#khiteeva

Kulikova as Giselle...This one really surprised me! I would have guesed La Sylphie, Juliet, even Aurora before Giselle. Color me shocked. She has never pulled off a role with such gravitas before…I wish her the best! And there is even more BIG casting news: Khiteeva as Carmen. What what?? That is huge in terms of legacy. And Misha Barkidjija cast as Torero. Spicy. Khiteeva's theatrical qualities are very impressive, but this wil be a big step for both Misha & Sasha.

That is a HUGE debut. Carmen is so hard because the dancer carries the entire story. It's technically demanding and requires sophisticated theatricality. The dancer must exude sensuality but not vulgarity. It's a difficult balance. There are technically strong dancers who could dance this, but would not be a good fit. (Khoreva.) Some dancers just play up the sultriness, and it ends up feeling really cheap and cartoon-like. I saw a recent performce by a Bolshoi soloist that will go unnamed and it was outright cringe. Yes, Carmen is sexy, but what she really wants is freedom—the freedom to live as one pleases, freedom to no be be controlled by a man, sexual freedom. Yet fate is the final arbiter of that freedom…the dancer must convey that inner fire so that the tragedy plays out.

Carmen is a role that better suits older dancers…that life experience really informs the interpretation. That's why I'm very curious and excited about Khiteeva's debut! It's definitely a challenge and I'd consider her quite young for the role. She's 25? 26?

And Bravo to the many other debuts! Savalieva, Barinova, Kulikova, Deryabin…the list goes on on! It felt like a breath of fresh air in the Mariinsky.

I’ve ripped this clip from 📽️: Natashik_B on IG. She has many more, and they all make me very happy! What really stands out here is Khiteeva’s footwork, epaulement, and poise. She makes this look so effortless and light while commanding the stage. 👏

How did you get along with your classmates?

Alexandra Khiteeva: “They accepted me straight away, which was nice. I followed the girls around like a lost puppy, and they helped me out a great deal. During the first class I, naturally, stood at the side barre and was gradually moved closer to the centre. I’m not much of a fighter; I prefer to get results with work. Sometimes I even get told that this particular character trait may hinder my progress once I join the company, but I can’t do things differently.”