Watching Mikhail Baryshnikov perform knocked us all out. He left an incredible impression on us
Bolshoi Ballet boss Vasiev Makhar tells MARION McMULLEN it takes hard work and talent to become a world class ballet star
What does it take to make it to the top of the ballet world?
TO work 24 hours. I can say firmly that you have to be on a high professional level. And, to my mind, at the Bolshoi we should not be passive followers – everyone should be a leader in his place.
That determines our main goal of quality of performance. A great school and a great team... that means 24 hours of work.
What is your typical working day?
I COME in the morning and talk to my assistants. Then I go to studios – to rehearsals, to correct, to put up some goals – that is throughout the whole day. Then we have performances and after we stay on stage to make some corrections.
What is your strongest memory of your own dancing career?
MY personal career as a dancer was a long time ago but, while still a student at the Vaganova academy, I remember how the whole school was invited to the general rehearsal of the personal gala night of Mikhail Baryshnikov.
We were just boys and his performance knocked us out. I remember how we returned to school and talked about it all and tried to replicate some elements of his performance.
He left an incredible impression. And after that the next powerful impulse which influenced us was Yuri Soloviev. His famous jumps blew our mind. We were euphoric.
And later I shall never forget how Michel Dennard and Guislaine Thesmar came to the Mariinsky Theatre to dance Giselle.
Have you ever had to deal with injuries?
IT is a part of the job. Every ballet dancer has some problems. I still have problems with my back. One cannot avoid it.
Today one has special ballet-sprung floors, thank God, but they did not always exist. Bolshoi and Mariinsky dancers paid the price when performing long tours in Japan. They had no ballet floor and many theatre stages just had hard floors.
Many people would return with some kind of injury. I recall it vividly. What can you do?
Nowadays things are different.
What do you regard as the big turning point for your career?
PROBABLY the time when I had to do my military service. There I started to reconsider my life. A ballet dancer needs to have his feet turned out, the first position is the basis for classical dance, but in army boots that is not an option.
The army changed me and gave me a lot. I am thankful for this time as I changed and learned a lot.
What can ballet lovers expect from the new season of live broadcasts from Moscow?
IN the coming season we will broadcast live several productions which are very well known – such as La Sylphide, La Bayadère, The Nutcracker. They are all wonderful ballets to my mind and the company executes them perfectly.
The main thing is that it gives us a chance to share our art with a global audience and to communicate with audiences from different countries.
What is involved in organising the live broadcasts?
THE ballet broadcast now includes more than 60 countries and 1,700 cinemas around the world. About 50 people are in the technical team. Ballets such as La Bayadère or Le Corsaire, which have major scenes with the corps de ballet, can include 50 to 100 dancers on stage.
Have things ever gone wrong?
THERE is extraordinary magic going on during every live broadcast. Backstage you can literally feel the tension. Everyone is aware that something might happen and if so it will be broadcast live for thousands of people to see around the world.
If a dancer falls, if a mistake happens, you can’t cheat with a live broadcast. The audience really sees it all.
The dancers often say that being aware of this makes them want to be the best they can during the live broadcasts.
What is the best advice you have ever been given?
THAT was my grandma’s advice – to remain a normal human being. My grandma raised me in that spirit and she thought that the main thing in life was the ability to understand others.
No matter what I experience and achieve, I always remember my grandma’s advice.
How do you relax?
I THINK I work and relax at the same time. When you are doing your job with love it takes the main place in your life. I think that to some extent that is a true joy and happiness. Though the amount of work is incredible. Even on days off something is happening, yet I have time to spend with my friends or to go to see some other theatre.
For me the precious thing is to see an artist and his development, to watch him grow and develop and realise his talent.
That’s what interests me most.
And what has been your personal highlight so far?
THE birth of my daughter.
The main thing is that it gives us a chance to share our art with a global audience