In new York the action-and mass action happen in the streets, while the main theatres announced a break until the beginning of 2021. Alexei Ratmansky, the former artistic Director of the Bolshoi ballet and resident choreographer of American ballet theatre (ABT), said Tatyana Kuznetsova about the methods of deciphering the Harvard ballet recordings, rehearsals via Skype and secret archives of the Mariinsky theatre.— You are now in new York with the family? Are you all right? Yes, we’re home, all together, thank God. We all get sick in January, but then got a negative test, so I don’t know what it was.— It seems now more urgent question about the massacres. It’s not riots, but demonstrations, protests.— Accompanied by pogroms.— The protest demands are very fair. Unfortunately, still exist and discrimination, and unequal opportunities, and police brutality against African Americans. Of course, the necessary changes and they will happen, so protests are not in vain. The people passed the patience, and all took to the streets, despite the quarantine. Tens of thousands of people every day on the streets. Well, all this is accompanied by such unpleasant side effects.— Well, let’s talk about ballet. What are the prospects ABT?— It seems that the fall season we will not have, as at the MET (“Metropolitan Opera”.— “Kommersant”). If all goes well, we will start to work only in 2021. Such sad news. That is, ABT will give performances in the new year?— You know, the virus has affected America very hard. And even if the start of the rehearsal studios, the main problem is the public, which will hardly come to the theater to sit shoulder to shoulder. Predict that there will be another wave of the virus, so the prospects are good. The figures seems to have become easier, and has already opened some stores, but here in the sense of ballet, professional no prospects now there. You know that in America the theaters, there is no state support, it’s all private, so the quarantine has hit all companies. Of all important companies in the world ABT is the only one which does not have its own theatre. We rent the stage of the Metropolitan in the spring and autumn in my memory danced in many theaters, the last few years on the stage of the Koch theater in Lincoln center.— ABT from the beginning was a touring troupe? Between autumn and spring seasons in new York he always went around the country?— Initially, Yes. But in recent years began to go less. And now it ended. And I don’t know when it will resume.— But the spring season 2021 will be for sure?— To this question I have no answer. Since I am a choreographer and not part of the administration, some things are discussed without me, and they sure have plans for any cases. They try to foresee everything, but it is unclear how events will unfold.— And what artists? Their cleavage��Ko, by the way?— Ninety. In a terrible position artists, I am very sorry for them. How they can keep fit at home, without going on stage not knowing at all when this is all over… But in this position, all ballet dancers in the world. Do yourself, give classes online.— It’s all there, ABT in this sense, is very active. Classes go all the time, and not just ballet — this week, for example, there are Indian dances are held online meetings, conversations. In General, to raise the spirit it’s all done. But I’m very worried what this will evolve. On the other hand, do not lose optimism: I think when we get back to the halls, on the stage, everyone will appreciate every second, each other will appreciate, will appreciate the viewer any time on stage. It’s all become more important.— But artists are paying?— Yes, we received a grant from the city if I’m not mistaken. Left the old ties, sponsors, everyone is trying to support us, everyone loves ABT. The trouble with small groups, with the experimental ones. They, I fear, will fall apart.— This spring, ABT was going to celebrate its 80th anniversary. How?— A large gala had been planned, was going to show the old ballets. Was made of the program “ABT then and now.”— American ballet theatre was created on the basis of the troupe Mikhail Mordkin him and his rich student Lucia chase. She was attracted to the troupe by Michel Fokine, Bronislava Nijinska, Leonid myasina. At ABT set Balanchine, the troupe was headed by Baryshnikov and in it danced the famous Soviet defectors in recent times — the Russian star spent entire seasons. You now choreographer in residence. The Russian track is quite noticeable. Americans accentuate or negate?— Neither, it is part of identification. Do not pedaliruetsya because AVT — brand international company. Of course, many great Russian left its mark on her. Now Irina Kolpakova (prima ballerina of the Kirov, now Mariinsky theater, people’s artist of USSR, Hero of Socialist labor. “B”) is our lead tutor. With her cook of the party all dancers, I also tightly cooperate with it, happy about it. But there were a lot of other influences in the ABT, so it’s really an international team. And the dancers, and repertoire.— You had to put something for the anniversary?— I have a miracle premiered in March, we have prepared a big ballet to the music of “Gayane” Khachaturian. It’s called “Love and Rage”, the story is taken from ancient Greek novel — “a Tale of love and Kalliroi Herøy”. The premiere was held in California, March 8, there was the last performance, and after a few days it closed. I still had to go to Toronto to rehearse the resumption of “Romeo and Juliet” and it was the last performance that I saw.— And what are the duties Resident-choreographer?— I put on plays for the troupe by arrangement with the Director. Sometimes it’s a big ballet, one-act or sometimes a room for a gala that currently need for the company. This is the main and my only responsibility. The number of productions is also determined by the need of the season. Eleven years in ABT I put 18 ballets — eight large and ten one-act. There were tense times when it was necessary simultaneously with the work for ABT to prepare projects on the side. But today it is remembered as a sweet dream. Now there is nothing and no prospects.— Well, it is not possible to put home — like for the future?— Judging by Instagram and Facebook, many artists have become teachers, choreographers such an explosion of home creative activity from them. On the one hand, it’s great. On the other, for me personally the ballet got to live on stage. No, I don’t do the choreography at home. But before all gone, I had a week of rehearsal with the artists of the Mariinsky theatre on Skype — prepared “Seven sonatas” of Scarlatti. I thought this is impossible, but turned out very productive work. I think this way — when there is no possibility to arrive to rehearse for the ballet on Skype. But put, sitting at a computer and watching the dancers in the hall, God knows… I’ll need to try.— Here, for example, Petipa’s house was drawing all sorts of circles, squiggles, invented as a corps de ballet of the masses moving, then came to the hall and… But you understand what’s drawn in my head, it’s nothing like what comes out in the hall with live dancers. But might have to adjust somehow to the computer way. I saw the video: you’ve composed the ballet scene in the room, “trying” it on yourself and recording it on camera. Why the same cannot be done at home. So I always did before, but after forty, welcome to America, stopped. To improvise and compose, you have to be in shape, you have to dance. Now I have everything in my head going on.— Back to the future. The acting Director of the ballet company of the Mariinsky theatre Yuri Fateev said in an interview that you will put in Petersburg “Pharaoh’s Daughter”. We have something theaters want to open in the fall.— I’m not ready to answer questions about “Pharaoh’s Daughter”, the negotiations have been underway, but nothing concrete. I don’t know why Yuri Fateyev where it was announced. But once declared, it is OK.— Will be put on Harvard records Sergeeva? Have to decipher?— Well what can I say? Look for materials all the time, to do nothing, sitting in the four walls.— It is true that the archives of the Mariinsky theatre is strictly no access? And there a real treasure?— There is no access, the archives are closed. The Mariinsky theatre, I turned again — was refused. And of course, “Pharaoh’s Daughter” will be possible only if I will be able to work with archival materials.— That is your condition?— It simply does not make sense to undertake. I don’t know what motivated these fitted plastic locks that hang on the doors of the music library of the Mariinsky theatre, but it is absolutely impossible thing in the modern world.— What record Harvard anyone?— Of course, full disclosure. They do plan to digitize the entire collection, much is already digitized and online available to all. And research work necessary to bid, to order, and they send the materials. All very civilized.— Can to decipher these records and then put the ballet in which he danced? I know that the recording system of Laban it can be done, even such a profession is — rotatory.— To decode, one must know the Stepanov system. There are people who own it, but they didn’t dance, they are few, but this is possible in principle. However, the production of the ballet involves much more than just text. All decrypted must be put on the music, show the artists, it is necessary to coordinate movements, to explain this coordination, to rehearse, to stage, to bring to the premiere. This is the work of a layman, of course, will not do.— How to explain the irreconcilable contradictions between the various rasshifrovka records Sergeeva, if the text is the same?— In the first place by different methods. Can say about myself — I try to stay as close as possible to what is written. There are choreographers who are working with the notations translate into the language of modern coordination, is another method. There are choreographers who take little bits that they like, and connect them with what they like from the Soviet version, this method of compilation is also possible. But basically the record is absolutely clear — Arabesque, ku-de-pied, there’s the first, then the seventh angle. It’s all very clear, unequivocal things. That is, of movements and combinations to argue about?— If they are recorded in detail. But there are gaps, sometimes big. Then it’s like the restoration of a historic building — if not preserved sketches or descriptions of the destroyed fragments do on the understanding that there could be. Well, modern materials: costumes, lights, body, manners, flooring — everything else. Another problem that is been discussed many times: often the notation does not stipulate the hands, movement of body — port de bras. Here I am now at leisure, searching and reviewing all the possible vintage ballet films, and I have to say that used to dance freely in the sense of port de bras positions of the hands not kept. I think their clarity and certainty was ratified Vaganova after the revolution. She had an analytical view of ballet: body moves simply, once and for all certain rules. On the one hand, it’s a great coordination that includes all parts and muscles of the body. On the other hand is like to learn in advance all possible answers to any questions. And the classical dance today often gives the impression of dryness and automaticity. But it is so important that the dance was spontaneous, alive. And given that the artists learned in the Vaganova technique, it is almost impossible to pull out of them the vividness of 100 years ago.— It is very difficult to bring up, I agree with you. But there are gifted people who have the liveliness of the dance is inherent in nature. And if the artist trusts you and is willing to follow you, you get interesting results. So I remember working on “Giselle” at the Bolshoi theater. Somewhere were arguing somewhere with each other would not agree, but with great enthusiasm all worked, I am very happy.— Not afraid that the St. Petersburg academic zealots will eat you with “Pharaoh’s Daughter”, as Sergei ate the floor with his “Sleeping beauty”?— Not scared, I have so much time eating… And poor Vihareva, of course, was very hard. But I think now, 20 years after the “Sleeping”, all have a little different set up.
