Not so long ago the “Open NOVAT” educational project held a meeting of the audience with the young artists of the ballet company. During the meeting, the vast majority of viewers’ attention was drawn to the dancer Nikita Xenofontov, who won Russian National contest of ballet artists and choreographers. In two previous seasons the audience got to know him for his leading parts in the ballets "Chipollino", "Swan Lake" (The Jester), "Romeo and Juliet" (Mercutio). The “boomerang” newspaper dedicated the whole column to the young artist with a number of his quotes in which he highly appreciates traditional ballet heritage, being ready to explore the contemporary choreography and about his big dream – to perform Spartak in Jury Grigorovich’s choreography.
The most vivid dance experience I got when I was about 5. My mom bought tickets to a performance in recently renovated Kazan Theater of Opera and Ballet. The action on stage impressed me so much, I said: mom, when I grow up, I will dance on this stage. And after some years I danced on that stage. I came all alone to the choreographic school. I walked around it, looked over, got to like it. Then I came to admission office and said: I want to study here. Since I had been doing sports during my childhood, the committee approved my application and enrolled me to studies. After my graduation I was invited to NOVAT. I have to admit, back at that time I received an offer to move to Italy for practical study, but I wanted to work so bad, I chose Novosibirsk and never regretted about that decision. After moving to Novosibirsk I discovered what a nice staff works here! And the theatre management cares so much about the young artists! What a fancy stage we have! What a friendly audience comes to see the performances! I started to master my profession and soon began to advance. For that I thank the amazing coach Maxim Grishenkov, who is also my friend and mentor. He was the one to instill me with the sense of style, a very important thing for a dancer. I’m a fan of my profession, I give it 97% of my time, both work and spare. Ballet is my life.
I’m quite busy at the treatre, my schedule is tight. In future I’ planning to get a master degree in management. How soon it happens? It depends on how comfortable will I feel working and studying. Meanwhile, I couldn’t be happier that I dance, get new roles. And I thank you, spectators, for coming to the performances, for loving the ballet.
About cult-figures… There are many artists that are interesting to watch, and learn the skills. I have an example – Mikhail Baryshnikov. This man is a summit of technique, clarity, academism, stage behavior. He always looked perfect. He put his soul in dance, lived through every piece of his part. He is an artist with the capital “A”, my idol.
About my personal attitude to the alternative ballet performances... It is interesting to see new approaches to the classics. In US you can see now a burst of interest for the modern choreography: George Balanchine is considered classic as much as we estimate Marius Petipa. Although, you might have noticed, that our theatre present performances of different styles: Georgy Kovtun, Oleg Vinogradov, Nacho Duato. So, if it’s stylish and watchable, why not? For me personally, each new performance is a new experience, new extension of my both inner and outer resources.
Speaking of what kind of choreography it’s easier to grow into… Modern choreography can’t exist without classical one. All styles, including the modern one, descend in classical dance. I haven’t yet faced a role or a choreography that would shake my confidence: “Damn, there is no way I can handle it!” - I have pretty daring approach to innovations in art. I vote for progress.
- The children's audience is something incredible for me! Tiny tots are the ones you can not deceive after all: you are either genuine or fake. They believe you or they do not. It is a special art to dance for children! The children's audience is a completely different world, another universe! When I play in "Chippolino" I feel incredible joy. Technically it is a very difficult performance. Incredibly complex. But besides technique there are emotions that we give to this extraordinary public. I will not be mistaken if I say that without even seeing the eyes of little spectators, we can feel that emotional return. It is in the very atmosphere of the house - in their breathing, snoring. Although during of the action we run past the curtain, where we hide from Sinior Tomato and other bad characters, and from there we observe the reaction of the children sitting in the stalls. We see that they empathize with us, they believe in us, and it's cool!
I am frequently asked - is there a character, that I would like to dance? Of course, there is, and more than one. There are several ballets, which serve as landmarks on my way to what I want to achieve. These performances alternated with some levels of my professional evolution. And as a man I say straight - I want to dance Spartacus with choreography by Yuri Grigorovich, a wonderful ballet master. This is the essence of a man's dance. I'd be extremely happy if it happens someday.
Recently the distinctions of male and female dance have been blurred, especially in Europe and US. The criteria have changed a lot - completely different stretching, the feet... But the loss of male principle in the ballet disappoints me. I think male dance should be performed by men, and the female one - by women.
There is one more ballet, I'd like to dance - Rolan Peti's "The young man and the death" (Le Jeune Homme et la Mort). Despite being so cheerful, i like to hurt sometimes (laughing).
Author: Lilia Vishnevskaya
Nikita Xenofontov was born November 6, 1995 in Kazan. He started his education in Kazan Choreographic School. Nowadays he is a 3 year student in the Vaganova Academy of the Russian Ballet. Since 2015 - the ballet-dancer in the NOVAT.
His tutor is Maxim Grishenkov. The young man's repertoire consists of solo parts in the following ballets: "Cipollino", "Spartacus", "Romeo and Juliet", "Don Quixote", "The Nutcracker", "The Flame of Paris", "Cinderella", "Corsair", "Swan Lake". He is the award winner and the gold medalist of the all-Russian Ballet-dancer and Choreographer Competition in the "Character Dance" section. (Moscow, 2014). A winner of all-Russian Ballet-dancer and Choreographer Competition (Moscow, 2016). He went on tour across France and Thailand.
The next performance featuring Nikita Xenofontov will be on Wednesday, March 8. In the ballet "Romeo and Juliet" ha will play the part of Mercutio. Tickets are available in the box offices of the theatre.