You went into self-imposed isolation shortly before the planned world premiere of the ballet “Aurea” of Goyo Montero. Is there any hope that in the future we will see this play or is it cancelled?
Natalia Ledovskaya: of Course, we’ll see! It stopped practically before the premiere. Has done a great job, people were ready. It is very difficult: when practicing hard, the most important release date, a whole life plan with it. Now everything will have to start almost from the beginning.
it is believed that if the artist is not engaged in the day to compensate for skipping two need. Now the plays have been going on for two months. What do you think, how long will it take the dancers to recover the form? After such a long downtime from theaters almost was not.
Natalia Ledovskaya: We know that during the great Patriotic war theatres worked in very difficult conditions, but still people were recovered and danced, and became great artists. Of course, since then much has changed. I believe that recovery is an individual matter, it all depends on the “physics” of the individual. There are guys I know personally – who returns to ballet even after the army, then even dancing solo. Yes what far to go: I was out on maternity leave, missed him for almost a year and two months after the return was dancing Giselle. The second child gave birth in forty years and came back, continued to dance, was the ballet. But I know it’s far from over. Probably it is important the combination of nature, physical abilities, determination. Our guys, of course, will take time, but still don’t have to recover from scratch – we continue to do. Of course, the lessons at home, when there is no normal conditions, the hall, where you can jump – it’s not the same. But after I recently watched a film about skaters, realize that we are still lucky – at least not the right skates and the ice.
As in the theater had the idea to organize artists for online classes?
Natalia Ledovskaya: After we got home and went online, saw London’s Covent garden, Ballet San Francisco, the national ballet of the Netherlands and many other Western companies have done for your dancers classes in computer. I was lying on the couch, watched these classes is quite different from our own, and thought it was great. There was even the idea to do something similar, but decided that now, when you can work via the Internet from Tamara Rojo (the art Director of the English national ballet), Vladimir Malakhov, teachers of the Paris Opera, it doesn’t make sense. And stayed on the couch. But then I got a call from the theater: “Laurent (Hilaire, artistic Director of balletOh troupe – approx. “RG”) asked it would be interesting to you is not an obligation, namely, the suggestion is to give classes for our artists?” I was so happy! I am an active person, weeks to lie down and rest I’m not interested. Especially when it offers a theatre, not my Amateur initiative. But to rejoice in fact, I was delighted, but suddenly realized it’s new technology! I don’t understand. My colleagues know how complicated my relationship with technology, and I think they were shocked when I created a group and appeared in Zoom. Yeah I was shocked myself! So we are very grateful to Laurent that he offered me this job, otherwise I would not come out of my comfort zone, I never understood the teaching via the Internet and would think that well do without it. As it turned out, this lot, this is interesting. And most importantly, my doubts immediately vanished: the theater put up a sign in our own group on Facebook, and from one to the other the information spread further. I began to write artists from the Paris Opera, from Germany, came Masha Kochetkova, who is now working in Oslo, Tanya Miller and Diana Kosyreva from Budapest – formed international group. And, of course, do our artists. We do not only the machine, but also middle, small prygocki, and girls even are engaged on the fingers and taking the variation from “Diana and Acteon”, “Swan lake” by Tchaikovsky, “Le Corsaire”.
When in the early days of isolation, I saw a broadcast from opposite ends of the world, as people twirl pirouettes on the concrete floor, he was terrified that the whole ballet will not retain their shape, and pericolosita…
Natalia Ledovskaya: That’s it! Stanochek can be done holding onto a chair, refrigerator, wardrobe. In the early days, of course, no one imagined that it would stretch. Thought a week or two to endure. And when everything was tightened, began to buy the home machines, professional linoleum. Thanks to our Directorate, we have a large rehearsal room recently decided to lay new linoleum and old, very comfortable, now cut and distribute home artists. Because the machine is not enough, need to leave in the middle, and girls to support the fingers. When doing the press and even the middle of working one group of muscles. To access the other, you need a jumping variation. Then the legs work differently, and the shape is completely different. So I somehow contrive, alter variations, the majority of the house to practice not more than a meter per meter.
In the theater classes are held with live music at the piano. And online under the bill?
Natalia Ledovskaya: in Any case! Class home – it is so painful, and if there’s no music that inspires us, we will go crazy and won’t want to doI. Again, we’re trying technology. Theater were immediately provided for our class accompanist. But using Zoom with an accompanist well, if he was beside me. And when we are in different places, the guys say, if music is playing and I make comments, it is not unheard music, the sound moves to me. But if I turn on the music, you can’t hear me. So looking for options. Now sat three days with our accompanist Dmitry Presman, selecting music, and recorded specifically for training disk.
You do not just dictate the movement and their order, but check each class in the theater?
Natalia Ledovskaya: what is it meaning what! So far I follow every on the phone, doing all the personal remarks. But the husband is now too busy to make me a stream to the TV. I think another month and we will try experiencing the Internet is not worse than in the hall.
Supports any relationship with the company, Laurent Hilaire, who went to serve the isolation of home in France?
Natalia Ledovskaya: we had an online conference, because we all missed each other, I want to chat to see. He, like us, do not know how long this situation will continue. Told us that in the West all the performances, have been cancelled until September. And now I’m sending the link to Laurent, and he also comes to our classes. Apparently, we will soon have to communicate only via Zoom and Facebook. I marvel at our children, they are great. The hardest now is the lack of motivation. If you do not know when it will be possible to go on stage, very difficult to keep yourself in shape. But artists come every day to me. Sometimes off and say that you want to study at the Western teachers – and I perfectly understand them, this is a unique opportunity. I try to think of classes so that was fun, relaxed and interesting. We all support each other as they can. We continue to dance.
