They say that six magnificent ballerina’s have marked the progress of Russian Ballet Dancing during the twentieth century. Each of the ballerinas have in some way lay the ground work for the further development of the art of ballet dancing. Each of these dancers has in her own way expressed her own personality, rather than conforming to a narrow technical professional sphere.
Anna Pavlova who indeed was legendary holds a high place amongst these ballerinas. Although she was trained in the strict style of the St Petersburg ballet, she lent great emotional freedom to ballet dancing and in turn made ballet dancing more expressive. Pavlova showed the world that there were different ways of interpreting different pieces.
Anna Pavlova was closely followed by Olga Spesivtseva and Marina Semenova.
Olga Spesivtseva danced in Russia for only a few years before she moved abroad in 1924. She danced in a time when there were great debates about the choreography and the necessity of ballet for the new soviet audiences. She led the way as a prima ballerina of the Maryinsky Theatre and contributed towards the preservation of the rich classical heritage and traditions. She created beauty amongst the violence and destruction of the times. She was a great tragic ballerina, and she revived the romantic styles of ballet.
Marina Semenova joined the Kirov as it is known today in 1925 and introduced new qualities into classical ballet dancing. She seemed to have endless energy and broad and free movements in her dancing. Semenova’s dancing was forceful and joyful, but still remained faithful to the classical style. Her style demonstrated that there was unlimited possibilities for the classical style even with the new social situation.
Galina Ulanova brought success to the ballet theatre in the 1930′s and 1940′s with her brilliant performances. She brought remarkable psychological precision and emotions to all the parts that she played.
Maya Plisetskaya was daring and defiant and she brought with her a radical change in public sentiments during the 1950′s and 1960′s. She had unique natural endownments and although she remained loyal to the traditions of classical ballet, she never limited herself, and brought about free thinking as the essential principles for a creative individual.
In the 1970′s and 1980′s Natalia Bessmertnova marked the new era in classical ballet dancing. Bessmertnova absorbed Spesivtseva’s romanticism, Pavlova’s musical expressiveness, Semenova’s broad dancing and the lyricism of Ulanova. Natalia Bessmertnova has brought the art of ballet dancing to a culmination. Her dancing stands out even against her predecessors, for its individuality and originality.
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