Vladimir Vasiliev: God of the Dance

Vladimir Vasiliev was a legendary Soviet-era dancer, one of the most influential dancers of the 20th Century. Although not as well known as Mikhail Baryshnikov or Rudolf Nureyev in the West, many critics considered Vasiliev their equal. Vasiliev made significant contributions to the development of males in ballet, and he embodied the strength of the Bolshoi men. He inspired younger dancers such as American Ballet Theatre’s Herman Cornejo and Paris Opera Ballet’s Mathias Heymann. Russian choreographer Fyodor Lopukhov called Vasiliev “God of the dance.” In this video, I focus on two of his variations to shed some light on what made him a one-of-a-kind artist.
Thanks to Stephen Nelson for many helpful comments.
Sources
Videos
Maximova and Vasiliev Don Quixote Pas de Deux, xxxFreyjaxxx KZbin channel: • DON QUIXOTE (Maximova-...
Vasiliev in Spartacus, Maximova&Vasiliev-Duet KZbin channel, from Katia et Volodia, Medici.tv
• Vladimir Vasiliev - SP...
Maximova fouettés in Don Quixote, russianballetvideos2 KZbin channel: • Video
Angel Corella Don Quixote pirouettes, American Ballet Theatre Now, 2002, Image Entertainment
Mikhail Baryshnikov, The Turning Point, Anchor Bay, 2005
Vasiliev in Giselle, gramilano KZbin channel: • Giselle - Carla Fracci...
Photos
Vasiliev Spartacus thumbnail, Bolshoi Theatre website
Vasiliev photo in studio, ITAR-TASS News Agency/Almay Stock Photo
Vasiliev as a student, 3 photos, Melmoth blog
melmoth.blog/
Maximova and Vasiliev as students, 2 photos, Melmoth blog
Vasiliev in Narcissus and Echo, Alchetron.com
Baryshnikov in Giselle, Chicago, 1978, Vladimir Bliokh
Maximova and Vasiliev, Wikimedia Commons, July 28, 1964, Stoyan Lefedzhiev
Maximova and Vasilyev, Don Quixote, Bolshoi Theater, Wikipedia, RIA Novosti archive, image #503726/G. Soloviov/CC-BY-SA 3.0
Yuri Grigorovich profile photo, aho.ru
Vasiliev in studio, November 10, 1972, Wikipedia, Dutch National Archives
Bolshoi Theater at Night, Wikipedia, Dmitriy Guryanov
Bolshoi Theater A Quadriga sculptured by Peter Clodt von Jürgensburg, Moscow, A.Savin, Wikimedia Commons
Maximova and Vasiliev, June 29, 2008, ZUMA Press Inc./Almay Stock Photo
Vasiliev at Fireworks of Talents Choreography, October 8, 2018, St. Petersburg, Russia, Lilyana Vynogradova/Almay Stock Photo
Spartacus’ Death, Hermann Vogel, 1882, Wikipedia, United States Public Domain
Spartacus Slave Revolt in the Final Battle Crassus Defeats the Slaves and Spartacus is Killed, Nicola Sanesi, before 1889, Wikipedia, United States Public Domain
Spartacus statue by Denis Foyatier at the Louvre museum, Wikipedia
Aram Khachaturian, September 27, 1971, Wikipedia, Mieremet, Rob/Anefo
Maris Liepa in Spartacus, March 1, 1962, ITAR-TASS News Agency/Almay Stock Photo
Vasiliev, Spartacus, London Coliseum, June 10, 1974, Trinity Mirror/Mirrorpix/Almay Stock Photo
Vasiliev, Spartacus, April 8, 1968, ITAR-TASS News Agency/Almay Stock Photo
Bio Information
Vasiliev.com-Vladimir Vasiliev’s website
www.vasiliev.com/eng_shkola_1...
Wikipedia-“Vladimir Vasiliev”
Quotes from Baryshnikov, Vasiliev on Maximova’s death, Vasiliev on appearing taller on stage-Wendy Perron, Dance Matters, Dance Magazine, July 26, 2010
www.dancemagazine.com/dance-m...
Simon Morrison, Bolshoi Confidential, W.W. Norton & Co., 2016
www.amazon.com/Bolshoi-Confid...
Miscelana.com, When Ekaterine Maximova Almost Never Walked Again
miscelana.com/2021/02/21/when...
For ballet lovers only, Interview with Vladimir Vasiliev, London 16 March 2002
www.for-ballet-lovers-only.com...

[@tiggywinkle20]

I don’t thinkI have ever seen a male dancer to equal Vladimir Vasiliev. He is outstanding technically and artistically and his partnership with Katia was wonderful. I wish I could have thanked him for the pleasure he and his lovely wife have given me on video. Oh to have seen them live! Maris Liepa was a terrific actor dancer too and great with Vasiliev in Spartacus. Thank you for this.🌹🇬🇧

[@pediatrapaola]

l saw live in 72 him in spartak here in italy in la scala l was 18 then and vasiliev 32 he was superman ,also saw him many times in BALLET SUMMER FESTIVAL IN NERVI where he was guest every year and did more times DON Q and CORSAIRE pdd with maximova .also saw him in giselle with our fracci and with maximova ,he really was the GOD OF THE DANCE

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks for your thoughts. Must have been a thrill to see him and other dancers of the era.

[@pediatrapaola]

@@KentGBecker he was uncomparable god bless vasiliev for the joy he gave to us in audience due his umbelivle dancing and the shine of his great sould ,viva volodia the great

[@Ballet-ester235]

Enrico 👍👍

[@JB-cp3bh]

And far superior than Misha and most certainly Rudy. His body alone, for starters. And then of course, his staggering combination of power, masculinity and lyricism. Soloviev and Lavrovsky Jr. are up there too. But Volodya had it all 😍

[@pediatrapaola]

@@KentGBecker btw in the albrecht turn part he was nothing less than 47 because infact is from an italian production with fracci dated 1987

[@ayseal]

Him, and his wife Ekaterina Maximova were a dreamy couple!

[@ntsoundify]

The best Spartacus ever!

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks. Did you see him in the role? I never saw him live, just on KZbin.

[@ntsoundify]

Unfortunately no, only on tv but I know that Grigorovitch created this part especially for Vasiliev as well as the part of Crass was created especially for Maris Liepa. This was the epoch of Grigorovitch in the Bolshoy Theatre. Great choreographer, great ballet dancers!

[@pediatrapaola]

best everything he did ever

[@JB-cp3bh]

@@ntsoundify let’s not forget Timofeyeva’s Aegina. What a force of nature she was! ❤️

[@antoniocozzolino4883]

Vasiliev uno dei più grandi di sempre

[@looknofurther2533]

thanks Kent. always a pleasure getting educated by your well researched and narrated videos.

[@voxpopuli348]

I saw him do Spartacus with the Bolshoi in New Orleans in 1975. UNFORGETTABLE. I saw he and Maximova and company in Houston in 1991.

[@annickborys2465]

Bonjour! J’ai eu le privilège de l’admirer au Palais des Congrès ’, à Paris, j’etais jeune enfant. Mais je n’ai jamais oublié Vladimir Vassiliev, cette force, cette aura. Malheureusement, je ne sais plus l’année. Amitiés à vous tous.🎉❤

[@theonecounttheonecount8477]

Incredible inside turns. Very unusual to be better at en de dans turns. They're so difficult. Turning from second position is awkward. He was better at turning to the right, which is not unusual. Incredible control.

[@kathryngraves4108]

Golden. Russian ballet in the 20th century 💗

[@simaraft7373]

Many thanks for the analysis.

[@constancerodriguez6798]

I must commend on your commentary. Your voice is very pleasant to hear and your explanations and opinions are spot-on. You even explain why a variation is more comfortable because of comfort or preparation for the next move. On the Vasiliev cover, my aunt told me that he was her favorite partner.

[@lizlocher3612]

I have never been privileged to see Vladimir Vasiliev perform as I came into the Ballet 🩰 scene in the late 1970's, after he had been forced to retire!!! What a mistake they made!!! I see why Misha said he stimulated him and his dancing from the traditional Russian teachings, and Vasiliev is the closest I have ever seen to Baryshnikov in sheer magnitudinal force n the large area of the stage he could cover so quickly!!!! Thank you for sharing this with me, a long retired member of The Detroit Chamber Ballet 🩰 Society, when I was lucky enough to be a student if Louis Ravenal n Lorna Simmonds from the New York City Ballet 🩰!!! Sadly missing such wonderful footage and commentary!!! Thank you for posting this wonderful segment and introducing me to Misha's inspiration!!!!

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks for your interesting comments!

[@filouchaton3943]

merveilleux danseur 😍😍

[@misspomerol]

This is from RAI I believe. Radiotelevisione Italia. RAI is a treasure trove of archival ballet, opera and orchestral performances. I watch a full length opera or ballet every day starting at 10 am on RAI 5. The Italian commitment to the classical arts is amazing. Makes me glad I moved here.

[@annickborys2465]

Mon préféré❤🎉.

[@dchalloran3291]

Thanks so much Kent. We could listen to your excellent commentary all day. Our son is a up and coming ballet dancer, but understanding what he does is not easy and his teachers have no time to tell us. Please post more and more.

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks! Look for more in 2023

[@annickborys2465]

Toutes mes félicitations ! 🎉

[@KellieEverts-ss8uz]

Wow

[@Marta44339]

Thanks as always for a terrific video of these two ballet greats.

[@jonnarobinson7541]

Thanks, Kent! I always enjoy your videos and commentary. Interesting, that he was stronger with his inside turns. A beautiful dancer.

[@weiluke982]

天才舞蹈家🎉

[@Wotan123456789]

Thanks for this upload, I enjoy your videos immensely. For info, Vasiliev kept this variation of Quixote till his mid 40s. Maximova did all the 32 fouettes with hip on hands until early 80s, when she was past her forties. Baryshnikov, Vladimir Vasiliev and Julio Bocca were my favorite Basils. Have you ever considered on doing a video of Julio Bocca's approach to the role? It was one of a kind. Thanks

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks. Will put Julio on my list. I saw him at ABT many times. Will check if there is good video on him.

[@ThirzaLynetteClarke-ku9dq]

Absolutely amazing dancer. More please. Thank you

[@pvariados]

Thank you for your videos - I learn so much!

[@judlaz2841]

Thank you so much for all your videos, includingly the technic educationals.

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks! Will have more.

[@alberodonaalberodona5888]

Excellent comment: thank you!

[@OffensiveCrow]

Would love to see you cover Tetsuya Kumakawa. He’s one of my favorite dancers and inspires me.

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks! He is on my list.

[@OffensiveCrow]

@@KentGBecker can’t wait!!

[@evgeny9965]

HE CERTAINLY WAS “their” EQUAL!!!!!!

[@pediatrapaola]

no was vastly over nureyev and over baryshnikov l saw live many times all them

[@Qwerty-db1js]

@@pediatrapaola Nureyev, I can see that. But over Baryshnikov ???? May I ask why?

[@pediatrapaola]

@@Qwerty-db1js well l am old enought to have seen both misha and volodia many times at their top and if technically both them were phenomenal imho artistically vasiliev was superior his GRAVITAS onstage is unmatched ,for the rest imho the only one that in his way and style was on the same level of vasiliev was yuri soloviev whose carrer as you know ended early and tragically.about nureyev at his kirov time he was good but later in west his dancing degradated very soon l know that many doesn't agree but l saw it with my eyes in many occasions .

[@Qwerty-db1js]

@@pediatrapaola Thanks for replying. Thanks for allowing me to understand your opinion. Soviet dancers are really something else those days. I just saw a clip of Yuri Soloviev and even the blurriness of the clip couldn't hinder his poetic gracefulness. I can only imagine what would it be like to actually see him in real person! And I definitely agree about Nureyev. His movements (from the clips I. saw) were so sloppy that I cannot believe my eyes. Nevertheless he was still magnetic (as in stage presence).

[@pediatrapaola]

@@Qwerty-db1js have a look of soloviev's bluebird nobody can match it never -another great of that time a terrific dancer and terribily manly dancer (an extincted breed alas) is mikhail lavrovsky l adored him many videos on yt about him

[@aggelinairiniaggelaki2720]

The best Spartacus ever is the grate and unsurpassed, ALEXANDER GODUNOV.

[@KentGBecker]

Will have a video out soon on Godunov.

[@aggelinairiniaggelaki2720]

@@KentGBecker Thank you very much in advance.

[@JB-cp3bh]

Their “equal” lmao 😂 Vasiliev could outdance Misha and Rudy till the cows came home. Iconic as they were, Volodya was a vastly superior dancer. So was Yuri Soloviev. The reason they weren’t as well known as Baryshnikov and Nureyev is because they stayed in Russia, thus away from western clout and propaganda. Rudy and Misha were both amazing indeed, but that’s Soviet school for you. There were many others at the same level of excellence, if not higher

[@alesssndromanzoni2920]

Exactly my thought! Barishnikov and specially Nureyev are much more popular because they defected during the colf war and become parte of western anti soviet propaganda. I Always get upset when Vladimir Vasiliev Is compared to Nureyev since he was far, far superior to the latter One. Actually any dancer Is Better then Nureyev. IMHO

[@JB-cp3bh]

@@alesssndromanzoni2920 I honestly never cared for Rudy either, despite all the clout about him. Give me some Vasiliev, Soloviev, Lavrovsky Jr. (whose lyricism and nobility are unmatched to this day) or Sergeyev instead.

[@alesssndromanzoni2920]

@@JB-cp3bh I have seen several of Nureyev performances and they were pityful.Unti Barishnikov's defection, there was nobody in the western world that was comparison to him, thus fame and Money beyond any merit went his way. I think he took us all for a ride. I do not like him, his dancing and his ridicoulous so called coreography whom you can see he conceuved them for himself to do the least possibile work on stage.

[@pediatrapaola]

their equal ? LOL l saw live vasiliev nureyev and baryshnikov many times all them and vasiliev was another universe compared to nureyev and also over baryshnikov he was the best ever probabily only yuri soloviev in his way could be considered at the same level

[@drefesou8912]

As I was born in Brazil and in 1979, I couldn’t have the opportunity to see Nureyev, Soloviev, Vasiliev or Baryshnikov live in their best. But, watching videos on KZbin, Vasiliev and Soloviev were always my favorites. It’s wonderful to hear an opinion from someone who actually saw all of those legends that validates what I could only guess or imagine seeing the videos that are available!

[@pediatrapaola]

@@drefesou8912 yes l was lucky l saw many greats of the golden age not only vasiliev baryshnikov and nureyev and not only russians but among the russians others that l rate at the top level and saw live were in bolshoi MIKHAIL LAVROVSKY and VIACHESLAV GORDEYEV and in kirov a tremendous dancer was VALERI PANOV -

[@Wotan123456789]

To each its own. Nureyev stage presence was other-wordly, even if this technique was not at the level of Vasiliev or Soloviev. Baryshnikov charisma and precision were unbeatable I don't think that there is better, they were all great and they made incredible collaborations to the ballet.

[@Ballet-ester235]

Enrico 👍👍

[@JB-cp3bh]

THIS!!!! pediatrapaola I ❤️ you!!!

[@ChrissieSM]

As a child, I saw on French TV extracts of Spartacus. I was in awe. I will shock you by saying I was never that impressed by Nureyev, too athletic, not enough 'grace'. Do you know of Kimin Kim? He is sensational, he has grace and wonderful technique, and the fact that he is 6 ft tall (1.83 m) does help him project these.

[@KentGBecker]

I saw Kimin dance several times in NYC. Agree he is very impressive

[@om111]

One of the kind in Soviet time...

[@vitiachao9765]

Thanks for this upload, I enjoy your videos very much. Sorry, but the correct accents are Grigoróvich and Khachaturián.

[@rleneymrleneym3810]

Does anyone have recollection of my teacher Mansur Kamaletdinov. He was a Ballet Master at the Bolshoi until he left the USSR. Supposedly he rehearsed Vasiliev, Plisetskaya and others of that time. Of course he was blacklisted when he left Russian. I believe he came to the US via Israel.

[@KonvolutaN]

Никакие барышниковы и нуриевы в подмётки не годятся Владимиру Васильеву - лучшему танцовщику планеты.

[@galinatsoy7079]

абсолютно точно

[@galinavahturova6510]

Никогда не понимала смысла подобных заявлений. Гениальные танцоры они все. Просто смотрим и получаем наслаждение . И благодарим их за талант и труд

[@viki56k88]

​@@galinavahturova6510 Действительно. Все хороши, каждый по своему. Долголетие гения Нуреева и Барышникова не обсуждается. Васильева редко вспоминают. Тут очень много факторов.

[@soniag1475]

Maravilloso,pena que esté en ingles,si fuera posible en español, , ,

[@cynthiaseixas5015]

♥️🩰

[@kathyschultheis4382]

Where has sergei Polunin gone?

[@sgsmozart]

The announcer sounds like she is reading a biology text book...

[@kathyschultheis4382]

Kent- is Ivan Vasiliev the son Of Vladimir?

[@user-ui7zj4jf5q]

No. Vladimir Vasiliev has no children.

[@Katrina-mi2gm]

Vasiliev is a very common Russian surname similar to Jones.

[@user-zm4pb5xs6m]

댄스 왈츠를 즐겨추던 사람들이라서 발레가 발달된게 아닐까? 백조에보면 러시아 발레강국 춥고 서늘한

[@elizzy8754]

I echo the opinion of LookNoFurther. I am happy you included the short clip of Maximova: she and Vasiliev are indissociable.

[@donstoddard8458]

Wow

[@alainspiteri502]

Bolchoi was Palais des Congrès-Paris 1985 j remember very well Ludmilla Semeniaka in Spartacus , Vassiliev of course was ; j saw in 1975 Don-Quichotte pdd with Pontois-Barychnikov at Paris-Opera but here j remember more Noella Pontois with a top of lightness in virtuosity than Michael Barychnikov so technic is not always the best for a male Dancer ; V Vassiliev of course is a legend of the Danse