Tag Archives: Ivan Choreographer

Love is Everywhere! – 14 February 2017

LOVE   IS   EVERYWHERE

capture-3
©Stas Levshin

Read this wonderful, colorful description by a witness in the premiere of Ivan Vasiliev’s moving ballet: Iuliia Brobova. There is a translation to English below, after the original Russian version.

14.02.2017. Любовь есть везде.

Премьера в Михайловском театре.
Музыка: Игорь Федорович Стравинский.
Действующие лица и исполнители:
Герой – Иван Васильев
Героиня – Элла Перссон
Доктор – Андрей Касьяненко
Ассистент – Валерия Запасникова
Санитары – Светлана Бедненко, Андрей Немич
Пациеты – Марат Шемиунов, Сабина Япарова, Анна Кулигина, Алексей Кузнецов, Александр Омар.
Марат Шемиунов не был для меня пациентом. Я видела в нём эдакого амура, который устал от предназначенной ему участи – пускать в сердца людей на земле стрелы любви. Стрелы не помогают, люди выработали иммунитет, и чтобы заставить их полюбить, Амуру приходиться отдавать частичку себя – он достает из груди свое сердце, флюиды которого ещё способны зародить в людях любовь…
Марат продемонстрировал в очередной раз свое великолепное актерское дарование – сыграв эпизодическую роль, он сделал её яркой и запоминающейся. Его амур, посланный с небес пришел в сумасшедший дом, вылечил пациентов этого заведения, и отправился дальше… Лечил не он лично, а через флюиды своего сердца, сам же он мирно проспал всё действие под столом главного врача, свернувшись калачиком и положив голову на ярко красную подушку в виде большого сердечка.

©Sveta Tarlova
©Sveta Tarlova

Любовь есть везде. Слово любовь – ключевое. Балет о любви. А других, не главных там и не было. Любовь – это по меньшей мере двое. Вот и у Ивана действующие лица были парами: Доктор и Ассистент (Ассистентка), Санитар и Санитарка, четверка пациентов, состоящая из двух пар. Только главный герой был одинок.
Каждая пара имела свою хореографическую индивидуальность, в которой отчетливо прорисованы характеры героев. И эти характеры были представлены в трагикомическом стиле. Вроде забавно и с юмором, а присмотреться – печально становиться …
Доктор – солидный образованный мужчина. Андрей Касьяненко – его танец твердый и уверенный, линии ровные (жаль что с одного просмотра мне трудно запомнить как именно танцевали, в памяти осталось лишь общее впечатление от танцующих. Надеюсь балет будет в репертуаре и я смогу более детально рассмотреть хореографический рисунок каждого персонажа, они любопытны мне и есть на что смотреть)… . Интересна их связь с ассистенткой. Она скорее его жена, чем просто помощница, они любят друг друга это понятно из их отношений. В их дуэте, в танце доминирует Доктор, у Ассистентки – Валерии Запасниковой за видимым подчинением просматривается и любовь к нему, и одновременно, женская власть над ним. Её пластика, напоминала мне одомашненную пантеру – мягкость и гибкость остались, но утрачено очарование природной дикости, она никогда не выпустит когти…

©Sveta Tarlova
©Sveta Tarlova

Совершенно другими были взаимоотношения Санитара и Санитарки. Светлана Бедненко и Андрей Немич. Это молодежь. Они находятся в стадии влюбленности и не замечают ничего вокруг. Счастливы и беззаботны. Танец легок и синхронен, в нем отсутствует индивидуальность каждого, они воспринимаются как одно целое. Добры, жалеют пациентов, но частенько забывают про них, предпочитая укрыться где-нибудь в укромном уголке…

©Sveta Tarlova
©Sveta Tarlova

Самыми занятными были пациенты. Две пары – Сабина Япарова с Александром Омаром и Анна Кулигина с Алексеем Кузнецовым…. «Бешенная четверка» – так бы я охарактеризовала и их танец и их пантомиму. Они были главными двигателями балета, они ответственные за юмористическую составляющую, и великолепно справились с этой ролью. Заводилами были мальчики Омар с Кузнецовым, своими проделками, они заставляли не ухмыляться, а смеяться в голос. Мне очень понравилось что юмор передавался посредством пантомины и хореографии, ведь с верхних ярусов лиц не видно, и если играют только лицом, смысл утрачивается для зрителей третьего яруса, а юмористический танец виден и понятен с любого места. Мимика же это дополнительный нюанс, а не основное средство передачи образа…

©Sveta Tarlova
©Sveta Tarlova

Их четверка как шайка озорников выделялась не только пантомимой с элементами клоунады, но и в хореографическом плане была окрашена в яркие движения. Ломанные линии, какие-то дурашливые подпрыжки и дуэты…Всё это в синхронности (когда они танцевали вчетвером) создавало эффект настоящего дурдома, только не мрачного и унылого, а озорного и веселого… И этот эффект служил усилением другого – он подчеркивал одиночество Героя, сидевшего на кровати, он был таким же «ненормальным», но в его лице и позе чувствовалась какая-то печаль. В этом месте посредством танца для «бешенной четверки», хореограф очень доходчиво передает , что у всех есть пара, а у Героя нет. Он один…
….И вот появляется Она – Героиня в исполнении Эллы Персон. Самая нежная и романтичная в балете, словно из другого мира. Не полюбить её Герой просто не мог, она предназначалась ему – хореография её отличалась от остальных – хрупкая и беззащитная – такой она виделась мне в танце. И так же как у Доктора с Ассистенткой, у Героя с Героиней, у каждого была своя индивидуальность в дуэте. Только здесь Героиня намеренно выдвигается Героем на первый план. Он преклоняется перед ней, рисуя в сознании иллюзию Божественности (на самом деле она очередная пациентка лечебницы). А она пришедшая из внешнего мира, сломленная и подавленная, обрела тепло родственной души.

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©Evgeny Pronin

Кульминация была неожиданна для меня по восприятию. Весь балет прошел в гладком повествовании, и я ждала, как написано в либретто: «…больные видят, что за пределами больницы их ждет ещё более безумный и жестокий мир, и закрывают двери больницы, чтобы остаться…». Романтически сентиментальная история с элементами юмора…Но вдруг в эти сентименты «вклинивается» жестокая тема – когда «бешенная четверка» уже собравшая чемоданы и толпой ринувшаяся к открытой двери, резко останавливается. Что там, за дверью? Страшно! Зачем мы будем рисковать! Пусть «белая ворона» первым идет… они хватают Героя, тащат к двери и подталкивают в зияющую темноту дверного проема. Герой не сопротивляется…. заглядывает за дверь, потом возвращается закрывает дверь и ключ кладет в карман доктору… он принимает решение остаться с ними «здесь навсегда», так что же ему пришлось пережить в том, задверном мире? …

©Sveta Tarlova
©Sveta Tarlova

… Молодец Иван! Молодцы все танцовщики, которые помогли воплотить идею хореографа в жизнь! Спасибо всем огромное за прекрасный подарок!!! И Браво !!!!

And translated!  ————————————————————

14 February 2017. Love is everywhere.

Premiere at the Mikhailovsky Theatre .
Music: Igor Stravinsky.
Characters and performers:
Igor – Ivan Vasiliev
Ekaterina – Ella Persson
Doctor – Andrei Kasyanenko
Assistant – Valery Zapasnikova
Nurses – Svetlana Bednenko Andrew Nemich
Patients – Marat Shemiunov, Sabina Yaparova, Anna Kuligina,
Alexei Kuznetsov, Alexander Omar.
Marat Shemiunov was not really a patient. I saw him as a kind of Cupid, who is tired of his intended fate,  to get the arrows of love in the hearts of people on the ground. Arrows do not help, people have developed immunity, and to get them to fall in love, Cupid had to give a part of himself. He plucks his own heart out of his chest, the vibes of which are still able to sow love in people.

Marat has demonstrated once again his great acting talent. Playing a cameo role, he made it bright and memorable. The Cupid sent from heaven has come to an insane asylum, cured patients of this institution, and then carried on. Not having been treated himself, he peacefully slept through all the action under the Desk of the chief doctor, curled up and resting his head on a bright red pillow in the shape of a heart.

©Sveta Tarlova
©Sveta Tarlova

Love is everywhere. Love is the key word. It is a ballet about love and nothing else is important. Ivan’s characters were pairs: doctor and assistant, female and male nurses, four patients, consisting of two pairs. Only the main character was alone.
Each pair had its own choreographic personality, with clearly-drawn characters. They were imparted in tragicomic style, funny and humorous, but still they seemed sad.
The doctor is a respectable educated man. Andrey Kasyanenko. His dancing is solid and confident, the lines smooth (it is a pity that with one viewing I find it hard to remember how he danced. I retain only an overall impression of his dancing. I hope the ballet stays in the repertoire and I’ll be able to consider in more detail the choreographic drawing of each character. They are interesting I want to watch more attentively). His relationship with the assistant is interesting. She’s more his wife than a helper. Their love for each other is clear from the way they relate. In their duet, in a dance dominated by the Doctor, the assistant, Valeria Zapasnikova, is visibly obedient and in love for him, and at the same time, has female power over him. It reminded me of a domesticated Panther – softness and flexibility remained, but had lost the natural charm of the wilderness. She never uses her claws.

©Stas Levshin
©Stas Levshin

Quite different was the relationship between the nurses – Svetlana Bednenko and Andrew Nemec. They are young. They have arrived at that stage of love where you don’t notice anything around. They are happy and carefree, their dance is easy and synchronized. There is no individuality, they are perceived as one. We feel sorry for the patients, but often forget about them, as they prefer to hide somewhere in a secluded corner.

©Sveta Tarlova
©Sveta Tarlova

The most amusing were the patients. There were two pairs of Sabina Aparova with Alexander Omar and Anna Kuligina with Alexey Kuznetsov. “The frantic four” – is how I would describe their dance and mime. They were the main engines of the ballet and are responsible for a humorous component, and perfectly coped with this role. Led by Omar and Kuznetsov Omar Kuznetsov, their antics are funny. One has to grin and laugh out loud. I loved it that humor was conveyed through mime and choreography, because people in the top tier of the theatre cannot see details. If you rely just on individual acting, the meaning is lost for the audience higher up in the theatre, while humorous dance is visible and clear from any seat. Mime adds additional nuance and is not the main means of transmission.

©Stas Levshin
©Stas Levshin

These four as a gang of pranksters stood out not only by mime with elements of clowning, but also in choreographic terms they were painted in bright motion. They had broken lines, some foolish stage business and duets all in sync (when they danced, the four of them) creating the impression that this madhouse is not gloomy and sad, but mischievous and hilarious, and this effect served to enhance another one It emphasized the hero sitting on the bed in loneliness. He was “abnormal”, but in his face and posture one felt some sadness. At this moment, through the dance of the “crazy four”, the choreographer made it very easy to understand the message, that everyone has a mate except for the hero. Only he is alone.

©Sveta Tarlova
©Sveta Tarlova

And then she shows up. She is the heroine danced by Ella Persson. She is the  most tender and romantic in the ballet, as if from another world. One had to love her character, she was meant for him. Her choreography was different from the rest – fragile and defenseless – she made it visible through dance. Just as the doctor and his assistant, the hero and heroine each had their own personality in the duo, only here the hero deliberately pushed the heroine to the foreground. He admires her, picturing in his mind an illusion of Divinity (in fact, it is another patient of the hospital). And she, who came from the outside world broken and depressed, finds the warmth of kindred spirits.

The climax came unexpectedly. The entire ballet was conveyed with a smooth narrative, and I waited, as written in the programme were the words: “…the patients see the outside world outside the hospital waiting for them as an even more mad and cruel world, and they close the hospital doors to stay…”. It was a romantically sentimental story with elements of humor, but what if these sentiments are “wedged” into a cruel theme? When the “frantic four” have collected suitcases and are rushing in a crowd to the open door, they abruptly stop. What is there beyond the door? It is frightening! Why would they risk it! Let the “white crow” go first. They grab the hero, drag him to the door and push him in the gaping darkness beyond the doorway. The hero resists, looks beyond the door, then returns, and after closing it he puts the key in the doctor’s pocket… he decides to stay there with them.  He is here for good. How would he survive in that bleak world?…
… Well Done Ivan! Well done to all the dancers that helped bring the choreographer’s idea to life! Thank you all for this wonderful gift and ‘Bravo’!

GALLERY

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How could bows be, except joyful? Love is Everywhere!!!

Worries of a Western admirer

It is July 2016, and I want to share what I feel, see if others feel the same?  I don’t know where would be the right place and time to write about my worries, that concern Ivan The Dancer x Ivan the Choreographer – here seems as inadequate a locale as anywhere else.

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Nikolay Krusser

I used to worry about the crazy life Ivan led, his crazy schedule. I wanted to be sure he would be dancing well into his 50s. I also used to worry about our deifying, unrealistic expectations, and wished he would forget about us, his demanding public, and follow just his internal drive. I feared early injuries, overexposure, the fickleness of that part of audience that cheers Fame more than Art. I feared he was being branded and there was confusion between the artist and his roles – all things that could end his career early or eventually take away the joy he had in dancing. We all know examples.

Well, I have no reason to worry now, do I? He certainly is less often on stage, is home near his beloved family almost all the time, and found in choreography a new way of expressing himself in Dance that I very much value and like! A healthy change, and I hope choreography brings him great new success and great pleasure, too.

But it seems, things went from one extreme to the other.  His schedule lately includes not only few performances, but very few roles besides the more acclaimed ones. Is the greatest, unique, most complete artist in Ballet becoming a choreographer INSTEAD of a dancer in front of our eyes? I expected that would happen at some point in the future, but please, not so soon, right?!? That would be a terrible loss!

In MY opinion, Ivan the Dancer is as important for classical/neoclassical Ballet as Impressionist painters were for an empty, already crippling classicism. He has new priorities and rescue is essential, neglected qualities – a restlessness that brings back the vitality that was being stifled in the maze of increasing standards and rules – in Painting 150 years ago and more recently in Ballet.  He turns Ballet into living Art again.

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But now… why no new roles? Where are the princes, the Roland Petit ballets, the Kings? There is no need of an absurd schedule, but maybe a few times a year? While in Russia he seems to give a lower priority to dancing, but here in the West we are on a truly starving diet!

Ivan Vasiliev, you are badly needed on stage, everywhere where Ballet is valued! Others must be inspired and learn from you, and we… we miss the great Dancer, we miss all a performance can become – even the most traditional one –  when it’s you dancing!

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© Ekaterina Vladimirova (cut)

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Maybe it is just a period, not a trend…  I hope my worries are silly and completely premature.

Magda Mundt

Triple Bill – 6th June 2016: I was there

HERE
we will document your reactions
(it takes some time to get the Russian and English versions right, and we lost the first version, sorry, not the most competent ones…).

and BELOW, is an attempt at a review.

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TRIPLE BILL BY IVAN VASILIEV
Videos released of Triple Bill were beautiful, but it was impossible to judge choreography or staging with only one to two seconds of each sequence and maybe edited to get just the best moments or the best angle. Of course, I’m a fan of Ivan Vasiliev, the Dancer, but I didn’t really know what to expect  and I was VERY curious. To see him dance would be good enough, if all else failed, to please me.

Well, now I have seen it and, IMHO Triple Bill is great!! All of it. It felt like a blessing to see a contemporary dance work that meets so many, maybe most criteria, of what I like in contemporary – as I get to them, I will number them.

First things first: choreography. Beautiful!!!! Far from banal, it uses the best of classical aesthetic, but goes well beyond – the whole body is summoned, and cleverly used (1!). Thankfully, it does NOT entail punishing the dancers with the weirdest twists and bends and the ugliest steps for originality’s sake (2!) – probably because there is no need to put the stress on originality, Ivan achieves it anyway. His choreographic language has a very distinct flavour. Plus, his choreography is very expressive. It is pretty obvious how deep Ivan’s understanding of body-language is (3!). His group either is made up of naturals too, or they were very well coached!

All three pieces are a pleasure to see. Ivan uses the stage space well in a diversity of compositions, but they come in sequence, or if not, in different planes that don’t compete. There is always a sense of unity, and/or emphasis, so it is easy on the eyes (4!). In consecutive frames, featuring duos, trios, different numbers of couples, you can choose to pay attention to each unit (good enough), but the whole is always another layer of beauty which is also achieved because the performer’s synchronicity was close to perfection. As a counterexample, watching “Entity” by Wayne MacGregor is an exhausting experience: there is so much going on, you don’t know where to focus, and there is not an overall idea or schema. When it came to an end, I had a head ache, and quietly promised myself never to watch it again!!

There are very few repeated sequences (you can’t help but notice that in some works repeated sequences don’t have any meaning, they just “fill” the score in an easier way. There are beautiful, beautiful lifts and jump sequences. Ivan puts his experience to excellent use! There are small pauses, where you feel momentum gathering to be released in the next second.

Also put to good use is Ivan’s great musicality. The dancing seemed to be the visual expression of the music, a very organic fit (maybe this is one of the reasons why Triple Bill leaves behind an impression of aesthetic harmony) (5!).

The “Corps” is there not just as background, carefully sliding from one beautiful pose to another, they dance, ah!! Ivan’s choreography is not easy. He uses their skills. They REALLY dance, and are amazing to watch (6!).

The pas de deux are stunning. Somehow, all of them are very moving, every one of them a great visual pleasure.

The staging meets all my criteria of excellence. To begin with, it is clean! I’m a fierce advocate for clean staging. I don’t think Dance needs a “frame”, on the contrary, Dance is so beautiful in itself, there is no need for tons of plumes and frills and gold to enhance its value. THIS is “circus”, for me! Cluttered scenarios and over decorated costumes that hide, limit and overburden movement, are absurd. Anything that diverts attention from the dancing, is absurd. That said…

The costumes are just PERFECT. All my praise goes to Alexandra Leonidov and to Ivan, for choosing her. Simple and beautiful (even the zombies!!), they enhance each work’s aesthetic and content to perfection, without being too “loud” or obstructive (7!). I don’t know if they are easy to dance with, but it seemed so. Of course, I cannot begin to imagine what it is like to dance with a blindfold, even if it is probably semi-transparent, but omg,  the blindfolds are effective as a staging element!

The lighting was great! The colours, the choices and ways of emphasis – a great job, and I could not spot a single flaw in execution. In Blind Affair and Morphine it is a most important element, and helped play with our mood.  Light, plus a handful of symbolic elements, that was all. Perfect, no more was needed (8!).

About Blind Affair.

The overall impression is of great beauty and harmony. The meaning Ivan wanted to impart is easily and definitely achieved! Blindfolds, as I said, have a great effect. It was a surprise, though. I expected a sombre, dark visual, but, there is a riot of well chosen colours and chains falling make quite an impression too! The choreography was pure visual pleasure, and the performance was one of 5 stars!

About Bolero.

WHAT A SURPRISE! It was almost incredible how Ivan was able to step completely out of Bejart’s influence, and create something totally new (very Ivan-like, BTW), but he did it! I read somewhere that someone had spotted elements of Bejart. Really??? are we talking about the same piece? Ivan’s Bolero has delicious humorous touches and is a joyful affair that leaves you uplifted and smiling, not in a transcendent mood, but in a light, playful one. It made me want to spring down the Hermitage steps dancing, if you get my drift!

Morphine.

Wow, that is a gripping work! It depends heavily on the principals’ skills of acting, and Ivan is absolutely outstanding in the young doctor’s role, while you see Irina Perren reaching new depths of expression. It proceeds to a dramatic crescendo. The end is so overwhelming  that the audience was reduced to complete silence, motionless for a long time, before all started to breathe again and remembered to applaud.

Some liked this piece more, others liked another one. I’m unable to choose. They are so different that I like the three of them very much, both for their overall quality of choreography, staging and performance, but also because each one excels in different ways.

And of course you have Ivan’s dancing as a big bonus with all its great qualities: fluidity, gracefulness, lightness, partnering, and his perfect jumps. His group, however, was either very well chosen, or very well coached, because they were a great pleasure to watch, each one of them, expressive, skilful, synchronized.

It may have been a coincidence that Triple Bill fitted my taste to perfection. Time will tell which way Ivan will follow, but THIS show, omg, I loved it!!!

In short, Triple Bill did not seem the work of a novice  at all  and earned my deep respect for Ivan Vasiliev as a choreographer. I would gladly see it again (in fact, lucky me, I will, on 14th June in Mikhailovsky… 😉 🙂 )

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Hahaha!!! I notice I did not say a single negative word. Well, let’s try, for equilibrium’s sake…

While wearing the blindfolds, all keep their heads slightly bent. I don’t know if it is intentional. Are they looking at their gadgets or are they just trying to SEE the end point? It is ambiguous. Maybe they should keep their faces either straight forward, or heads really bent.

I did not like the young doctor’s frizzy, stiff curls. Of course, we all like Ivan’s natural curls, so it was maybe because of that. Anyway, it was the single costume element that stood out. His hair behaved strangely while he danced. I believe that it would not detract from the overall visual effect and maybe would be even more effective if they were just tidy  at the beginning, and let loose to become wild and sweaty as the action goes on.

I feel I am being more royal than a king with these remarks, but these are the only flaws  I could think of!

Magda Mundt

 

Triple Bill 1 – Morphine

MORPHINE

 

Morphine is based on Notes From a Young Doctor, a short story by Mikhail Bulgakov, about the progression of morphine adiction,
from its onset to self-destruction, as told by a lonely
young doctor in the beginning of 20th century – a narrative
work using score by Gustav Mahler.

Morphine Video Start
Photo: © Ekaterina Vladimirova – Video: Ekaterina Bugrova

Credits

Choreography: Ivan Vasiliev
Stage Design: Ivan Vasiliev
Costumes: Alexandra Leonidova
Lighting: Alexander Kibitkin
Répétiteur: Elvira Khabibullina
Cast of first performances:
Irina Perren, Ivan Vasiliev,
Maria Dmitrienko , Valeria Zapasnikova , Anna Kuligina,
Sabina Yapparova, Ivan Zaytsev,
Nikita Nazarov,  Andrey NemichAlexander Omar

——–  * Additional information * ————

Creating Morphine

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Minutes before the first performance

 

Photo Gallery

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By  ©Jack Devant  (link to his stunning gallery)

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By  ©Ekaterina Vladimirova

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By  ©Stas Levshin

©Stas Levshin
©Stas Levshin
Stas Levshin 2
©Stas Levshin

To more overall information on Triple Bill
interviews, comments by who was there,
gallery of Mikhailovsky,  many more rehearsal photos, etc

Triple Bill – Overview

Overview  

“Ivan Vasiliev: How wonderful is Life”

Ivan Vasiliev, with his boundless energy and thirst for action, goes on trying himself as a choreographer. “Not even the director can tell what is inside me, better than I do,” – says the dancer. Ivan has always kept closely within the framework of the traditional ballet role: “I do not want to dance fifteen editions of ballet all my life “- exaggerates Ivan. “It is better to dig into myself, give freedom to my thoughts and make something new.”

In April, at the Hermitage Theatre will host the premiere of works by Ivan Vasiliev – choreographer. Of the three one-act ballets, only one is “from the vaults”. “Bolero” , on music of Maurice Ravel, was staged by Ivan last spring in Barvikha Theater, only once. The other two – “Morphine” and “Blind Us” – are completely new, work on them is going on right now.

The unexpected name “Morphine” is explained by it’s literary basis – the director was inspired by “Notes of a Young Doctor” by Mikhail Bulgakov.. The hero is trying to escape from pursuing phantoms, but only sinks deeper into a nightmare – Ivan “confirms he performs himself” this role. The ballet uses music of Gustav Mahler.

Ballet “Blind Connection” on music by contemporary English composer Max Richter – is about society, “where everyone is buried in their gadgets and no one looks around.” “We are living in our boxes and are sure it is where all peace is to be found” – is how Ivan Vasiliev formulates the basic idea.

Ivan Vasiliev does not like what he sees around him. “I want to stir up the crowd! Always wanted!” The young choreographer does not hold back his social temperament. “To do this, I fly all over the world, dance on different stages, and will continue in the same vein, one hundred and twenty years from now. All in order to convince people: look finally around and see how wonderful is life”!

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Original Russian text:

«Как прекрасно жить!»

Иван Васильев, с его неуемной энергией и жаждой деятельности, продолжает пробовать себя в качестве хореографа. «Ни один постановщик не расскажет, что у меня внутри, лучше, чем я сам», — уверен танцовщик. Ивану всегда было тесно в рамках традиционных балетных амплуа: «Не хочу всю жизнь танцевать пятнадцать редакций одного балета, — несколько преувеличивает Иван. — Лучше покопаться в голове, дать свободу своим мыслям и сделать что-то новое».

В апреле на сцене Эрмитажного театра пройдет премьера сочинений Ивана Васильева — хореографа. Из трех одноактных балетов только один — «из запасников»: «Болеро» на музыку Мориса Равеля Иван поставил прошлой весной и показал на сцене Барвиха Luxury Village один-единственный раз. Два других — «Морфий» и «Слепая связь» — совершенно новые, работа над ними идет сейчас.

Неожиданное для балета название «Морфий» объясняется литературной основой — постановщика вдохновили «Записки юного врача» Михаила Булгакова. Герой — по словам Ивана, на эту роль он «утвердил самого себя» — пытается убежать от преследующих его фантомов, но лишь глубже погружается в кошмар. В балете используется музыка Густава Малера.

Балет «Слепая связь» на музыку современного английского композитора Макса Рихтера — про общество, «где все уткнулись в свои гаджеты и никто не смотрит по сторонам». «Мы живем в своих коробочках и уверены, что в них заключен целый мир, но это не так», — формулирует Иван Васильев основную идею.

Ивану Васильеву не безразлично то, что он видит вокруг себя. «Хочу расшевелить толпу! Всегда этого хотел! — молодой хореограф не сдерживает свой общественный темперамент. — Для этого и летаю по всему свету, танцую на разных сценах, и буду продолжать в том же духе лет до ста двадцати. Все ради того, чтобы убедить людей: посмотрите, наконец, по сторонам и скажите: как прекрасно жить!»

Morphine, Blind Affair and Bolero were warmly received.
Not a real surprise: Ivan Vasiliev simply KNOWS about Dance
and knows how to communicate with the audience.

 

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Triple Bill clearly bears Ivan’s signature:  in its themes, in choreographic language, in beauty, in expression.

See our posts with more information on each work:

Morphine
Blind Affair
Bolero

Most of us were not there. Even so, you look at photos and
seconds of actual dancing in rehearsal or performance, and cannot help imagine how it would feel to be there, live!!!
We hope he will take this work on tour!

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It was a nice surprise, and a huge pleasure for those that follow Ivan Vasiliev, that he and Mikhailovsky Theatre set a Facebook page
where the making of Triple Bill was well documented. Thank you!!!

FB: Ivan Vasiliev Choreographer Page – click below

Capture

Photo Gallery of Rehearsals

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Congratulations on a beautiful work!!!

Triple Bill with Ivan Vasiliev’s choreographies!

Triple Bill by Ivan

In the FB Page focused on Ivan Vasiliev’s work as a choreographer, there are making-of videos and terrific photos.  Link to page

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Read about in Russian

or in English

“How wonderful to be alive!”

Ivan Vasiliev, with his boundless energy and thirst for action, continues to test himself as a choreographer. “No director tells me what is inside of me, better than I do,” – said the dancer. Ivan has always worked closely within the framework of the traditional ballet role: “I do not want to dance all my life fifteen editions of the same ballet” says Ivan. It is better search my mind, to give freedom to my thoughts and do something new. ” In April, the Hermitage Theatre will host the premiere of works by Ivan Vasiliev, choreographer. Of the three one-act ballets, only one has been performed before, “Bolero” to the music of Maurice Ravel. Ivan created this work last spring and performed it at Barvikha Luxury Village only once. The other two, “Morphine” and “Blind Us” are completely new works. The unusually titled “Morphine” is explained by the literary basis. The director was inspired by “Notes of a young Doctor” by Mikhail Bulgakov. The hero, according to Ivan, a role he created for himself is trying to escape from the pursuing phantoms, but only sinking deeper into a nightmare. The ballet music of Gustav Mahler is used. The ballet “Blind Us” is set to music by a contemporary English composer Max Richter and is about a society, “where everything is buried in their gadgets and no one looks around.” “We are living in boxes and are confident that they give us peace, but it is not to be.” Ivan Vasiliev conveys the basic idea that people do not care what they see around them. “I want to stir up the crowd! I always want to do that!” This young choreographer does not restrain his ambitions. “I want to do this, and fly all over the world, dance on different stages, and I will continue in the same vein, for one hundred and twenty years in order to convince people: look, and finally realise how wonderful life is! ”

 


9 Jan 2016 – Happy Birthday, Ivan Vasiliev!

Ivan’s year was eventful.

Luckily he recovered from a dangerous injury he suffered in December 2014 (thank you Muse! ).

He rocked in his debuts in Swan Lake, Ivan The Terrible, Sheherazade, Messerer’s Corsaire, Mozart and Salieri, besides bringing us all the bravura roles we love so much, as well as the gentle ones that some love even more.

And then, there was also the amazing feat of staging Ballet No.1
almost single-handed.

He received this year’s  QG award for “Discovery of the Year” for that, which was well deserved!

He is also a nominee for the “Golden Mask” award
for his Mozart in Mozart and Salieri , well deserved too!!

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He launched his own (WOW)site, a new Instagram Page
and a YouTube channel.

AND he got married to beautiful ballerina Maria Vinogradova!!

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Happy Birthday to Ivan Vasiliev!
May the future bring fulfillment
of his many dreams –
all of them, one by one!

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#Winner of “Discovery of the Year”!!!

THE PRIZE
One of the most talented Russian dancers, Honored Artist Vasilyev suddenly turned into a choreographer, staged “Ballet №1».

Ivan Vasiliev was chosen, in a wide public poll, the winner of “Discovery of The Year”, one  category of ” GQ Man of the Year”


CUMPLICITY


THE “ABOUT” ARTICLE
Nice Reading!
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Congratulations, Ivan Vasiliev!
Dancer and Choreographer!