To say the least, a huge loss. She certainly lived a long and rewarding life though.

D

Dudinskaya Tribute

<small>[ 29 January 2003, 04:03 PM: Message edited by: DavidH ]</small>

I was very sad to hear this news this morning. There are very few of Vaganova's remaining pupils who were loved as much as Dudinskaya was. Even Vaganova loved and respected her so much that she left her senior class to her. She was an inspiration to many people and young artists of Russia. I will miss her.

Natalia Dudinskaya
Dominant dancer at the Kirov Ballet who became a brilliant and demanding teacher and thrived under the Soviet system. From The Times.


NATALIA DUDINSKAYA was one of the greatest ballerinas that Soviet Russia ever produced, and she dominated the Kirov Ballet for decades until her retirement in the 1960s. Her dazzling virtuosity thrilled audiences in Leningrad, now St Petersburg, and through her extensive teaching and coaching she helped to mould a new generation of dancers — Natalia Makarova among them — who were inspired by her technical prowess and powerful personality.

Natalia Mikhailovna Dudinskaya was born in Kharkov in 1912. Her mother, a sometime pupil of Enrico Cecchetti, ran a ballet school where her daughter took her first lessons. In 1923 she entered the Petrograd Ballet School (as it was then called), where she came under the tutelage of Agrippina Vaganova, the great pedagogue and architect of Soviet balletic training. Vaganova formed the young Dudinskaya into a virtuoso dancer of seemingly unlimited technical skill.

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Originally posted by Joanne:

From The Independent
MORE

<small>[ 03 February 2003, 10:33 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]</small>

What a ridiculous piece of vitriol that last piece is. Written by someone who predeceased her and who obviously did not know her that well.

I have spoken to The Independent about the piece above and they have told me that they aim to print obituaries rather than tributes and do not censor the words of their writers.

John Gregory also penned the Independent obit. of Richard Buckle, which I post without comment:

http://www.independent.co.uk/story.jsp?story=99180

John Gregory was a dancer and dance historian and among his published works are this one about the Varna ballet competition:

<img src="http://www.bulgarianspace.com/music/varna_ibc/book.gif" alt="" />

and

"Understanding Ballet", John Gregory, Oldbourne Book Co., 1965 (London). [5,8]

He also founded Harlequin Ballet and here are some extracts from an article by his widow Barbara.

The Independent are interested to have feedback on their Dudinskaya obituary and I have said that I will send them a link to the comments which are posted here. So if you have a view, please do express it.

I cannot comment on the veracity or otherwise of Gregory's piece, but I was surprised by the tone in several places and it made me interested to find out more about him, which is surely not the point of an obituary.

<small>[ 30 January 2003, 08:37 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]</small>

I'm trying very hard to come at this from a point of view that will not turn off a reader (i.e., whomever it is from the Independent that might read it) and yet still adhere to the points I would like to make. It's not going to be easy.

There isn't a public figure out there, especially one whose life was as long as hers, and encompassed as many different artistic, social and political eras as hers, who is not going to be the subject of at least some controversy during their lives. In addition, I don't expect a newspaper, having just printed something, not to take the line that they stand behind what they've printed. But an even-handed, and in my point of view, more journalistic approach, in this case, if one felt one had to mention political controversies, would have been to mention them as controversies, as incidents alleged, rather than to present them in a gossipy fashion as fact when they are not. It's interesting to note that in Gregory's case, if I remember correctly, he visited the Vaganova School many times when writing a book about it, and Dudinskaya and Sergeyev graciously received him, allowed him access, let him watch classes and spent time with him. It's a poor thank you he's given this lady for what she and her husband did. His assumptions about anything else in her life are just that, assumptions based on gossip, and I can say that because I've heard the same, and in every case it has come from someone who had a bone to pick with someone else's success. Did she dance too long? I don't know, I didn't see her last performances. But there are other dancers, incredibly beloved, who have been thought by some people to dance too long and to keep opportunity from younger ones, who haven't been pilloried on the occasion of their deaths. It might also be worth mentioning that both Dudinskaya and Sergeyev suffered a great deal after the defection of Makarova, because they were held by many to be responsible for it. But I don't find it unusual for them, coming from the positions they had held, to be given the directorship of the school. What else could have been expected? My only other thought for now (though there are many others) is that no one inspires the affection that Dudinskaya has both as a dancer and a teacher without deserving it, and she was so very beloved that it is a gross insult both to her memory and the people who love her to insinuate that she had somehow tricked them into doing it.

According to the news section of the Mariinsky/Kirov website, the funeral service will be held in the Mariinsky Theatre on 1 Feb.

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/

I am stunned by such a disrespectful and inaccurate account of the life of Natalia Dudinskaya as witnessed in the obit. from the Independent. I have a question? Did John Gregory submit this to the Independent giving them permission to print it when Dudinskaya died? Or, did they print it without his permission? I can't imagine that he would want to have this published, even if it were true, especially since it was Dudinskaya and her husband who helped his own career. It must be a mistake somehow.

I know of no one on this earth who has had a more successful and respected career in dance than Dudinskaya. I agree with Librarian in that she was and is still now deeply adored by her pupils and colleagues. I too am aware of those who have been jealous of her success, but it is truly disguisting to read such a bombastic account of such a great artist and person. To me, this is such an embarrasing situation for the Independent; if they only knew how inaccurate this obit. is and how it will hurt their reputation in the world of journalism and reporting. It is already hurting those who love and respect her. It is my hope that they will realize what they have done and offer apologies to the dance world. Anyone who has grieved the loss of a loved one will understand how wrong and crass it is to do this at this time. It is hard enough that she is forever gone, but to see her humiliated like this is almost too much! In my opinion, the Independent has made a humongous mistake.

There's an obituary in the St. Petersburg Times today.

http://www.sptimesrussia.com/archive/times/839/features/a_8523.htm

Putting aside the question of whether or not it's appropriate to publish such an article so soon after a person's death, I find that John Gregory's article about Natalia Dudinskaya would be objectionable at any time.

It contains many observations on her character, with absolutely nothing to justify them - no quotes from those who worked with her, assuming he is repeating what he's heard others say, and no examples to back up his own opinions, if that's what these are.

For example, by whose account was Dudinskaya "ruthless?" In whose opinion was she "almost a parody of herself" in her later years, or "a little spoiled by success and privilege?"

What astounding insight Mr. Gregory had, to be able to determine, apparently just from seeing Dudinskaya's collection of dolls, teddy bears and mascots, that "her home life was little more than a dormitory of childish dreams."

This article appears irresponsible to me, and The Independent is irresponsible for publishing such a poor piece of journalism.

A thousand amens to your statement djb! We certainly now live in a world where greatness is immediately "torn down" with cynicism, heresay and as you said, irresonsible journalism. It makes me sad that The Independent chose to print it.

Natalia Dudinskaya

Great heroic ballerina of the Soviet era

Mary Clarke
Saturday February 1, 2003
The Guardian

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Two different obituaries from Galina Stolyarova:

Legendary St. Pete Dancer Dead at 90
By Galina Stolyarova for The Moscow Times

ST. PETERSBURG -- Natalya Dudinskaya, one of the last surviving legends of Soviet ballet, died Wednesday at the age of 90.

Dudinskaya was known for her lightning-fast, very precise movements, and her dancing technique was once called "choreographic bel canto," a reference to the classic Italian vocal school executed by world-class singers such as Maria Callas.

Throughout her career, Dudinskaya was praised by critics for bringing power, passion and a fiery temperament to her interpretations of classical ballet roles: of Aurora in "Sleeping Beauty," Odile in "Swan Lake," Nikiya in "La Bayadere" and Kitri in "Don Quixote." She been quoted as saying that one of her favorite roles was the title part in "Cinderella," in a staging designed for her by her husband, renowned Soviet choreographer Konstantin Sergeyev.

The Soviet government named Dudinskaya a people's artist of the Soviet Union, in addition to awarding her four other state prizes during her career.

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the end of a ballet era
by Galina Stolyarova for The St. Petersburg Times

Natalya Dudinskaya, one of the last surviving legends of Soviet ballet, died aged 90 on Wednesday

Both on stage and in life, Dudinskaya was the personification of joie de vivre. No other dancer could compare to her lightning-fast cascades razor-edge precise steps. Her dancing technique was once labeled "choreographic bel canto," a reference to the classic Italian vocal school demonstrated at its best by singers such as Maria Callas.

She brought power, passion and a fiery temperament to her interpretations of classical-ballet roles: a regal Aurora in "Sleeping Beauty," a magnificent Odile in "Swan Lake," a tormented Nikiya in "La Bayadere," and a flirtatious Kitrie in "Don Quixote." One of her favorite roles was the title part in "Cinderella," in a staging designed for her by her husband, renowned Soviet choreographer Konstantin Sergeyev.

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