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Russians come to teach Valley students masterful ballet steps
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Dorie Chevlen (16) of Liberty participates in a master class with the State Ballet Theatre of Russia at Powers Auditorium, Sunday January 25, 2009
STAFF REPORT
YOUNGSTOWN — Ballet has a universal language.
Russian ballet master Lyudmila Maslennikova glided across the stage at Edward W. Powers Auditorium on Sunday evening encouraging, instructing and demonstrating. The 14 American girls who signed up for a “master class” with members of the State Ballet Theatre of Russia had no language barrier.
“In ballet, the dictionary of words is a universal vocabulary,” company director Olga Nepomnyashaya said through an interpreter. Gesturing to the stage, she said: “You can see the American dancers know what to do.”
Gretchen Kasler of Boardman watched from the darkened theater as her 12-year-old daughter Charis danced on stage, knowing what to do as the Russian ballet master spoke. Kasler said she recognized a few ballet terms, most are in French, but it sounded like Maslennikova was counting in Russian.
Charis has been taking lessons — ballet, modern jazz, tap — since she was 4. She dances with the Ballet Western Reserve.
“She is thrilled to dance with the Russian ballet,” Kasler said of her talented daughter. “Her goal is to dance, have her own studio — or do sports medicine.”
The girls came from four dance studios — Point West in Copley, Ohio; James Dance and Performing Arts Center in Warren; Walnut Lodge in Sharon; and Ballet Western Reserve in Youngstown. To qualify for the experience, the dancers had to be intermediate to advanced ballet students.
“If people want a master class, we never refuse,” Nepomnyashaya said. The ballet company, she said, wants to share.
The 90-minute class preceded the Russian ballet’s performance of “Cinderella.”
Read the full story with photographs Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.