The Oryol Ballet continues the tradition of classical Russian ballet
During all the New Year’s holidays, we talk about what we found similar in the history of Orel, separated by a century. We remind you how the region lived in 1922, compared with what it was in 2022. Next in line is a story about the Oryol ballet.
Past
In October 1922, at the initiative of the artist of the State Academic Petrograd Theater E.A. Georgievskaya in Orel, the 2nd provincial ballet school was opened. This was the time when Russian ballet had already reached its peak, and Russian dances introduced the fashion for everything Russian abroad. However, it was in the 1920s that Russian ballet went through hard times. Due to the First World War and the Civil War, as well as the events of 1917, most of the ballet elite left the country, the theater became public from an elite one, aimed at changing the repertoire and theatrical policy.
As a result, in the 1920s, the national ballet was faced with the task of preserving the invariability of the national theater, withdrawing the troupe, reducing performances and involving art that would correspond to modern realities. This was a period when ballet continued to search for new themes and allocated funds, many dance schools arose and developed, and elements of acrobatics and physical education penetrated into ballet. At that time, they tried to make Russian ballet more classical and folk.
Modernity
After 100 years, ballet still lives in the Oryol region, despite the fact that during this time more modern dance styles have already appeared. One of the main institutions where dancers are educated is the Oryol choreographic school. It was opened in 1980 on the eve of the Moscow Olympics. At its origins was a wonderful energetic and creative person Eleonitsa Pankova, a student of the great Soviet dancer Tatyana Ustinova. The merits of Pankova in the development of the Oryol choreography can hardly be overestimated. She demanded this and opened children’s choreographic workshops in the Palaces of Culture of the steel-rolling plant, builders and the Dormashina association. Thanks to her, there is now a choreography department at the Oryol Regional College of Culture and Arts.
Eleonora Pankova. Source: Oryol choreographic school
42 years ago, the Oryol Children’s Choreographic School opened its doors in a former club of a military unit, becoming one of the first specialized schools in the region in choreography. Then it was assumed that the location of the school in this building would be temporary, but the “temporary” stretched out for 35 years. Only in 2014, the school acquired new public buildings connected in honor of the 450th anniversary of the Eagle.
On the basis of the institution, they began to hold seminars of an all-Russian scale with the masters of Russian choreography: Olga Zolotoy, Tatyana Ustinova, Olga Lepeshinskaya. Last year, the Oryol choreographic school became a laureate and owner of the medal of the All-Russian competition “Educational organization of the XXI century. League of Leaders – 2021″ in the nomination “Best Choreographic School”.
To this day, it is highly rated among the institutions of additional education in the region. On the basis of the school, the ensemble “Flowers of the Planet” was created, as a result of which, over the years of creative activity, the title “Honored Collective of Folk Art of the Oryol Region” was awarded. This year the ensemble celebrated its 40th anniversary.
As the director of the Oryol choreographic school Ksenia Merkulova said, at the moment about 200 children have gathered for the ballet.
– In total, more than 500 students study at our school, and about 200 of them preferred natural classical ballet. Ballet from year to year does not matter much. First, we get an installation, participate in festivals and competitions of various levels, – said Merkulova.
Speaking of the Oryol ballet, one cannot fail to mention Tatyana Yuryevna Leskova, a united ballerina, the great-granddaughter of our fellow countryman, the famous Russian nationality Nikolai Leskov. This year it was marked by its centennial anniversary. By the fact of birth, she is French, lives in Brazil, and her soul is always in the homeland of her great-grandfather – in the Oryol region. Despite the fact that she has only been to Orel Leskova a couple of times, the last one in 2011, here young dances follow her example. In honor of her 100th anniversary, a big concert “Russian Heart of a Brazilian Ballerina” was held at the Oryol Children’s Choreographic School. As a gift, Tatyana Leskova received a recording of the performances of the Oryol dancers, and in response she sent a video with greetings to all the Orlovites. In addition, a pointe with the signature of Tatiana Yuryevna (the second is in Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil, in the municipal museum), as well as a ballet tutu and top, during which she was registered in the ballets Don Quixote, Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty. It was she, the Frenchwoman Tatyana Leskova with Oryol roots, who became the founder of the Russian ballet school abroad.
By the way, on April 20, 2022, the ballet tutu turned exactly 190 years old.
PHOTO: Oryol choreographic school
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