Following performances of three young Russian men – Ivan Vasiliev, Sergei Polunin and Vadim Muntagirov – there has been some speculation from dance critics as to whether any of these men may become the next Rudolf Nureyev, one of the greatest male ballet dancers of the twentieth century and an extremely charismatic performer.
There have been recent starring roles danced by each of the dancers for various companies. Ivan Vasiliev, a Principal dancer of the Mikhailovsky Ballet and American Ballet Theatre Guest Artist with impressive thighs and a wonderful sense of characterisation danced Albrecht in Giselle opposite his on and off-stage partner Natalia Osipova. Although small, Vasiliev is a man of gigantic leap and power, executing his directed movement with conviction and a desire to tell the story to the last detail.
Polunin, on the other end, appears to have a notorious want not to tell the story, either his own or the one he should be dancing. Polunin has recently been the subject of much dance press in his desertion of the production of Peter Schaufuss’ Midnight Express, in which he should have danced Billy. This was after Polunin walked from The Royal Ballet of which he was a highly regarded Principal, with a greater desire for money and tattoos as a typical young man. Here, it is the intrigue of Polunin that sets him apart.
Elsewhere, Muntagirov, as one of English National Ballet’s revered Lead Principals under Artistic Director Tamara Rojo, is a sight to behold. Having been a Guest Artist greatly received by many international ballet companies, Muntagirov is usually partnered with Lead Principal Daria Klimentova. This highly successful partnership has often been likened to that of the iconic Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn duet as sparkling stars, just slightly unattainable. In this sense, it looks likely that Muntagirov will excel even further than he has a young dancer, creating a remarkable career.
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
The partnership of Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn is one which dance audiences and balletomanes alike still speculate about. However, it remains that their partnership is perhaps one of the most celebrated and talked about in the world.