Anastasia Volochkova: Grigorovich returned me to Russia

This year, one of the most outstanding choreographers of our time, Yuri Nikolayevich Grigorovich, celebrated his 95th birthday. And soon we will have a young holiday dedicated not only to Russian, but also to the world cultural tradition – International Ballet Day, which adds brightness to the coming October, already pleasing with its fiery palette. About Grigorovich and many other things, our interview with the prima ballerina, and not only, Anastasia Volochkova.

– Anastasia, how did you meet Yuri Nikolaevich Grigorovich?

“You know, His Majesty chance plays a special role in my life. It was chance that brought me into contact with the rector of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, Konstantin Mikhailovich Sergeev, in the corridor of the academy, chance introduced me to Oleg Mikhailovich Vinogradov, then artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre, chance brought me into contact with the head of the English National Ballet Derek Dean. Again, the acquaintance of Yuri Nikolayevich Grigorovich is also a kind of His Majesty a chance. At the Serge Lifar International Ballet Competition, he presented me with a gold medal. Then we met in Austria at the Golden Lion award, at the same time I met Natalya Igorevna Bessmertnova, his wife, and after that we somehow became friends. He is already ninety-five years old, and we continue to be friends.

Did chance bring you to the Bolshoi Theatre, to London and then back to the Bolshoi Theatre?

– You can say that. I’m still not on the stove! If the first time I was invited to the Bolshoi Theater by Vladimir Viktorovich Vasiliev in his interpretation of Swan Lake, then the second time – the merit of Yuri Nikolayevich Grigorovich, it was he who returned me to Russia. In general, the ballet “Swan Lake” has become a landmark for me.

– What is the basis of your friendship with Grigorovich?

– Respect, love and loyalty. Being pregnant with Ariadne, I rehearsed until the fifth month. When it was no longer possible to hide the pregnancy, Yuri Nikolayevich, in spite of everything, supported me. And when I gave birth to Ariadne, he called me and tactfully, but very persistently asked if I could dance the La Bayadère ballet in a month – and this is Indian ballet, you need to be in the slenderest shape: Indian costumes, an open tummy! On the third day, I was already rehearsing.

– Both the first and the second time, the Bolshoi Theater let you in, but not for long.

Yes, things didn’t go so smoothly. But everything turned out no less successfully. Yuri Nikolaevich created his own Ballet Theater in Krasnodar and invited me to be a prima ballerina. We continued our work.

Is the world of ballet so cruel?

“The world is generally cruel. And the world of ballet is no less. At the same time, there are a lot of good and kind people. In general, I am a happy ballerina, I had so many teachers! They have done so much good for me! And I found my purpose – to do good. I know that now many people dance many times better than me. But the question is: can you name at least one ballerina who dances at the Bolshoi Theater today? Don’t name! So I’m on the right track, and the guardian angels protect me.

– I am sure that only people who are very passionate about ballet can do this. How was the preparation for Grigorovich’s performances, rehearsals?

– Yuri Nikolayevich is endlessly ill with ballet. I have always personally participated in productions, rehearsals, in the creation of costumes, scenery, lighting. There was a funny incident at the Raymond ballet. Kolya Tsiskaridze quietly cut off rhinestones and stones from my packs. And then Yuri Nikolayevich suddenly enters the hall and finds Nikolai Maksimovich, the rector of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, doing this! Of course, Kolya immediately admitted that the ballerina’s tutu should not have been brighter than his tunic. We all, in general, laughed heartily.

Even Yuri Nikolayevich was annoyed by bright colors at rehearsals. The performance itself is another matter. I once put on a bright green tutu for a rehearsal, and Grigorovich strictly says at the rehearsal: “It blinds my eyes, remove this green tutu!”. I take off the pack, but suddenly I hear: “put it on urgently!”. Then he said that without a tutu I look sexier than in it.

– What other qualities can you note in Yuri Nikolayevich?

– Nobility and courage. When I was forbidden even to enter the building of the Bolshoi Theater, even on the day of farewell to Natalya Igorevna Bessmertnova. Yuri Nikolayevich went out to the guards and convinced her to let me in.

A similar situation happened with Vladimir Vasiliev, when Ekaterina Sergeevna Maksimova, my teacher, died, and I was also not allowed to go to the funeral at the Bolshoi Theater.

– What do you think about the Bolshoi Theater now?

– It’s a pity that it has become so commercialized, with all the consequences – savings on everything, etc. Hence, as a direct consequence, the quality of productions, if kept at the proper level, is, as we like to say, not thanks to, but in spite of.

But in general, in spite of everything, I have wonderful memories connected with the Bolshoi Theater! Here I managed to work with many people, danced wonderful performances – and this is the most important thing. We danced with Kolya Tsiskaridze, he also, by the way, entered the history of Russian ballet – do you remember a lot of men in ballet right off the bat? I had so many partners, teachers, how many no one had! Our world today is heading in an incomprehensible direction, and it is simply necessary to remain kind and sincere people. This is what I want to call for.

– The call is very necessary. Are you also involved in charity work?

– My charity consists not in raising funds, but in the fact that I invite the audience, mostly children, to my concert programs, performances, creative evenings completely free of charge. And the market does not forgive this, just as they do not forgive in our times of success, beauty, freedom, independence. I do this because I want to be human.

– What can you say about the brevity of the age of the ballerina?

– I have always said that one should leave the world of classical ballet at a young age, so that the audience remembers the ballerina as young, beautiful, bright, stately and in all favor. Ballet dancers retire at 38, I retired at 33, but I continue to dance, I have my own concert activity, in fact I am a working pensioner. Although, everyone should be such pensioners as Anastasia Volochkova!

She also left because she was tired of dancing these white and black swans, good fairies, etc. I created my own program, where I am a beautiful, bright, interesting, sexy woman. Today I am in the top everywhere: any event in my life becomes an event of the country. And every day something happens to me. I’m every PR director’s dream! Just tell me what is happening in my life and that will be enough. But, unfortunately, often goes sideways, However, I believe that I have the right to lead any lifestyle.

— Your daughter Ariadne turns seventeen this year. She has been living with her father for four years now. How did you raise Ariadne and what was the reason for the move?

– Raised in a big way! From a year and a half, she studied at early development schools, at the Domisolka Theater, with Alla Dukhova in Todos, ballroom dancing, tennis, sports and rhythmic gymnastics, studied at a music school, photography and fine arts – I showed her all the spectrums of art development and culture. Of course, there were difficulties, like all mothers and children. And her move is an absolutely pragmatic decision, which I supported. I live twenty kilometers from the Moscow Ring Road, although in a luxurious mansion, but almost a two-hour drive from her gymnasium.

And then one day Arisha says that she wants to live in the center of Moscow. The option to live in an apartment alone at the age of thirteen disappeared by itself, and I offered to live with my dad. I called him and said that Arisha wants to live in the center, please organize it. By the way, of all the women in the life of my daughter’s father, I am the only one who did not put a stamp in my passport, however, he will always be perceived as the ex-husband of Anastasia Volochkova. He, of course, organized, so she moved. We often see each other, she comes to me.

– A luxurious mansion cannot even be compared with an apartment in the center, let alone a communal apartment. Do you have community experience?

– What can I say! Parents decided to sell the apartment, but they were deceived and we all remained on the street. I know perfectly well what it’s like to sleep on the floor with a disabled grandmother, bring a vessel to her and clean up after her. Many people do not know this about me, most see or want to see me spoiled life and good luck. And I remain who I am. People quickly forget that in order to achieve something big and great, you have to go through seven circles of hell.

– You said that the ballet “Swan Lake” is significant for you. Are there any other interesting cases or coincidences?

— Where without them! I was born on Tchaikovsky street. The first ballet I attended at the Mariinsky Theater was The Nutcracker to Tchaikovsky’s music. The first ballet in which I performed for the first time in my life at the age of thirteen was The Nutcracker, the same one, to the music of Tchaikovsky. In it, for the first time, she performed the main part. Now in my new house there is a wooden Nutcracker as a symbol.

– What else are you interested in? Hobby, collecting?

— I collect good people, pleasant and positive emotions. I go in for equestrian sports, I really like horses. I take my songs as a hobby.

– How do you feel about public opinion?

– Only my viewer has the right to judge me and evaluate me. If you haven’t seen me on stage, then I don’t care what you think of me. I am a very positive person, a sense of humor and self-irony were born earlier than myself. For me in life it is important not what and where, but with whom and how. It is very rare to meet a real person with whom you can experience a wide range of emotions. Close people are needed, and life does not often give close people. In general, I have done so much in my life that I can sit smoking a hookah, drink prosecco with fresh strawberries and do nothing, but this is not my way. All the rest can think to themselves whatever their heart desires, I can answer them all with the words of Faina Ranevskaya: listen, good people, it is better to be an object of envy than compassion.

Interviewed by Kirill Balashov.