Ballet.

Although the techniques of classical ballets were invented by French and Italian masters two hundred years ago, the Russian Ballet refined these techniques, thus enhancing its already superb performances. This book uncovers the Great History of Russian Ballet, its art and choreography.

"The first distinctly Russian choreography was performed by Tsar Alexis Mikhailovich, and thus began the Tsar's passion for ballet. In 1738, the first professional school of dance opened in St. Petersburg. During the 18th century, the Russian Ballet became known for its tragic and comic ballets. The Russian ballet reached its apogee during the 19th century with the arrival of new masters, such as [Ivan] Valberg, [Charles] Didelot and [Adam] Glushkovsky, who choreographed works by Pushkin and Jokovsky. The second half of the century was marked by the collaboration of [Marius] Petipa, the French choreographer, with the Russian composer Tchaikovsky. In the early 20th century, Diaghilev delighted audiences in the West by presenting the Ballet Russe with supremely talented choreographers, dancers, conmposers and set designers."--Jacket.

Agrippina Vaganova (1879-1951) is revered as the visionary who first codified the Russian system of classical ballet training. The Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, founded on impeccable technique and centuries of tradition, has a reputation for elite standards, and its graduates include Mikhail Baryshnikov, Rudolf Nureyev, Natalia Makarova, and Diana Vishneva. Yet the Vaganova method has come under criticism in recent years. In this absorbing volume, Catherine Pawlick traces Vaganova's story from her early years as a ballet student in tsarist Russia to her career as a dancer with the Mariinsky (Kirov) Ballet to her work as a pedagogue and choreographer. Pawlick then goes beyond biography to address Vaganova's legacy today, offering the first-ever English translations of primary source materials and intriguing interviews with pedagogues and dancers from the Academy and the Mariinsky Ballet, including some who studied with Vaganova herself.