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8 March 2010-The life of Rudolf Nureyev.
Rudolf Nureyev was born on 17 March 1938 on Trans Siberian train near Irkutsk, Siberia. Nureyev was raised as the only son in the village near Ufa in Soviet republic of Bashkiria. As a child he liked to dance at various folk performances and his talent was soon noticed by teachers who encouraged him to go to Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) to study.
Nureyev left Ufa and went on to study at the Kirov Ballet Academy. Upon graduating, Nureyev stayed to perform soloist roles in Kirov. He became one of Soviet Union’s best-known dancers. Under strict supervision he was allowed to dance at international Festivals revealing his talent.
After breaking the rules about mingling with foreigners KGB wanted to send Nureyev back to the Soviet Union. Nureyev knew that if he returned back home, he would be imprisoned. Rudolf Nureyev escaped from Russian authorities in 1961 at the airport in Paris. Although he petitioned the Soviet government for many years to be allowed to visit his mother, he was not allowed to do so until 1989.
Nureyev’s first appearance in Britain was at a matinee performance organised by the Royal Ballet’s Prima Ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn. Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn became longstanding dance partners and continued to dance together for many years after Nureyev’s departure from the Royal Ballet.
“Lights go out and I die, tomorrow I will be born again, tomorrow I will dance again…” Rudolf Nureyev
Nureyev’s influence on the world of ballet changed the perception of male dancers; in his own productions of the classics the male roles received much more choreography. Another important influence was his crossing the boarders between classical ballet and modern dance by performing both. Today it is normal for dancers to receive training in both styles, but Nureyev was the originator, and the practise was much criticised in those days.
In 1990 he became undeniably ill with AIDS. Nureyev died in Paris aged 54 in 1992.
“No male dancer ever had more influence on the history, style and public perception of ballet than Rudolf Nureyev. He changed people’s expectations. Starting out from inauspicious beginnings in a remote town in the Urals, he ended up changing the whole face of the art.” John Percival
10 January 2010-Rudolf Nureyev State Ballet Academy is coming back to UK!
Many of you will be pleased to know that Rudolf Nureyev State Ballet Academy is coming back to UK in September to tour all over Great Britain with their magnificent production of Swan Lake. Not long ago the Academy came back from Germany where they delivered an outstanding performance of Swan Lake to thousands of audience across the country.
Rudolf Nureyev State Ballet Academy is now getting ready to perform in front of British audience later this year. Many ballet lovers will note that if the Academy is named after much loved and legendary ballet dancer, Rudolf Nureyev, the standard of the Academy can only be one of the top ones in Russia. The dancers work really hard for many years for you to enjoy an evening of beautiful ballet.
15th September 2009- Finally, Russian State Ballet Academy of Perm will be here soon!
Not long until the famous Russian State Ballet Academy of Perm will be in England.
All the dancers have been preparing for a long time for their UK premiere "The Nutcracker". The Russian State Ballet Academy of Perm is one of the most acclaimed ballet schools in Russia and basks in a worldwide reputation for excellence,
From which graduates have spread across the globe. Around 30 graduates of the Perm ballet school have been awarded the title "Russian Folk Artist" and more than 80 can officially lay claim to the title of "Outstanding Artist of Russia". Many of the academy´s graduates have won awards in national and international competitions and have been successful in Tokyo, Paris, and Lausanne.
"The Nutcracker" is one of the most popular and famous ballet classics since its premiere in 1892. Peter Tchaikovsky´s Nutcracker has become an annual holiday tradition for generations of theatre-goers and is the perfect for the anticipation of Christmas, almost as though snowflakes falling or the smell of Christmas spices could be captured in the music.
12th November 2008
I am very disappointed that I have missed the chance to see the Big Ballet for the third time! Ever since I saw them in Margate I fell in love with their passion and ability to dance so beautifully. I hope they will come again to England!
10th November 2008
Thank you to Amande Concerts for giving us the opportunity to see larger women in a different light. They were absolutely fantastic!
1st November 2008
Having seen the Big Ballet in Dorking last night, I must say they were brilliant. I have recommended the show of the wonderful ladies to every one at work.
25th October 2008
What a wonderful show the Big Ballet performed in Canterbury. I could not stop laughing. It definitely made my evening.
27th October 2008
I saw the Big Ballet in Norwich last night and it was the most fascinating show I have seen in years. The ballerinas did a fantastic job performing in front of the full house with such enthusiasm, humour and passion. Without doubt I will come and see the Big Ballet again.
21st March 2008 - Suspended Star Re-instated
We are delighted to announce that, following her recent weight-loss to below the minimum weight requirement and her subsequent rest from training and performing with The Big Ballet, prima ballerina Tatyana Gladkikh is now comfortably above the required weight of 17-Stone and has been fully re-instated to lead The Big Ballet on its forthcoming UK spring tour.
5th March 2008 - Big Ballet Star Suspended... for losing weight!
Tatyana Gladkih drops below 17 Stone
The Big Ballet - comprising 16 female dancers each weighing at least 17 Stone - which is due to tour the UK for the second time from 25 March, has agreed with its principle female dancer, Tatyana Gladkih, to temporarily exclude her from participating in pre-tour training sessions with the troupe, after dropping beneath the minimum weight requirement.
Due to lead The Big Ballet on its biggest UK tour in spring and autumn 2008, Tatyana is a firm fixture in the show's line-up of highly-choreographed dancers, but has surprised the show’s Director and Producers with her sudden loss of several kilos, taking her to below 17 Stone, at her monthly medical check.
Created fourteen years ago, to challenge preconceptions about the ability of larger-bodied people to move with grace, by influential Russian choreographer Panfilov, The Big Ballet originally auditioned women weighing at least 12 Stone, but due to high-demand and fierce competition for places over the years, the prima ballerina’s minimum weight requirement has risen to its current standing of 17 Stone.
The Big Ballet is a show like no other seen in the UK. Performed on a black-box stage in custom-made costumes, the first section of the show is a parody of popular classical ballets. Post-interval, the show is rather more fast-paced as the larger-than-life dancers perform to more contemporary music, such as Robbie Williams, Tom Jones’s ’Sex Bomb’ and (continuing the Russian theme) ’Go West’ by Pet Shop Boys, and even perform to one ’number’ in silky, buttock-less outfits.
Commenting on the latest development Alexej Ignatow, producer for Amande Concerts UK, said "We were all a little surprised by Tatyana’s sudden loss of weight, which we are attributing to the current demands of the dancers' increased training, rehearsal and performance schedule prior to their arrival in the UK. Tatyana has been asked by the Show Director to rest from standard troupe rehearsals temporarily, so that she may take on a more relaxed schedule for two weeks. Tatyana will also not participate in any live performances for 14 days.
Explaining that the dancers’ participation is not compulsory, Alexej continues "While we certainly don't force the dancers’ to maintain the minimum weight requirement, they fully understand they are each one part of a big statement, and in order to maintain the clarity and point of the message, the minimum restriction must exist. However, our responsibility is, first and foremost, to the health and incredible fitness of the dancers, and The Big Ballet's medical adviser will be working closely with Tatyana, who has volunteered her full assurance that she is committed to the troupe.
Alexej adds "Tatyana is happy with the action we are taking and is one hundred percent confident that she will be leading the UK tour as planned".
20th December 2007 - From Russia, the best and... with love!
We would like to thank all the Big Ballet followers who are interested in Panfilov’s ballet, eager to know the "sugar plump" ballerinas current engagements and if they have already begun their preparations for the great UK spring tour 2008. Enjoying exponential growth in popularity, the troupe is now undertaking a busy schedule performing in Russia, while the Big Ballet director Natalya Lenskikh is working on the UK concert programme to devise the best possible show for the 2008 tours.
15th December 2007 - The Big Ballet Tour Venues
It’s no secret that all the UK tour venues are getting ready for the ‘Big Arrival’ making special arrangements to account for the artists weight. To host the biggest troupe with the biggest show is not an easy task for the venue managers - most have never staged a ballet as grand as this in their theatres before! A great surprise is also awaiting Scottish audiences this time, as The Big Ballet’s big stars will pay their first-ever visit to the country, performing at venues such as Morecambe, Stirling and Kilmarnock.
1st December 2007 - The Big Ballet - Getting over phobias together
“It is great that not everyone is trying to be a size 00 and that there are people out there who are happy about their size” – Gemma Brown`s reaction to the appearance of The Big Ballet’s large ladies on the stage.
As a researcher for the "Trisha Goddard" show on Channel 5, Gemma knows a lot about the weight issues which become phobias for many women. To try to help people overcome their phobias.
Back in March 2007, when The Big Ballet was on tour, Gemma invited the big ballerinas to participate on the show to challenge and change some women’s negative opinions of their larger body image.
Company director is planning to film a programme as soon as the big ladies arrive in the UK for their next tour commencing 25 March 2008, so do follow our news update so as not to miss the chance to see The Big Ballet stars on television - you will be stunned to see the grace, nimbleness and elegance of larger bodies that you’d never noticed before!
11th November 2007 - Nureyev students` UK tour impressions
For many of the Ballet Academy students this was their first-ever UK tour, marking the beginnings of a long artistic career, so we asked some of them to share with us their impressions:
“I really enjoyed performing here in the UK. Very nice and friendly people! Hello to everyone and thanks for coming to our show”
“We all like dancing and it was great fun to go on stage and perform our favourite parts! I am glad if you enjoyed our ‘Snow White’. We were asked by many people to sign programmes and take pictures with us after performances!”
“Wonderful audiences, I was very excited to dance here in England and I can say that people in the UK love classical ballet just as much as Russians do”
“I got some letters with compliments and positive responses from people after performances and I will keep them to remember my first tour!”
“It is great that my first tour started here in the UK. I like the way the public greeted us in all the venues.”
20th Octoberr 2007 - Professionals from the start of the career!
Professionals from the start of the career!
With the commencement of the recent Snow White UK tour, the R.Nureyev Academy young dancers&rsquo, their lives and daily regime drew more and more attention from the media.
Universally it was of much interest to the public to discover the quality of dance the famous academy students would deliver. The name of the academy triggered this curiosity as much as the ballet performance itself - ’Snow White’ - which is famously associated with both the popular Disney story and the original Brothers` Grimm plot, so audiences were pleasantly surprised that the show included elements of both.
The high professional level at which these young ballet dancers&rsquo performed was immediately appreciated and discussed at length during the interval and post-performance. To the delight of children in the audience, they were able to meet their favourite characters - the beautiful Snow White, kind Dwarfs, noble Prince and funny forest animals - to have their photograph taken after the show.
During the tour, the Nureyev Russian State Ballet Academy students were invited to several TV stations to take perform on various programmes and the young ballet stars were only too pleased to oblige, demonstrating their skills to television audiences across the UK.
1st September 2007 - New website launch
Amande Concerts UK is pleased to present to you our new web site this month. We’ve done our best to make it more interesting for all our users; so we added lots of peculiar information about the greatest Russian ensembles and their new UK tours that definitely will draw your attention! We hope you’ll enjoy it!
Please click here, if you want to comment on the website.
After The Big Ballet tremendous success across many UK venues this year, the ballet promoter Alexej Ignatow keeps receiving many positive responses from British public, eager to see this fabulous show again next year! No wonder, this Perm ballet has no analogies in the world so far and is purely the result of late influential Russian choreographer Panfilov’s experiment of the human body, which proved to have a marvellous result! Thus, the company management could not but make a decision to bring these famous ladies to the British public again in 2008. The new tour commences in the end of March and already promises to be a smash!