ASTANA – Astana Ballet marked its 10th anniversary by presenting a special program that showcased highlights from its remarkable performances over the past decade.
Photo credit: The Astana Times.
The program featured excerpts from popular classical and neoclassical ballets, including “Le Corsair,” “Spartacus,” “Carmen Suite,” “Legend of Love”, “Arular Sherui” (Parade of Beauties), and also works of Brazilian choreographer Ricardo Amarante “Diversity,” “Love Fear Loss” and “A Fuego Lento,” which delved into reflections about love, desire, passion, and attraction.
The excerpts from “Eastern Rhapsody” and “The Heritage of the Great Steppe” concert programs combined ethnographic elements with modern choreography, creating a unique collection of dance miniatures.
Astana Ballet artistic director Nurlan Kanetov explained that the intention was to showcase the theater’s diverse repertoire and highlight remarkable productions from the past ten years.
Photo credit: The Astana Times.
“We included performances of early productions, world ballet masterpieces, our national programs and original ballets created specifically for the theater,” he said. “This program is a testament to the theater’s growth and artistic achievements, offering a captivating display of talent, creativity, and cultural richness.”
Lead soloist of the theater Tatiana Ten mentioned that initially, the theater consisted solely of female dancers who mostly performed national programs. However, with the addition of male dancers, the theater now has the ability to perform diverse programs, including plot-based ballets.
Ten also expressed her fondness for both classical and neoclassical choreography, emphasizing the significance of theater performances.
Photo credit: The Astana Times.
“Classical choreography incorporates graceful movements from folk and everyday dances of several centuries, while non-classical choreography allows for more freedom and self-expression. It is a space where you can reveal your individuality without being confined to a specific role,” she said.
The theater also displayed its archival photographs, and elegant, elaborately embroidered costumes, and conducted a makeup demonstration.
Tracy Jersy, a United States citizen, expressed her fascination with the theater’s atmosphere and the stunning costumes.
“I am delighted to have the opportunity to enjoy several performances that the theater stages tonight, including ‘The Heritage of the Great Steppe,’ which reveals the uniqueness of the Kazakh folklore dance,” she said.
