Major Differences in Training while at The Bolshoi Ballet Academy | VeganOnPointe 

So true!!! Sequential, impeccable and with great results!

its pretty modern so it learnt a lot ...balanchine was only for the pros and even they ended up hurt a lot

Agree for the most part, but what about the Bolshoi Ballet Academy? I'm thinking about the fantastic BBA graduate Nicolai Tsiskaridze who was in the class of Peter Pestov. All Pestov's students at BBA were very special dancers. I don't know the answer, but is the Bolshoi Ballet Academy technique the same as Vaganova?

@@KSfan4ever yes, bolshoi academy also use Vaganova method.

Jonna Robinson I agree. Very accurate.

Aeternum this could not have been conveyed any better than you stated. It is imperative of your note to be added. Her focus is on the technique because of the confusion and variances encountered with teachers trained and training using different methodology. As you know, the true talent and artistic interpretation will never be achieved as long as dancers struggle with technique - And BTW your English is outstanding! Thanks for an awesome comment !

Im thrilled that it helped you so much! That makes me so happy

That part really interested me too. Feels like a hidden gem to getting those ecarte legs up so high and beautiful

SECONDED

Yes it truly is!!

Cathrine Katsigianni very true indeed. While Vaganova gave credit to the influences - let’s not forget Russians already had a very strong technique from soviet era- Vaganova studied rigorously its application, modify it, documented it in details and improved it way beyond what was in existence at the time. She really developed the science of pedagogy. The results are speaking in large proportion to what dancers , artists they have been producing . The plasticity , ballon , power they display while looking effortless can’t be compared. It is only fair we acknowledge that.

Vaganova did not exactly taught planned exercises for different days of the week, like Bournonville and Cecchetti did... She just had different focus different days, according to what she thought was more in need of correction. In her book she stresses a lot the importance of the teacher understanding how are the students and what and how they need to work to improve every day.

Live on Pointe i absolutely love the idea! Thank you so much for the suggestion! I am for sure willing to do this :)

Thank you so so much

Thank you

I am so glad!

Thank you so much!

Thank you so much!

KennyDreadfuls 💞

Thank you! I will!

No way that is amazing!

Thank you for your comment! and Yes Amy you are very right. At bolshoi due to the slanted floors, alignment was very hard to maintain and we were not properly taught how to adjust to it. Ever since training in New York this year, I have been focusing alot on placement and the alignment of the body : pelvis up, ribs down, back engaged, gluteals engaged, lats etc. Placement is so important and it's too bad I wasn't taught that at Bolshoi. Some things you have to figure out yourself, or from supportive subscribers

Balanchine is a style NOT a method of training. He was a choreographer who came from Russia to USA. He struggled to work with the american bodies and their technique therefore he had to create choreography that would suit them and make them look good. Therefore in resulting in fast foot work to hide their poor foot articulation and precision, extreme hands and arms to make them look as tho they had at least some sort of port de bras and epaulment. And so on and so on. Balanchine always had full vaganova ballet classes before teaching any of his choreography. Americans have become obsessed with it and decided to call it a method and teach ballet class in the 'balanchine' method. But once again I will say Balanchine is NOT a methodology, it is a style of choreography!!

@@VeganOnPointe He struggled to work with american bodies? I don't understand how american bodies are different from russian? I also learn Vaganova method :)

Alexandria Swan they were different in many ways: 1. Not selected as children and trained for 8 years rigorously using turnout ; exposure to artistry and character 2. The body shape is generally wider broader shoulders and hips ; less mobile due to lack of training 3. No turnout. Lastly balanchine - was not a pedagogue ; did not have 8 years to shape these bodies and progress their technique ! He was a choreographer ; who wanted and was asked to choreograph! Russians’ are carefully selected based on a criteria that even accounts for rations percentages ; flexibility ; hip opening etc

@@VeganOnPointe Balanchine is pre-vaganova. So not, you don't see much of Vaganova Method in Balanchine Style classes. But according to many historian who work on reconstructions, Balanchine was sometimes very faithful to Petipa's choreographies, which is something great.

Leon Nujain nor do you see any “ soviet era” methodology in his choreography. In fact his pieces are neoclassical; which ai have finally had the privilege to see them performed by Russians using turnout and they were amazingly executed with classical tone versus a jazzy one

yes correct!

Ppendu those were poor teachers,not vaganova masters.

Gabor Sziraky Exactly!

Ppendu Agreed. Myself as a Vaganova master always feel sad when I hear about unqualified teachers whose use the name of Vaganova method as royalty cover to sell their poor knowledge. Ruining Vaganova reputation and the future of their students.

Aside of accidents related to the environment, partnering fatigue, etc which can happen just because of the nature of profession - Injuries are mostly a result of poor technique transferred onto students by “ teachers” who really lack proper pedagogical formal training. By that I mean - just completing eg. RAD or a certain course certification should not qualify a person to teach. I am aware that if one passes intermediate Vocational RAD is allowed to teach younger classes. Sadly many schools fraudulently advertise teaching vaganova, one needs to do proper research on the teachers bio to see they have no Russian vaganova pedagogical training. Just based on the exercises at the barre one immediately knows whether class is truly Russian/ vaganova. The art of pedagogy goes beyond formal experience of dance, or certifications, one should be able to convey clearly, demonstrate for visual learning, and work in building intelligently - With no disrespect I have not seen as of yet anything better than the Russian - vaganova method. Pedagogy is very detailed, progressive, etc. The teachers are expected to explain and demonstrate. They seek collaboration and feedback from their colleges, and collaborate closely with other teachers responsible for character, historical dance, conditioning / gym and contemp. There is high standards of competence expected and alwys built on. This by no means does it imply that all RAD teachers are not good! I think the point here in the video is more about the methodology and steps in building strong technique and artistry and the differences. On a second note, vaganova methodology can be taught to anybody. While they do have a selective approach to their famous schools, the method is not exclusive to correct proportions, and other body characteristic. With sound knowledge we have in science - the flexibility can be acquired, the range of motion can be increased and the strength can be developed .

Dariana Paraschiv I don't think you can increase turnout beyond what one is born with. Of course, almost every student needs to train in order to use what they have. But bone structures can not be stretched. Other muscles maybe, but what level can you achieve without reasonable turnout? Ballet is for everyone, but perfection is for the happy few with natural abilities, proper teachers, and a good work ethic.

Mirage they both use vaganova methodology ! I do not believe there is a difference in school, the companies of each use different choreographies. @veganonpointe do you know ?

13:10 those are not gargouillades... At least not in Vaganova.

It's great to see such a positive energy trying to understand methodology from so young ! But Vaganova and Bolshoi have differences, you may already know by now, since it's been almost two years since this video.

Since you went to Bolshoi, and it seems you went to a higher class, you didn't get to see most other unique qualities of russian, and better yet in Vaganova Academy, dance methodology, like the greatly defined use of music, the way each step is introduced, in certain measures and tempo, in the simplest way possible, then it is set into combination with other steps, the way arms are supposed to move (bolshoi have some small differences in this matter), how the syllabus is planned out, which is GENIUS, the whole bunch of different temps liés, like temps lié sautés, temps lié en tournant, etc. (temps lié is a good part of their method), and how everything evolves from the class 1/4 up to the course 8/III. How pointe is taught since second semester of first year, how tours are learned only after exercises have been trained in demi-pointe (class 3/7), and a whole bunch of information that is so hard to obtain unless one works its ass off a lot to study their method, and go take classes with them and read a lot of books, and get acces to their syllabus, etc. Other methodologies, other than share some terms or final steps executions, are totally different methodos of teaching and dancing in all ways.

Leon Nujain I echo your comments; @veganonpointe is aware of all of it. However, with some stylistic differences both bolshoi and vaganova academy use vaganova methodology! Great comments!!

@@dpara22 I know, I just can't help it, Vaganova should be Vaganova Academy or exactly as they teach, not a "variation of Vaganova Method"... Anyways Bolshoi is still awesome, and these great russian schools together with Perm are simply ahead of the rest of the world.

Thank you so much! I am from Canada! I sent my video audition through email

cntooo there are many methods. The assumption is that the viewer is at least familiar with training in one of the methodologies listed in the video to see the difference. The focus of the video is to show “some” of the differences but focusing on her training there. She listed them with few footages showing some progression along the way. Hope this helps

There is one Bolshoi- In Moscow; the other one is a studio perhaps following the bolshoi syllabus

Shucks, FYI, American Ballet Theatre was founded in 1939 by Lucia Chase and Richard Pleasant. It has it’s own affiliate school. Balanchine founded the School of American Ballet in 1934, and it is the only official school of the New York City Ballet, which he founded in 1948. They (SAB/NYCB & ABT) are two completely different companies.

Have you ever been in NYC? Have you watched performances of ABT and NYCB? I am just wondering where exactly did you get this anecdotal information. And no- it is not the most difficult of ballet technique? There is only one classical ballet all technique based on turnout- with variances in style. NYCB is a neoclassical ballet company .

Turn off the volume and watch the content if you are interested at all!