This interview was taken in Washington
on Friday, December 11, 1998

Dmitry Bryantsev is Artistic Director and Chief Choreographer of the Stanislavsky Ballet. He shares his thoughts and impressions with our American chat audience.

Welcome, Mr. Bryantsev and Ms. Smirina. We are glad to have you with us today.

Alyssa: How long have you been artistic director of the Stanislavsky?

Mr. Bryantsev: I have been with the company for 14 years.

Kate: How does one become an artistic director of a company like this?

Mr. Bryantsev: It's as easy as becoming Ford or Rockefeller; one must have different talent & abilities, and one must be able to work hard.

Gail: Were you a dancer? Who did you study with? How old were you when you started?

Mr. Bryantsev: I started at the Vaganova Institute at Leningrad. Now it is the St. Petersburg Academy of dance. I graduated from the institute when I was 19. I started under Nicoli Zubkovsky & Alexander Pushkin & Vladimir Fidler. I consider them among of the best ballet teachers in the world. Pushkin trained Baryshnikov and Nureev...

Britt: What is the Vaganova method? What is its history and how is it different in practice from other methods?

Mr. Bryantsev: ha ha... I am a choreographer after all. I am not a specialist on teaching methods... I know that Vaganova systematized the different ballet teaching methods and she succeeded to give life new choreographical images thanks to her methods.

Bruce: How do you characterize your personal style of choreography?

Mr. Bryantsev: I'll call it Bryantsev style. It's based on the vocabulary of Classic Ballet...

Bruce: You are both Artistic Director and Chief Choreographer for the company. How do you do both—is it hard to manage your time to do both?

Mr. Bryantsev: This is a union of ambiguous occupations... it would seem to be opposite jobs. They can't exist together, but at the same time... they can't exist without each other ... that reminds me of the relations between a man and a woman.

Steve: How do you decide what is going to be produced from season to season?

Mr. Bryantsev: That's a difficult question. That depends on my state of mind and the company's state of mind and on the economical situation in the theater. And, on the expectations of the spectators. And, on the social situation in the country.We mustn't serve the spectators. Servility makes one too dependent and uninteresting, ordinary. But, one can't help taking the spectators into consideration. Or else, you will be uninteresting all the same.

Steve: Lets say you are going to do a new production. How do you start planning something like that—are there group planning meetings with all the staff where you come up with a feel for the production, or do you tell everyone your vision and then they realize it?

Mr. Bryantsev: We work together, that is absolutely necessary. If you dictate your will, and nothing else you won't be able to make the dancer fulfill what you want him or her to fulfill... you will lose his or her individuality. If you follow the dancer and nothing else, you won't be able to do what you personally want. That's why both roles are creative: the role of the choreographer and the role of the dancer. Then, from the dialogue of two persons, the third image is born. And, the more talent the choreographer & the dancer have, the more interesting the result. And as nobody knows what the result must be, so the public is glad to see any result.

Ben: There are lots of other people involved in putting on a ballet production. How do you work with the technical staff, like scene designers and property masters?

Mr. Bryantsev: There are different ways. That depends on the temperament of each person. At first, I ask them politely to do what I want. Then, I DEMAND what I want. Then, the rest depends on pure chance. I can't predict. The result is the main thing.

Ben: How involved do you get with the details like props and costuming? Do you give them your ideas first or do they bring sketches to you for approval after they have come up with the ideas?

Mr. Bryantsev: Once more, we work together. As a rule, I give them the idea. And they bring it to life.

Kaori: You have been quoted as saying that Swan Lake is the most popular ballet ever and that no other performance could compete—do you still believe this to be true?

Mr. Bryantsev: I don't think so... The spectators think so. If you ask somebody, "What do you think of when you hear 'ballet'" Everyone answers, "Swan Lake." They may not have seen Swan Lake themselves, but they have surely heard of it. People are hypnotized by this title. I think there are reasons for such situations.

Kaori: Do you find that putting on a performance as lavish and decadent as both The Nutcracker and Swan Lake are harder for dancers from countries with struggling economics than those from with lesser day-to-day burdens?

Mr. Bryantsev: Well. Of course it is harder for countries with struggling economies to put on such ballets.

Doug: How do you think the current economic and social problems will affect the identification and development of new talent (dancers) in Russia?

Mr. Bryantsev: It will be very interesting for me, myself, to hear an answer to that question. I would be glad if somebody would answer me. I think that things won't be easier in the near future.

Doug: So how would you describe your own style or approach as an artistic director—who of your contemporary peers do you most respect in today's ballet world?

Mr. Bryantsev: My style as artistic director may be called suicide, possibly. Well, as for my peers, I can say that I respect Vladimir Vassiliev, Valery Gergiev (most of all).

Bruce: How are the arts taught to kids in Russia? Is there art education in the regular schools, or do kids go to special schools?

Mr. Bryantsev: Now we have schools where art is taught.. Along with the other subjects. At Academy of Dance, the students study the history of fine arts, the history of theater, the history of music, and so on.

Karen: What advice do you have for young dancers?

Mr. Bryantsev: To chose another profession! No, no, no.... (laughter) He or she must prepare for a hard life. That life may be poor enough, but it will always be interesting and a little childish.

Bruce: Can you tell us what a day is like for you at home? What do you do when you first get to work?

Mr. Bryantsev: I follow the example of Napoleon... He said, "At first, we shall begin the fight, and then we shall see." At the end of the day, I have to count all the dead, the wounded, and those who have survived. And the next morning I start from the beginning.

Doug: Have you seen the all-male version of Swan Lake—what do you think?

Mr. Bryantsev: I have seen it... It makes an impression on me as would anything that is exceptional. One may dance the Swan Lake in such a way, but I'm not sure that it is necessary. Time will answer this question.

Steve: How do you like America so far? Is this your first time here?

Mr. Bryantsev: I am in America for the third time. I have mixed feelings and mixed impressions. There are things which I like very much and there things which I don't understand. There are things which worry me. But I like the people whom I work with very much. I think their life is as difficult as the life of any human being. They have as many problems as other people have. But, the problems are different.

Kaori: Reality often falls short of expectations—how has the Kennedy Center and America measured up against your vision? How do the dancers feel (apart from being exhausted!)?

Mr. Bryantsev: The dancers are quite fine. The Kennedy Center is a highly professional enterprise. All the needs of the dancers are taken care of. They even have hot coffee and security at every door!

Doug: Do you have any plans for creative collaboration with U.S. Or other international choreographers or dance companies?

Mr. Bryantsev: I have such plans, but those plans must be "mutual" plans. (Laughs)

Kaori: What would be your dream performance and whom would you most like to work with?

Mr. Bryantsev: I'd like to produce a ballet as popular as Swan Lake. And I would dream to work with all talented and clever dancers.

Also, we encourage everyone to visit the Stanislavsky Ballet mini-site developed by ARTSEDGE in honor of the Stanislavsky's first visit to the U.S.