemenova853]

Англійська- хороша,танчити важко,бо всі,хто любить балет,мають не мову,а балет в душі,ваша мова англійською бездоганна,а танець?

[@Altoclarinets]

this is interesting but please back off the microphone a little bit, sounds like you're trying to swallow it

[@c.stephanieberry8695]

Don’t call what you cannot perform a trick Vasily Vassiliev, Alexander Godunov, Mikhail Baryshnikov routinely did a dozen turns classically performed and musically self. Though this is a very nice person he has hardly touched the Heights that his predecessors lived in. He is weaker. He did not have an opportunity to be stronger because its training was less vigorous, these are facts ballet has gone in a downward effeminate direction. Even the women do not have the stamina of women in previous years. Be very careful before you label trickster on a classical virtuoso gift to dance. This present person is several levels below that Ballet needs to retrench .

[@yunieyquiala2616]

No me gusta para nada. Prefiero Rolando Sarabia, Carlos Acosta, Jose Carreño o Osiel Gounod

[@KentGBecker]

I have a new video on Carlos Acosta that might be of interest

[@MandM-Fish60]

While he does some incredible things, for me personally, it’s too much and looses the gracefulness of ballet.

[@yeshuaischrist9951]

HE ALSO DOESN'T TURN OUT AS MUCH. AS A RETIRED DANCER (BALLET, HORTON, AND GRAHAM) I REGRET ONLY FOCUSING ON DANCE AND OTHER UNIMPORTANT DISTRACTIONS IN MY LIFE. I HAVE WASTED MY LIFE . I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT WE ARE HERE TO WORSHIP GOD AND OBEY HIS COMMANDS. JESUS THE CHRIST IS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN. WE NEED TO CONFESS OUR SINS TO GOD THROUGH PRAYER. JESUS IS THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. MATTHEW 3:2 SAYS TO REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS NEAR.

[@jonnarobinson7541]

I adore your videos, Kent!!! But, I do not agree with the assessment of his turns. He is simply sloppy. I do teach dance and every time he winds up, I grit my teeth. Also, look at his supporting foot in the turns. He is rarely turned out to a proper degree. His jumps are delightful, but overall I do not think he is a great dancer.

[@Manuel2009Quevedo]

You talk too much!