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Customer Reviews of The Leningrad Legend

One Leningrad Legend describes the other Leningrad Legend
After Natalya Makarova left the Leningrad Kirov Ballet and defected to the West, her name would (according to her in this documentary) scarcely have been mentioned in the Soviet Union. But political climates change, and in 1989 Makarova visited her alma mater for the first time since her defection 19 years before. The fact that she defected is tactfully ignored by a teacher at the school as she tells her students about some of the famous dancers (including Makarova) whose pictures are on the wall, who "danced on our stage and then achieved glory in many other countries, thus bringing fame to both our Russian and Soviet ballet."

Makarova's narration differs from that of most dance documentaries, in that she freely offers her opinions, not hesitating to call Konstantin Sergeyev (former Artistic Director of the Kirov and now Artistic Director of the school) conservative, or to say that current Russian choreography is not really modern, not original. A compliment from her can even sound a bit backhanded, as when she says that former prima ballerina Irina Kolpakova was perfect in roles such as Cinderella and Aurora: " . . . pure classical dance conveying innocent, uncomplicated joy. As for me, I always preferred more complex roles." And what a slap in the face she gives to the London Festival Ballet (now the English National Ballet)! After emphasizing how integral a part of Swan Lake the third act Mazurka is, she says that when she staged the ballet in London, she took out the mazurka, because she thought it was better to do that than to "have it danced badly." In fact, she says that no one in the West knows how to do the mazurka.

A lot of time is spent with Oleg Vinogradov (then Artistic Director of the company) as he discusses aspects of his job, such as receiving threats on his life when one of his first acts as Artistic Director was to lay off over 90 of the older company members. He is very articulate, and he has interesting things to say, but I wish more time had been spent on the students and company members rather than on Vinogradov's discourses.

A number of former company members are shown teaching or coaching, including Irina Kolpakova (I pitied poor Veronika Ivanova during her coaching session with her), Gennadi Selyutski, Gabriella Komleva and Ninel Kurgapkina. Kurgapkina's friendly, bubbly stage personality carries over into her teaching-in both this documentary and "Backstage at the Kirov," she always looks jolly.

Young principal dancers Veronika Ivanova, Elena Pankova, Zhanna Ayupova and Igor Zelensky, as well as reigning stars Altynai Asylmuratova and Farukh Ruzimatov, are shown in performances and rehearsals, and Makarova gives her opinions of them all.

While this documentary is not the gem that "Backstage at the Kirov" is, it is still a worthwhile addition to a balletomane's collection.

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LEGEND OF LENINGRAD
This tape provides a detailed look at the Kirov's training and technique,,,It blends classroom footage with some of the company's stellar performances,,,,Never a dull moment for two hours.