Светлана Захарова – Revelation

Svetlana Zakharova (Rus. Светлана Захарова) in Revelation, music by John Williams (Schindler’s List soundtrack), choreography by Motoko Hirayama. Gala des Etoiles 2015, Juwelen des Welballetts, shot on 16th of May 2015 in Grand Théâtre Luxembourg.

 

Svetlana Zakharova (Rus Светлана Захарова) is currently principal with Bolshoi Theatre. Svetlana was born in Lutsk, in the Ukraine, on 10 June 1979. She joined the Kiev Choreographic School where she trained mainly with Valeria Sulegina. Svetlana was allowed to continue her training at the Vaganova Academy in St. Petersburg. Instead of the expected second course, she was admitted directly to the third, the graduating course (in the class of Yelena Yevteyeva, the distinguished Kirov ballerina of the previous generation). While still a student at the Vaganova Academy Svetlana performed the Shades Act of La Bayadиre, Masha in The Nutcracker, the Queen of the Dryads in Don Quixote, and Dying Swan on the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre. In June 1996 Svetlana graduated from the Vaganova Academy, she was just 17. A year later she was promoted to principal dancer.

In the Mariinsky company Svetlana was taken under the experienced wings of Olga Moiseyeva, with whom she would build a lasting rapport. Preparing all the new roles with her, Moiseyeva quickly became the key-figure in Svetlana’s artistic development. As of October 2003 Svetlana started dancing as a principal with the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow. At the Bolshoi she is rehearsing her roles with Ludmilla Semenyaka, the star ballerina from the previous generation.

Motoko Hirayama (originally from Japan) is contemporary dancer and choreographer. She is Associate Professor, University of Tsukuba – Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences. Motoko Hirayama is a highly acclaimed and active independent contemporary dancer and choreographer based in Japan. She is a recipient of many eminent awards. Motoko Hirayama staged her classic solo work “Revelation” on Bolshoi Ballet Prima Ballerina Svetlana Zakharova in 2006, making her the first Japanese choreographer to contribute work to the Bolshoi Ballet. Motoko leads the Japanese dance scene, and continues to seek new ground, never leaving her adventurous, pioneering, and open-minded spirit behind.

Solo work Revelation was staged by Motoko Hirayama for Bolshoi Ballet Prima Ballerina Svetlana Zakharova in 2006.

Photos by Jack Devant Ballet Photography with kind permission of the Grand Théâtre Luxembourg, special thanks to Georges Richette and Natascha Ipatova.