I'm really impressed by how well she brought those fouettes back under control. There was a moment there when I thought she'd fall out of it, but she pulled it in and kept going. I think she could use some seasoning in the role, and I do wonder what was up with the orchestra, but all in all I thought it was a very promising performance!
That is true; those fouettés did not work out too well. But we have to acknowledge: it is rare that something like that happens to her, and she did her best to salvage it: never once lost count of the music, went up back on pointe right away. Not every ballerina is able to reign in the effects of a loss of balance as well as she does - it's a sign of great technique. Mistakes happen to everyone. The question is, how does she deal with them; and I think she did a great job recovering here.
I have so enjoyed watching her blossom since the days when she was featured in BALLERINA. It would seem so important to give these girls time to truly develop. 18 is so young!
Just a comment on the fouettes---until recently (in ballet terms), this was a typical Vaganova fouette. It's not a flaw in technique that the stop-action moment has her in 2nd rather than 4th front. That said, that 2nd should be strongly presented, and the foot cleanly arched, which I'm not sure I've seen her correct yet. And the unsupported temps de fleche early in entrada make her look like she needs a fork lift. And that said, if she's only 18 here, it's remarkable that she's getting through the whole ballet!
Grande sensazione di naturalezza e levità fatta tensione motile e fluente.Ottima enfatizzazione al fine dell esecutività ' e grande senso della occupazione totale dello spazio proscenico. MOLTO BRAVA.Bighin GIULIO RENZO
I see what you mean, but if you see her recent Swan Lake, it's completely different. She has a new coach now who fits her SO much better. Her extensions have been toned down, and her artistry is finally showing in her own individual way. Look up her most recent Odette uploaded on youtube, and you will see how much she has grown. Honestly, if you look at her school acting exam, she is stunning!
The only reason she's struggling on the fouettes is that the Russian technique teaches that the leg says in passe until it extends out into a la second, and because her hyperextensions are insane - it knocks her off. I honestly prefer the French/American fouette technique more, since it makes the turns look a lot cleaner
Jojo Qi, wow, that’s exactly what I thought. She could do them easily with the right technique suitable for her, her body has everything it takes to perform them after all. Her Italian Fouettes, for instance, are impeccable because the centrifugal forces there don’t have the same effect on her extended leg.
You know, besides the fouettés, it was pretty good, and her turns weren't so bad. I sincerely prefer too see a technical mistake like this than someone who shows no emotions but has amazing fouettés. She is a really nice Odile and that's what is important.
that's how I feel too. She has improved a lot lately but I still think she has a long way to go. Also I often feel she is off the music, not connecting with it.
@lukebccb good point. I saw her live recently. in technical terms, she's not all WOW but great (pretty wobbly when doing fouettes. I get that fouettes are hard. but for a prima they shouldn't be). there is this 'thing' about her that really made me pay attention to her. it's like she has the charisma to relate to the audience.. she was ethereal on stage really that her technical faults are almost concealed by this.
Olha já que é pra falar de perfeição, Fiquei encantada, até chegar a hora dos fouettés. Digamos que sairam meio esquisitos, o impulso, sei lá, ficou meio mal. Mas de resto... apesar de minha primeira opção ser a Polina, ela é maravilhosa também! Só que não consigo ninguém pra comparar com a Polina Semionova...
more alina's new videos please!! She's a really pure ballerina!!! I just love her dancing! Recently, I usually drop into youtube and look for her new videos!! SHE"S GREAT!!!
I think Alina Somova has made much progress since the movie Balerina. Her technique is very robust in this difficult variation and her developpes a la seconde are not lomger exageratedly high and a bit offset from the academic line as they may have been in the past. She is very talented and deserved her promotion..
this may have been her first time out as Odile because she was featured in "Ballerina" and only has been with the Kirov for about 1 1/2 years to 2 years. So for her to even have the part tells us all that she is more than qualified. She may not be as expressive as Sveltana or Agnes Letetsu, but this one can really dance.
Is it just me or did the music speed up when the fouette turns happened and that got her to be somewhat less precise and "botch" them? Even the orchestra sounded like they were clashing against one another at that tempo.
I get what you mean, she has the hyperextension, port de bras, and all those body forms that Zakharova's been known for. But Zakharova's also known for the fluidity and control of her movements (crowned as the "Queen of adagio" by critics I believe) while Somova simply does not keep her positions long enough...... she has a long long way to go to be as graceful as Zakharova is -- this is a fact.
if you saw the movie Ballerina you would understand why this performance is the way it is. she was eighteen and the artistic director at the time wanted to see her perform or something like that to challenge her so they made her do swan lake. as for the fuettes I think its just her hyper extension that makes it look weird. :/
I agree that she recovers very well- it is actually rather impressive how she handles it- but that isn't my problem with these fouettes. She does not turn her foot out at all- the foot, when flat, should ideally be at a ninety degree angle but hers points totally forward. She also kicks her leg out rather than whips it round.
people always have wierd issues with somova, but I think that she represents the direction that ballet is going in, and there's really nothing wrong with that. She has fierce legs and feet, but a beautiful, artistic port de bras; one of the best out right there right now. She combines romantic ballet with the athletic, extreme direction its going in. She's brillant without even trying to be
She was perfection itself, although I do think her fouetté turns were a little unusal. She didn't whip the leg open during the turn, but sort of opened it at the end of the revolution. And then she did drift a bit to her right more than I would have liked.
.....never underestimate a Swan! - Mother Nature has come on reaps and bounds with our caring and nurture over the most recent yrs in an attempt to save the Planet & always looks after her own - cannot deny her much easier accessibility into our psyches now & I think this dancers' wildness is well-founded & maybe not entirely her own doing.
Each dancer is better at one thing or another. Alina... is a brilliant dramatic actress. That's not to say Ksenia isn't (Can't wait to see her graduate!), but Alina's forte is acting, her carriage of her port de bras, and her beautiful lines.
I wish someone would upload the black swan! I've been dying to see it as well! My friend watched the performance live and raved about it. I'm glad Mariinsky is doing a Swan Lake tour to my area this year. No way I'm missing her live!
I love how she embodies the role of the swan. After having watched a few other videos of her before coming here, I can definitely see a difference in how she moves. There's a birdlike peculiarity to it which makes her seem more like a swan inhabiting the body of a ballerina than a ballerina inhabiting the role of a swan. The choreography helps, I'm sure, but only a really superb performer could pull it off.
I love Alina and her variation was so controlled, especially the developes a la seconde. But she needs to calm her fouettes down, she is too aggressive. I love her though she is amazing :)
@GotThaFunk227 I doubt JeanneLaHaine was saying that they could do better, but they were making a valid point. Many students can do better fouettes then Alina demonstrated in this video, but like you said, it was probably a combination of nerves and this day being an "off day" for her so to speak.
After watching Lopatkina, this looks like a Gymnastics floor routine by comparison. Ulyana is an artist, Alina is a performer. Quite simply, if I want to watch acrobatics, I'll go to the circus.
yes..I watched the last video of her swan now and I see...She is acting more..and her dance has a lot more expressions and feelings...I see now what you mean...if you now the link of a new video of her black swan please send it to me cause I can't find a video of her black swan of this year...!thanks..
Dear youTube, may I suggest Bravo and Bravissimo buttons? It's would be so essential verse letting anyone not versed in dance critic to post comments. Dear homegrown dance critics - could you put pointe shoes on and show the world what you've got?
Hermosa, delicada y femenina, solo su expresión facial debería ser un poco mas marcada, mas Odile, mas pícara y malvada, pero hermosa, definitivamente hermosa
I thought she seemed nervous about the fouettés and probably that's why she had a little off moment. Everything after the turning sequence seemed so much les tense t
I really love Alina and I didn’t mind her foutees, since it’s a specific style of doing them, but the percussionist was off and I feel like that had something to do with her struggling during that part. Also idk who approved that headpiece but it looks like bunny ears!
알리나 는 코조카루만 있는 줄 알았는데 어느새 알리나 소모바도 이렇게 마린스키의 별이 되었다. 어마어마 큰 키에 길다란 팔이 인상적이다. 이제 발레도 키 큰 발레리나가 대세인가 소모바의 등천하는 모습이 보기좋다. 아쉽게도 마린스키를 방문할 때만 되면 소모바의 연기를 볼 수가 없었다.
she is criticized in the comments especially for her joints but personally her legs although hyperextended(?) kind of lend to the role. although her fouettes are definitely off because of the russian style, i think she plays the character like an artist and fits the role of a black swan. i definitely can see why some people think she is not suited for the role because of her technical shortcomings, (overcharacterization maybe? through the amount of flourishes, not very clean finishes to a movement-ie. the fouettes, hyperextended joints, long limbs and hands, etc.) of course its all just preference based on what you are looking for in the role- all in all very enjoyable but agree technically not the best
Alina has beautiful technique and I love her arms, but she needs a little bit a spice for Odile. While her Odette is very good, she needs more sauciness in her Odile for it to be convincing. She is still very young and I can't wait to see what she will become in the next ten years or so.
I think she's great in this video! Really good technique and musicality, as well as expression and the quality of her movements. Give her a few more months and she'll be a star, she's definitely got it in her, but she needs to be a little more sure of herself [comfortable with the stage]. She'll get there with her talent, and I hope she makes it as prima. Her arms need to be a little stronger, and she needs to work on not flinging her leg out in the fuettes [Great job, they're hard]. Bravo!
@nicolezly Yes, she does seem to missing something...that extra bit of artistry and finish that you usually find with Mariinsky ballerinas. Maybe she will grow into it, but I am not sure it works that way.
20 years plus, min. I've been dancing for 11 years, and I'm not even close to this, I'm still doing grade work and exams. So if you're wondering if you could do this, than the simple answer is no, it is near impossible for an teen/adult with no\little dance experience to do this, unless you are currently a dancer, are very rich or are very determined. To dance like this, ballet has to become your first priority. It can't be a hobby, it literally has to become your life. So yeah....
