#vaganova

NOT AT ALL. One year without multiple prodigies doesn't mean she's loosing her touch. And…despite all the attention on Daria Pankova (Kasenkova), Arina Tsplayeva (Kovaleva) is the one who caught my eye. Her mature artistry in Ballades really stood out. Rumor has it that she's headed for the Bolshoi, which makes me so sad because she would make a lovely Mariinsky soloist. Call me crazy, but I really like her partner, Sergey Benedichuk. He's got a wild look about him that I find intriguing. He's definitely not boring on stage. But Look at how lovely Tseplayeva is! Le Sigh….

In Ballades:

And in Classical Symphony:

I’m not surprised….it was gutsy to compete in her graduation year. I’ll give her that. It felt like a lot to squeeze into the last two weeks of June.

Her Gamzatti was powerful but lacked finesse, which is my overall critique of Daria Pankova. Same with her Paquita variation. The elegance was missing. Maybe she just needs a bit more time or rest. I’m disappointed for her, but not surprised. Anyway, she’s off to the Bolshoi and I wish her luck! They have a large incoming cohort from what I gather.

Diana Vishneva as Odile, 2006