I apologise for the big delay in answering this! I’m finding it difficult to keep up with the questions right now.

Opinion on Irina Golub? Also I was wondering if she still dances with Mariinsky? Wiki says she is a former dancer but no mention of her ever leaving and she is still listed on Mariinsky's site as a second soloist.

Irina had two babies in the last two years. She’s focusing on her family right now. I’m not sure when or if she plans to return to the Mariinsky. 

I’m afraid I can’t offer much of an opinion. I hardly know anything about Irina and have only ever seen one video of her in “Rubies”. She was alright, I guess, but I associate “Rubies” pretty firmly with Diana Vishneva, and most ballerinas pale in comparison.

Do you know anything about Sofia Ivanova-Soblikova?

She graduated from VBA four years ago and is currently Second Soloist at the Mariinsky. She’s performing a wide repertoire and seems to be in a pretty good place. I don’t know much about her though.

A few months after graduation:

Earlier this year:

Violetta Zhirova

I haven’t heard of her until now, I’m afraid. All I can find of her are some glamorous photoshoots.

Hello, I love your blog (and Tsiskaridze). I've wondered (especially now that the ROH has been focusing a lot on this), what is your opinion about Zenaida Yanowsky? I honestly can't think how they thought she could ever be prima material. I've tried to appreciate her dancing, but I think it's particularly bad (for classical repertoire especially, slightly better in contemporary), any thoughts?

Thank you. I think of Zenaida as ROH’s Ilze Liepa: she doesn’t necessarily fit the classical mould, but is, nevertheless, a great dancer who shines in neo-classical and modern works. I absolutely adore her as the Queen of Heart in “Alice in Wonderland” for example. Bloody video wouldn’t embed.

Minori Nakashima

She is lovely, but I prefer her classmate, Orine Anzai, who is a stronger dancer. Such a non-answer, I know :/ But whenever I saw videos of that class, I was always drawn to Anzai and kind of missed Minori.

Valeriia Chaykina

Please see my previous response.

Root, who was mid-drink, choked on it and had to turn away from Shaw and Gen. 

“We don’t do kids,” Shaw answered. 

“You being the obvious exception because you’re basically a seventy year old Russian spy,” Root answered, having cleared her throat.

Root looked down at it, taking a sip of her coffee, “Yeah.”

Gen looked across the breakfast table at Shaw then asked Root, “Why aren’t you wearing the one you came over in last night?”

“Sameen was too impatient and ripped-” 

Shaw put her hand over Root’s mouth and used her other hand to take a bite of pancake, “Her shirt was dirty from her mission.”