I thought I would start this weeks blog off with some reviews of Ivan Vasiliev, the dancer I had the great pleasure of seeing last Monday at the Royal Opera House in the Bolshoi’s production of Le Corsaire:
“Such special artists come along only once in a generation. But now, here's Ivan.” Telegraph
“If you only see one ballet this year, see one with Ivan Vasiliev (…).He is a miracle of physics”
Evening standard
“The Bolshoi's Ivan Vasiliev is beyond compelling. We know from past appearances that this is a man who has carved out his own virtuosity, through the swivelling, scissoring embellishments of his enormous jump and the inhuman assurance of his pirouettes.” Guardian
“…a jump that could start a jet engine… Vasiliev, for his part, must surely be breaking some kind of land-speed record with his repeat slicing leaps. His shape-holding, mid-air, is extraordinary. And his turns on the spot practically smoke. Perhaps most impressive of all, though, is the muscle-dense sculptural quality of his every move, rendering him a granite-hewn colossus from ancient times.” Independent
“When he first visited London with the Bolshoi Ballet in 2007, at just 18, his combination of dashing looks, leonine stage-presence and one-in-a-billion aerial brilliance had jaws dropping at the Coliseum and critics sprinkling superlatives over him like confetti." London Dance
So, pretty impressive stuff and believe me this guy did not disappoint in the flesh! I went to see him with my mum and her friend Sally last week, along with about 2000 other screaming women on heat. My mum had seen some live feed performance direct from Moscow in Bath last winter and immediately ran home to book tickets for their visit this summer, and my god I am glad she did. A few weeks prior to our visit some pantingly hormonal reviews had got out and word had spread that their star dancer, the 21 year old Ivan Vasiliev, was sex on toast with more sex on top and some sex served on the side for good measure and it seems people agreed. I have never seen an audience like this. Obviously when you go to the ballet, even more so than the opera, the audience has a massive female weighting with a few old queens thrown in. But this was something else – this was rows and rows of panting 30 something’s barely able to contain their pure lust. And believe me it’s understandable. Words can not do this guy justice so please please take the time and have a look at this, you wont be sorry:
http://vimeo.com/9575327
LOOK AT THOSE THIGHS!!!!!!! LOOK AT THAT BUM!!!!!!! LOOK AT THAT STRENGH!!! I mean that guy could throw you across the room all right – PHHHHWWWOOOOAR. And then some more PHWWWOOOOOOARRR because this guy is HOT and I just don’t think there are enough PHWWWWOOOOOOOOAAAAARRRRRS in the world to express quite the depth of the appeal of this guy. To put it into some kind of context; usually when you go to the ballet there is a little applaud after every major ‘dance’ (don’t know the technical terms but hey ho am sure neither do most of you so lets not complicate the matter). Here there was a major round of applause every time he LEAPT. We were slightly concerned at first as he was wearing a skirt type thing (pirate story, funny costume not impressed with bum hiding) but then when he reappeared on stage skirt-less in red tights I swear to you there was an AUDIBLE GASP from the audience. Every time he did a leap or a spin or whatever there would be insane giggling from across the auditorium in manner of 16 year old school girls sneaking into the boys locker rooms – and that was only from the over 60s, the pre-menopausal were practically fainting in the aisles - it was HILARIOUS, I have never in my life seen anything like it - my god this guy is worth travelling to Moscow for. He is undoubtedly going to be the biggest thing since Nureyev, he is only 21 now and already a total superstar, and am sure can out dance Carlos Acosta 2 to 1, whatever that might mean. 
Anyway, a bit about the actual ballet; Le Corsaire is loosely based on the poem The Corsaire by Byron. All modern productions of Le Corsaire have their roots in the revivals staged by the Ballet Master Marius Petipa for the Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg throughout the mid to late 19th century. In 2007 the Bolshoi brought forth this new production with Petipa’s choreography partly recreated by Alexei Ratmansky and Yuri Burlaka (thanks Wiki). The story (from what I could vaguely understand as we didn’t get the chance to get a programme) is all about pirates and slave markets and captures and escapes – queue lots of lush and decadent scenery and oriental style costumes all reminiscent of a fabulous Gerome painting – lovely, apart from the afore mentioned skirt which was frankly unacceptable – we need more bums! The first act (3 act ballet) saw lots of Ivan’s amazing leaps and lifts, my god he was good, but alas the following 2 acts barely featured him and you could tell the audience were a little disappointed – one act of Ivan is just not enough! But when he was onstage my god you couldn’t take your eyes off him! The final scene was spectacularly staged with an entire pirate ship swooping onto stage which cracks in two after a fearsome sword fight between the hero and villain. Thank god Ivan and partner survive and the happy ending sees them embracing on the rocks by the turbulent sea.
The 2nd act was also lovely with lots of large ensemble dances (again no idea what they are actually called in the ballet world know they involve the core de ballet though) with ballerinas in pretty pretty tutus holding garlands of flowers etc – very ‘ballet’ and reminded me a lot of the illustrations in my great childhood favorite Angeline Ballerina so my 7 year old heart soared at that point. His partner, Natalia Osipova was also wonderful, especially when spinning around, and, well, this is hard to write but, well unfortunately the two of them are actually together in real life (SOB). Sad, sad news as this is at least we know he isn’t gay so there is hope for us all girlies!! AND he smokes! Be still my beating heart. They do look very cute in the picture below, and I suppose he should be with someone his own age and stuff, humph.
I really can't do this cultural pursuit justice in words, especially not when in a hurry and a hot flush – so here are some more videos for you to enjoy, and believe me you will enjoy them – LOOK at those leaps! LOOK AT THAT ARSE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76i7ebH0kGI
http://video.sina.com.cn/v/b/28146229-1604091422.html
Enjoy!!
“Such special artists come along only once in a generation. But now, here's Ivan.” Telegraph
“If you only see one ballet this year, see one with Ivan Vasiliev (…).He is a miracle of physics”
Evening standard
“The Bolshoi's Ivan Vasiliev is beyond compelling. We know from past appearances that this is a man who has carved out his own virtuosity, through the swivelling, scissoring embellishments of his enormous jump and the inhuman assurance of his pirouettes.” Guardian
“…a jump that could start a jet engine… Vasiliev, for his part, must surely be breaking some kind of land-speed record with his repeat slicing leaps. His shape-holding, mid-air, is extraordinary. And his turns on the spot practically smoke. Perhaps most impressive of all, though, is the muscle-dense sculptural quality of his every move, rendering him a granite-hewn colossus from ancient times.” Independent
“When he first visited London with the Bolshoi Ballet in 2007, at just 18, his combination of dashing looks, leonine stage-presence and one-in-a-billion aerial brilliance had jaws dropping at the Coliseum and critics sprinkling superlatives over him like confetti." London Dance
So, pretty impressive stuff and believe me this guy did not disappoint in the flesh! I went to see him with my mum and her friend Sally last week, along with about 2000 other screaming women on heat. My mum had seen some live feed performance direct from Moscow in Bath last winter and immediately ran home to book tickets for their visit this summer, and my god I am glad she did. A few weeks prior to our visit some pantingly hormonal reviews had got out and word had spread that their star dancer, the 21 year old Ivan Vasiliev, was sex on toast with more sex on top and some sex served on the side for good measure and it seems people agreed. I have never seen an audience like this. Obviously when you go to the ballet, even more so than the opera, the audience has a massive female weighting with a few old queens thrown in. But this was something else – this was rows and rows of panting 30 something’s barely able to contain their pure lust. And believe me it’s understandable. Words can not do this guy justice so please please take the time and have a look at this, you wont be sorry:
http://vimeo.com/9575327
LOOK AT THOSE THIGHS!!!!!!! LOOK AT THAT BUM!!!!!!! LOOK AT THAT STRENGH!!! I mean that guy could throw you across the room all right – PHHHHWWWOOOOAR. And then some more PHWWWOOOOOOARRR because this guy is HOT and I just don’t think there are enough PHWWWWOOOOOOOOAAAAARRRRRS in the world to express quite the depth of the appeal of this guy. To put it into some kind of context; usually when you go to the ballet there is a little applaud after every major ‘dance’ (don’t know the technical terms but hey ho am sure neither do most of you so lets not complicate the matter). Here there was a major round of applause every time he LEAPT. We were slightly concerned at first as he was wearing a skirt type thing (pirate story, funny costume not impressed with bum hiding) but then when he reappeared on stage skirt-less in red tights I swear to you there was an AUDIBLE GASP from the audience. Every time he did a leap or a spin or whatever there would be insane giggling from across the auditorium in manner of 16 year old school girls sneaking into the boys locker rooms – and that was only from the over 60s, the pre-menopausal were practically fainting in the aisles - it was HILARIOUS, I have never in my life seen anything like it - my god this guy is worth travelling to Moscow for. He is undoubtedly going to be the biggest thing since Nureyev, he is only 21 now and already a total superstar, and am sure can out dance Carlos Acosta 2 to 1, whatever that might mean.
Anyway, a bit about the actual ballet; Le Corsaire is loosely based on the poem The Corsaire by Byron. All modern productions of Le Corsaire have their roots in the revivals staged by the Ballet Master Marius Petipa for the Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg throughout the mid to late 19th century. In 2007 the Bolshoi brought forth this new production with Petipa’s choreography partly recreated by Alexei Ratmansky and Yuri Burlaka (thanks Wiki). The story (from what I could vaguely understand as we didn’t get the chance to get a programme) is all about pirates and slave markets and captures and escapes – queue lots of lush and decadent scenery and oriental style costumes all reminiscent of a fabulous Gerome painting – lovely, apart from the afore mentioned skirt which was frankly unacceptable – we need more bums! The first act (3 act ballet) saw lots of Ivan’s amazing leaps and lifts, my god he was good, but alas the following 2 acts barely featured him and you could tell the audience were a little disappointed – one act of Ivan is just not enough! But when he was onstage my god you couldn’t take your eyes off him! The final scene was spectacularly staged with an entire pirate ship swooping onto stage which cracks in two after a fearsome sword fight between the hero and villain. Thank god Ivan and partner survive and the happy ending sees them embracing on the rocks by the turbulent sea.
The 2nd act was also lovely with lots of large ensemble dances (again no idea what they are actually called in the ballet world know they involve the core de ballet though) with ballerinas in pretty pretty tutus holding garlands of flowers etc – very ‘ballet’ and reminded me a lot of the illustrations in my great childhood favorite Angeline Ballerina so my 7 year old heart soared at that point. His partner, Natalia Osipova was also wonderful, especially when spinning around, and, well, this is hard to write but, well unfortunately the two of them are actually together in real life (SOB). Sad, sad news as this is at least we know he isn’t gay so there is hope for us all girlies!! AND he smokes! Be still my beating heart. They do look very cute in the picture below, and I suppose he should be with someone his own age and stuff, humph.
I really can't do this cultural pursuit justice in words, especially not when in a hurry and a hot flush – so here are some more videos for you to enjoy, and believe me you will enjoy them – LOOK at those leaps! LOOK AT THAT ARSE:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76i7ebH0kGI
http://video.sina.com.cn/v/b/28146229-1604091422.html
Enjoy!!
