Meeting with Youlia Stepanova, the new emerald-eyed star of the Bolshoi

Classic lines that resemble the standards of the Vaganova Academy, cat eyes that stretch to infinity, an unfathomable emerald look ... The Bolshoi Ballet has found a new noble dancer in Youlia Stepanova, prone to the major roles in the repertoire. She was engaged as a soloist by Sergei Filin in September 2015, and Makhar Vaziev made her Star Dancer in September 2016 after one testing season that was crowned by a triumphant tour in London.  Coming from St. Petersburg, she kept the racy dance, and she is committed to express herself in the tradition of the Bolshoi after debuting at the Mariinsky Theater and holding a contract at the Stanislavsky Theatre. „Danses avec la plume“ met in London last August, at the Royal Opera House, a month before her appointment. A portrait of a Russian ballet star in the making.

You're at the Bolshoi Ballet since this season (2015-2016) and you've danced many roles. How did you get into this company?

I started working at the Mariinsky Ballet and I have danced many leading roles, the most important being Odette / Odile in Swan Lake. But later, I decided to look for something more meaningful. At first, I even looked at smaller companies. I wanted more than anything to express myself  and dance soloist and star roles. This is why I decided to try my luck at the Bolshoi. I thought I would regret all my life not to have done so. It went very well and I was immediately engaged as a soloist. I am very happy, happy with my choice and I hope everything will continue as well.

You were hired by Sergei Filin and now Makhar Vaziev who startet his work last March and seems to appreciate you. What impulse will he give the company?

I am convinced that he is a very strong leader. He said he will make the company even better, it´s his goal. He is also very voluntary. He went to all the rehearsals of the ballet soloists. The company immediately began to work and everyone was infected by his determination. I am sure that the theater will grow.

You're not the only ballerina who left St. Petersburg for other horizons in recent years. Do you have an opinion on the loss of attractiveness of this prestigious theater of the time of the imperial era?

In all honesty, I have no strong views on the matter. Probably everyone follows his/her own path and seeks to find the destination that will be the best to express oneself further. However, I think Moscow is a busy city and the Bolshoi itself offers more opportunities. They tell me that here I became more confident and I do feel so. My dance became more confident. But each case is different.

Let's go back in time: how did you get this passion for dance?

Just when I was about 6 years, I managed to go to the ballet with my mother. Coincidentally, it was Giselle. I watched it and I got hooked! When we left the theater, I was dancing on the streets. I didn´t notice anyone, not even the passersby who looked at me. I fell in love with ballet at once and when I came home, I was dancing again and again, remembering all the scenes of Giselle. Thus began my great passion. Spikes and tutus then became the dream of my childhood.

Growing up as a ballerina, what dreams guided you? Who were your models?

I have dreamed of dancing all the classical ballets (laughs). In particular, I was longing to dance Giselle. In the future, I hope this dream will come true. In my childhood I admired Maia Plisetskaya. I was talking about her to everyone. There was obviously Galina Ulanova. I had their books, recordings, and I watched them repeatedly at home. Swan Lake, Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty: I was trying to dance them.

You trained at the Vaganova Academy, nursery of the Mariinsky Theatre. What have you gained there, which is not acquired anywhere else?

It seems to me, and many people are also saying this, that the upper body and arms are very important there. This is the classical dance in all its splendor, with primarily focus on the cleanliness of positions and representations. The arms and back are our major assets.

How have you adapted your style from St. Petersburg to the Bolshoi criteria? What do you focus on with your coach Ludmila Semenyaka?

Everything is slightly different at the Bolshoi. First, the tempo is faster. It goes without saying that everybody dances the same ballet, Swan Lake remains Swan Lake, but here it is faster, more active. Furthermore, there are individual emotional accents, for example the black swan. Lyudmila Ivanovna Semenyaka said here, the black swan was totally different in the version of Yuri Grigorovich, and I would have to learn everything again from the start, maybe not right now because the transition is delicate. But she helps me a lot, especially since she also comes from St. Petersburg. She began dancing there and then came to Moscow so she knows what this migration entails. I feel good here, everyone is confident and emotional both in their dance and their ways of being: I try to conform to them.

Were you able to work with Yury Grigorovich?

No, unfortunately he was not at the theater for Swan Lake. I learned from videos. Lyudmila Ivanovna helped me from A to Z. I have not met Yury Grigorovich in person.

Can you explain the specificity of the Bolshoi Swan Lake, choreographed by Yury Grigorovich?

I understand well: the protagonist is Siegfried. The plot revolves around his duality. On one side, there is evil in black, the other, well, his white side, pure, bright. His two oppositions clash in him and the evil genius (note: Rothbart in the version of Yury Grigorovich) draws him to the dark side. He also cursed his shadow. In the end, Siegfried is left alone and dispossessed. He understands that the evil genius and the black swan overcame him and he repents. I see it this way.

You danced Swan Lake at the Mariinsky, in the version of Sergeyev. What changes did you feel in the role of Odette / Odile since you were working at the Bolshoi?

As far as the order of dancing is concerned we begin with the white act, then pas de deux with the black swan follows. That's the same in both versions. Here some changes were added and the major difference is in the final stage and the characters. At the Mariinsky, there really is a black swan. She's alive and she wants Siegfried to follow her, as if she were human. And it works. But here at the Bolshoi's all in the imagination of the prince, in his mind and his body. The Black Swan is like a shadow-like evil, causing the wrong side to emerge. It's an interesting version. I love dancing and I like to try all versions.

You have realized part of your dreams. What is left to be desired?

Obviously I would dance all the classics, Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty and Don Quixote, Raymonda and Legend of Love. But I also enjoy contemporary productions. I like exploring new body gymnastics because I myself am very flexible. These wavy body movements are very nice to dance for me.

Who do you like among the choreographers of our time?

Overall, among the Russians, I like Alexei Ratmansky and Yuri Possokhov. I could dance the role of Bela in a production of them: A Hero of our time. Which I love. I like Wayne McGregor, he came up with „Infra“ at the Mariinsky. I liked his choreography and I would dance other parts of the genre.

Are you interested in what is happening in foreign dance companies?

Yes, absolutely, I try to find records when I prepare new roles. Nowadays, it is very convenient because almost everything is online. We can look at different dancers, Covent Garden, Opera Garnier as well as Russian companies. I remember when I was preparing Sylvia (Ashton) at the Mariinsky, I tried to find the original version on the internet. I looked up Marianela Nuñez. I enjoyed and it and I tried to learn by watching.

Would you like to dance in other companies then? When invited for example.

I think anyone who dances would be happy to work with another company. I absolutely wanted to dance at the Bolshoi initially. Why not learn a new way of dancing, meet other dancers and benefit from their experience? It would be wonderful and very interesting.

What hobbies do you have?

In fact, when I hurt my leg, I stayed at home for a while on sick leave. I braided wreaths, I made tiaras, jewelry. I think if I was not a dancer, I'd probably design. I would have made different embroideries, jewels and tiaras for performances. I dream: maybe one day I will craft me a tiara and jewelry for a ballet, who knows.

So you have a favorite costume?

For now, I would say that I prefer the black swan costume. I have not danced many roles at the Bolshoi but I love this black tutu with a velvety material.

The Bolshoi is often on tour in the West. Do you feel like a cultural ambassador to Russia?

I think in general there is a diplomatic dimension in these tours. It seems that Russian ballet is well perceived and admired everywhere. We try to encourage people to take an interest in Russia. The public is nice and we do not feel any tension. We hope that we contribute to the improvement of international relations with Russia.

The interview was implemented with the help of Anna Zakharova