Agrippina Jakovlevna Vaganova
методическая разработка (8, 9, 10, 11 класс)

Agrippina Jakovlevna Vaganova

She became the first professor of choreography in Russia. She had been working very hard for many decades and   as  a result there are very many great and famous dancers such as Marina Semenova, Tatyana Vecheslova, Galina Ulanova, Natalya Dudinskaya, Irina Kolpakova, Alla Shelest, Ninel Kurgapkina and many other talented ballet dancers. Vaganova wrote the book “The Base of Classical Dance”. In this book she wrote about her great experience and ideas of teaching choreography. This book was translated in practically all European languages and had become indispensable for all ballet teachers.

Vaganova was born on the 14th of June 1879 in S-Petersburg. When she was 10 she became the student of theatrical school of ballet. Her father Jakov Timopheivich was an usher in Mariinskiy Theatre. Ballet was constantly talked about in the family and Grunya had been dreaming of becoming a ballet dancer since her childhood. Very soon she came to an understanding that without monotonous exercising for hours on end it was impossible to achieve success in dancing. She was not a born ballerina but thanks to her great desire and diligence she became one of the best students of the school. After finishing school she joined the company of Mariinskiy Theatre as a corps de ballet dancer. It took her long to achieve success in the tough world of ballet dancing. She tried her best to master her technique skills that give dancers more flexibility and make dancing more expressive. She didn’t dance the leading parts for a long time but she had already been known as a celebrated ballerina when at last she appeared on the stage dancing the leading part in the ballet “The Brook”. The ballet “The Brook” became her triumph where she revealed great diversity of her skills and talent.

In two years she got the solo-part in the ballet “Swans Lake”. In 1915 when she was 36 she retired. She dreamt of being a teacher in ballet school and in 1921 her dream came true. Little by little she had been working out her own methods of teaching based on preserving traditional classical dancing. At the same time she wanted modern tendencies to be incorporated into classical dance in the most harmonic way. All her students became famous ballerinas.

Her last student was Irina Kolpakova who was a brilliant classical dancer and who was able to put into practice all demand of contemporary dance.

Vaganova died on the 5th of November 1951. Music from ‘Swans Lake” was played at her funeral. There is a picture of a young girl in a dancing dress with an open book in her hand on her tombstone.

The Ballet Dance Academy in S-Petersburg is named after Agrippina Vaganova.

Vocabulary

Indispensable – незаменимый

Achieve – достигать

Desire – желание

Diligence – усердие

Corps de ballet – кордебалет

Flexibility – гибкость

The Brook – ручей

Reveal – раскрывать, выявлять

Diversity – разнообразие

Preserve – сохранять

To be incorporated – быть включенным

Demand – требовать

Contemporary – современный

Funeral – похороны

Tombstone – надгробная плита

Skill – навык, мастерство

Tasks

1. Answer the following questions:

1. When and where was Vaganova born?

2. What was her father?

3. What school did she enter when she was 10?

4. What did she do after finishing school?

5. Did she have leading parts?

6. What was her first leading part?

7. What was this ballet for her?

8. How old was she when she retired?

9. What did she begin to do after retiring?

2. Mark the following statements true or false

1. Vaganova was born in Moscow.

2. Her father was a ballet dancer.

3. Vaganova wrote the book “The Base of Classical Dance “.

4. She wrote about her experience and ideas of teaching choreography.

5. She didn’t dream about a ballet dancer career.

6. She entered the theatrical school of ballet when she was 12.

7. She became one of the best students of the school.

3. Give Russian equivalents of the following phrases:

1. Working very hard for many decades

2. Her great experience and ideas in teaching choreography

3. The book became indispensable for all ballet dancers

4. Without monotonous exercising for hours on end

5. Thanks to her great desire and diligence

6. To master her technique skills

7. To reveal her great diversity of skills and talent

8. Modern tendencies to be incorporated into classical dance in the most harmonic way

4. Give English equivalents of the following phrases:

1. Упорно работая многие десятилетия

2. Ее огромный опыт и идеи в преподавании хореографии

3. Стать незаменимой для всех хореографов

4. Без бесконечных монотонных занятий часами

5. Благодаря огромному желанию и усердию

6. Доводить до совершенства технические навыки

7. Раскрыть огромное разнообразие умений и талант

8. Методы преподавания, основанные на сохранении традиционного классического танца

9. Современные тенденции, включенные в классический танец наиболее гармоничным образом

5. Translate the text into English:

Агрипина Ваганова стала первым профессором хореографии в России. Она работала многие десятилетия и результатом ее работы стали такие великие и известные балетные танцоры как Марина Семенова, Татьяна Вечеслова, Ирина Колпакова, Алла Шелест, Нинель Кургапкина и многие другие.

        Ваганова написала книгу « Основы классического танца». В этой книге она поделилась своим опытом и идеями преподавания хореографии. Книга была переведена практически на все европейские языки и стала незаменимой для всех хореографов.

        Ваганова родилась в 1879 году в Петербурге. В возрасте 10 лет она поступила в школу балета, потому что с детства хотела быть балериной. Очень быстро она поняла, что без бесконечных упражнений часами достичь успеха невозможно.

        Благодаря своему великому желанию и упорству она стала одной из лучших учениц школы. После окончания обучения она поступила в труппу Мариинского театра как балерина кордебалета. Ей потребовалось много времени, чтобы добиться успеха. Она старательно отрабатывала технические навыки, которые дают танцорам больше гибкости, что делает танец более впечатляющим. Свою главную роль она получила в балете «Ручей» впервые в своей жизни и выявила в своем танце великое разнообразие навыков и таланта.

        В возрасте 36 лет она ушла со сцены и стала преподавателем. Она много работала над способами сохранения традиционного классического балета. В тоже время ей хотелось, чтобы и современные черты были включены в классический танец и наиболее гармоничным способом.

        Ее последней ученицей стала Ирина Колпакова которая была превосходной балериной классического балета но была в состоянии использовать в своем танце все требования современного балета.

Ваганова ушла из жизни 5 ноября 1951 года. На ее похоронах звучала музыка П.И.Чайковского из балета « Лебединое озеро». На надгробной плите на могиле А. Вагановой изображена молодая девушка в балетном платье с открытой книгой в руке.

        Балетная Академия в Петербурге названа именем Агрипины Яковлевны Вагановой.

6. Discuss the text with your partner using the words and expressions from the vocabulary.

Topics for discussion:

1. Vaganova’s life and work
2.  Vaganova’s style of dancing
3. Vaganova’s artistic heritage