2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25
Modern choreographer, former dancer Alexei Ratmansky, whose biography is full of ups and downs, unusual turns and decisions, is now one of the top outstanding ballet figures in the world. He is a big fan and propagandist of the Russian classical ballet school, but there are few in Russia today.
Childhood and parents
The future dancer Alexei Ratmansky was born in Leningrad on August 27, 1968. His family had nothing to do with ballet and art in general. The boy's father, Osip Yehudovich, worked as a researcher at the Aerospace Institute. Mom - Valentina Vasilievna - a psychiatrist. Until the age of 10, Alexey lived with his parents in Kyiv. Already from the age of four he showed great talent for dancing, even as a child he threw a shawl over his shoulders and danced to Shchedrin's Carmen Suite. He had excellent natural data, and since childhood he has been studying in a choreographic studio, he is fond of gymnastics.
Study
When the boy was 10 years old, his parents made a big decision. They send him to studyMoscow choreographic school. Here his teachers were A. Silantiev, E. Farmanyants, A. Markeeva. His classmates were V. Malakhov, Yu. Burlaka. In the senior class, P. A. Pestov studied with Ratmansky. At the school, Alexei studied well, but was not a brilliant dancer. He was very diligent and efficient, but he was always in the shadow of his brilliant classmate V. Malakhov. According to tradition, the head of the Bolshoi Theater Y. Grigorovich came to the graduation performance. But none of the graduates liked him, even the brilliant Malakhov.
The beginning of a difficult journey
After graduating from college, Alexei Ratmansky returns to Kyiv. It was not some kind of outstanding career start, but still it was not bad for a debutant. He works at the Kiev Opera and Ballet Theater and quickly begins to play leading roles. Almost all classical parts were in his repertoire. But it was a ceiling, there was nowhere to grow. He had practically no chance to escape from the Kyiv theater. And then the Soviet Union collapsed, the Ukrainian salary was not enough even for everyday expenses. I had to decide something, change my life.
Dance career
During the tour of the theater in the Canadian town of Winnipeg, Ratmansky asks the artistic director about the possibility of cooperation and immediately receives a contract. Work in the Western theater, even such a provincial one, was very different from work in Kyiv. Alexei spends all his time in the studio: studying, rehearsing,is being improved. He worked here for three years, during which he learned Western discipline and commitment. For three years he danced in Canada in such performances as The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, Giselle, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Esmeralda, The Darkness Between Us and others. Realizing that he was once again reaching the ceiling, Ratmansky began to visit European theaters and received a contract with the Royal Danish Ballet. Here he dances not only in the classical repertoire, but also masters modern choreography. Productions fall into his piggy bank: "Sweet Complaints", "Refrain", "Ghosts", several innovative performances on instrumental and modern music. For 15 years after graduating from the school, Alexei Ratmansky will dance in the performances of many outstanding directors: Rushton, Godden, Welsh and others. His repertoire included performances by such ballet stars as Balanchine, Lifar, Bejart, Neumeier, Galeotti, Ek, Nureyev.
Director
Ratmansky Aleksey Osipovich, choreographer, gives birth to his first productions during his years of work in Kyiv. He puts on several numbers for tours, in particular the famous Yurliberl. In 1997 he staged the one-act ballet "Capriccio" by I. Stravinsky for a big New Year's program. Later, in Denmark, Alexei Ratmansky began to gradually stage full-length performances, he tried his hand at the classics: The Nutcracker, The Dream of Turandot, Anna Karenina. He begins to cooperate with the Postmodern Theater company, which engages him as a director to work on the ballet "The Charms ofmannerism”, in which artists of the Bolshoi Theater are involved. The real star of his productions is N. Ananiashvili, she dances in his performances "Dreams of Japan", "Lea". Ratmansky Alexey, a Russian choreographer, becomes famous, he is invited not only to entreprises, but also to repertory theaters. He successfully combines his work in Denmark with staging performances around the world, in particular, he is invited to the Mariinsky Theater to stage Cinderella.
Bolshoi Theater
In 2003, Ratmansky staged the play "The Bright Path" at the Bolshoi Theater. The show was clearly a success. And in 2004, quite unexpectedly for the general public, Alexei Ratmansky (Russian choreographer) heads the Bolshoi Theater. The first performance he staged at the Bolshoi was the second edition of his production of the ballet Lea. For five years of work in the main theater of Russia, he staged 12 performances, including: "The Bolt", "The Flame of Paris", "Playing Cards", "Bolero", "Lost Illusions". The years of his leadership were very successful for the Bolshoi. He revived the repertoire, attracted many new artists, restored many traditions. He enjoyed great support from the country's leadership. But in parallel, Ratmansky continues to work around the world, and the Bolshoi team does not like this very much. Intrigues are constantly woven against him, the atmosphere in the theater is not conducive to calm creativity. In 2008, he leaves the Bolshoi of his own free will, as he feels that he is losing too much time and opportunity in the daily struggle withtroupe.
Conquest of America
Aleksey Ratmansky received many offers of cooperation, but for him in the first place was the opportunity to choose the repertoire and manage his time. In 2008, he accepted an offer from the American Ballet Theater and moved to New York. Here Ratmansky fully realizes his plans. He restores some of the old editions of classical performances, he likes to delve into the archives, finding records of great choreographers. At the same time, each of his performances is very modern, he not only revives productions, but enlivens them and makes them relevant to today. For 8 years of work in America, Ratmansky is only gaining popularity. Today, they write about him exclusively in excellent epithets, his performances are liked by the public, critics, and artists, which is almost unbelievable. Among his productions in the United States, it is worth mentioning the performances of The Firebird, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Russian Seasons, Pictures at an Exhibition. He is increasingly leaning towards modern dance, his choreographic style can be described as experimental, ironic, synthesizing modern and classic.
Outstanding work
Alexey Ratmansky, whose photo is now on the posters of the best theaters in the world, has created many wonderful performances, and today he is at the peak of his creative form, so the list of his ballets will only grow. To date, experts attribute to his meritsnew editions of the performances The Bright Path, The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty. Through his efforts, the United States saw a brilliant production of Cinderella edited by Petipa. His productions of Shostakovich's Concerto DSCH, Shakespeare's The Tempest, Stravinsky's Playing Cards, and Shchedrin's Anna Karenina have become gems of contemporary ballet.
Awards
Alexey Ratmansky is a critically acclaimed choreographer who has received the highest awards more than once. In 2005, he was awarded the Benois "De la Danse" prize for the play "Anna Karenina", he received the Golden Mask award three times, for "Dreams of Japan" in 1999, for "Bright Stream" in 2004, and for "Playing Cards" in 2007. He also has such awards as the British Critics Award, the Golden Soffit Award, the Isadora Duncan Award and others.
Private life
A rich creative life is often a hindrance to family happiness, but there are lucky ones who manage to combine everything, and Alexei Ratmansky is one of them. The choreographer's family is an example of happy creative and human unions. The young dancer was attractive to numerous fans and colleagues. The choice was rich, and the choreographer did not immediately make it. Today Ratmansky Aleksey Osipovich, whose wife is also a ballerina, successfully combines his family with creativity. The wife dances in his productions, helps as an assistant choreographer. The couple have a son, Vasily.
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