Bravo, Uliana!
"The quality in me people describe - they say I look as if I have no bones." - Uliana Lopatkina
On Monday I received my copy of SWAN LAKE starring Uliana Lopatkina and Danila Korsuntsev. It is, without doubt, one of the most beautiful performances I have ever seen. Uliana is magnificant as Odette/Odile - she brings a mythical, ethereal quality to Odette, as if she has been a swan so long she has forgotten how to move and feel human. As she dances with Danila we see her transform and exhibit the vulnerabilities of rediscovering her humanity, her emotions and desires, and her hope of breaking the spell that nearly robbed her of her identity. Danila is thoughtful and sensitive as Siegfried, uncertain of how to approach Odette, yet mesmerized by her presence. As they dance together, we can feel the powerful connection between them as the love story unfolds through their exquisite Pas de Deux.
Uliana is also superb as Odile, full of power and grace, casting mischievous glances as she dazzles the court with her incredible technique and stage presence. She is bold and seductive, dancing a caricature of Odette's fragile movements with fearless bravado. Her handling of the famous 32 fouettes is so effortless it seems she could have gone on forever.
The most perfect moment, however, is in the final act, when Odette and Siegfried are reunited again - knowing that she will soon perish, she forgives Siegfried by kissing him one final time before Rothbart steals her away. Words really can't describe the power of the scene, so fortunately it is on Youtube.
Here are what the critics say about Uliana:
"Uliana Lopatkina (Odette-Odile) is a most extraordinary ballerina. She moves, a fascinating creature, without a bone in her body, bending herself into spectacular arcs of classical perfection. We want our Russian ballerinas to be grand and Lopatkina fits the bill like no other.”
Source
"As the White Swan she employed few mannerisms - or rather exactly the right ones, employed judiciously. While always strikingly regal and slightly aloof, she was more vulnerable than she has sometimes been, which is all to the good. As the Black Swan, she evinced or simulated an unusual abandon and her fouettés were flawless. Her extensions are now higher, and, as always, her long, long arms are extraordinary, seemingly devoid of sinew or bone, their line perfect to the tips of her fingers."
Source
Below is a great interview with Uliana, where she discusses her ballet training, the difficulty of being "too tall" in ballet, and how, despite her successes in ballet, she remains humble and true to herself.
"When I do classical ballets like Swan Lake they fix me up with a whole system of hairpieces and pins... I think it would be wrong to want to change anything about the way I look."
Source
Bravo, Uliana! You are one of my greatest inspirations, not only as a dancer, but as an artist and individual.
On Monday I received my copy of SWAN LAKE starring Uliana Lopatkina and Danila Korsuntsev. It is, without doubt, one of the most beautiful performances I have ever seen. Uliana is magnificant as Odette/Odile - she brings a mythical, ethereal quality to Odette, as if she has been a swan so long she has forgotten how to move and feel human. As she dances with Danila we see her transform and exhibit the vulnerabilities of rediscovering her humanity, her emotions and desires, and her hope of breaking the spell that nearly robbed her of her identity. Danila is thoughtful and sensitive as Siegfried, uncertain of how to approach Odette, yet mesmerized by her presence. As they dance together, we can feel the powerful connection between them as the love story unfolds through their exquisite Pas de Deux.
Uliana is also superb as Odile, full of power and grace, casting mischievous glances as she dazzles the court with her incredible technique and stage presence. She is bold and seductive, dancing a caricature of Odette's fragile movements with fearless bravado. Her handling of the famous 32 fouettes is so effortless it seems she could have gone on forever.
The most perfect moment, however, is in the final act, when Odette and Siegfried are reunited again - knowing that she will soon perish, she forgives Siegfried by kissing him one final time before Rothbart steals her away. Words really can't describe the power of the scene, so fortunately it is on Youtube.
Click to viewHere are what the critics say about Uliana:
"Uliana Lopatkina (Odette-Odile) is a most extraordinary ballerina. She moves, a fascinating creature, without a bone in her body, bending herself into spectacular arcs of classical perfection. We want our Russian ballerinas to be grand and Lopatkina fits the bill like no other.”
Source
"As the White Swan she employed few mannerisms - or rather exactly the right ones, employed judiciously. While always strikingly regal and slightly aloof, she was more vulnerable than she has sometimes been, which is all to the good. As the Black Swan, she evinced or simulated an unusual abandon and her fouettés were flawless. Her extensions are now higher, and, as always, her long, long arms are extraordinary, seemingly devoid of sinew or bone, their line perfect to the tips of her fingers."
Source
Below is a great interview with Uliana, where she discusses her ballet training, the difficulty of being "too tall" in ballet, and how, despite her successes in ballet, she remains humble and true to herself.
"When I do classical ballets like Swan Lake they fix me up with a whole system of hairpieces and pins... I think it would be wrong to want to change anything about the way I look."
Source
Bravo, Uliana! You are one of my greatest inspirations, not only as a dancer, but as an artist and individual.