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Svetlana Zakharova has joined the Bolshoi Ballet this month. I spoke to Zakharova at Covent Garden last month in the final week of the Kirov's London season. In this second part of the interview, Zakharova looks back on her distinguished career with the Kirov Ballet in the past seven years, as well as her rewarding experience as a guest artist with various companies, and also talks about her aspirations for the future.

Kevin Ng: Svetlana, who is your favourite partner in the Kirov?

Svetlana Zakharova: I've danced with many men in the Mariinsky - Farouk Ruzimatov, Danila Korsuntsev, Ilya Kuznetsov, Igor Kolb etc. But Igor Zelensky has always been my favourite.

Have you found your height to be a problem, in that you need partners who are reasonably tall?

It's an interesting question that you ask about my height. Actually I dance with different partners of various heights, and even with those who are shorter than I. It's not really a problem, because my proportions are quite suitable, and can enable me to manage with different partners.

Has it ever occurred to you that you may sometimes need to tone down your sky-high extensions which are in the style of Sylvie Guillem?

Yes, they do compare my high extensions to Sylvie Guillem's. But I am only doing it because I can do it easily, and it's not because I want to prove something or show off to the audience. If I can do it in a beautiful artistic manner, and if people are impressed by that, why not? After all, people come to the theatre to be impressed, and not only to sleep and listen to the music. If I am not convinced by the need, I won't do it. But I am convinced, and I will continue along this line.

Svetlana Zakharova & Igor Zelensky's in the Kirov's Le Corsaire
Photograph by Natasha Razina ©

Some critics have compared you to Sylvie Guillem.

Yes, they do compare me to Guillem, but I think that we are absolutely different both physically and artistically. Recently she came to St. Petersburg with the Royal Ballet and danced "Marguerite and Armand". And I noticed that she is a person inhabiting a different spiritual world. These are important differences for me, and I can assure you that we are different from each other.

But who are your role models in the Kirov and other companies?

Even I have to be honest with you. I never had an idol even when I was at school, and I never wanted to resemble anyone else. But recently when I saw Sylvie, I was very impressed by how much she's in charge of her body, in the way she conducts her movements. So in this sense, I just like to have the same ability in the control of my body, to be as flexible and powerful as she is; but I definitely don't wish to imitate her.

What do you see are your unique star qualities that distinguish you from other dancers?

It's very difficult for me to answer this question. Of course I work very hard, but then many people work equally hard as well, but producing different results. Maybe it's probably better to ask the public what they think about me. Why do people like me? Why do some companies invite me to guest instead of other dancers? It's really up to the members of the public to respond to this question.

If you really want an answer from me, I'll try. There's one thing which I usually do when I am onstage I just open myself. I open up my heart. Every time when I am on stage, I keep telling myself, "You have to give your heart and your soul to the audience!" And this is usually what I do when I am performing. I open up what I have in my heart. This is the exact opposite of what I do in my real life! I am always trying to hide my private life as much as possible.

This approach of mine, perhaps combined with my distinctive physical features, are probably the reason which enables me to express more onstage than others.

You have danced so many ballets by different choreographers. Which ballets are your favourite?

I cannot answer this question, because I can't say that I have something that is not my favourite. When I am preparing for a performance of "Swan Lake" or "La Bayadere", that has to be my favourite ballet. I tell myself to feel that it is my favourite ballet, otherwise the audience can easily sense that my heart is not in it. This is why when I am dancing or rehearsing a ballet, I really have to feel that it's my favourite ballet in that particular moment.

Do you have any favourite choreographers?

I treat this question in the same way as I treat the ballets. I never consider what I like or dislike about a particular choreographer's work. If I have to work on a choreographer's ballet, then I have to love it, and I have to work hard on it. I am always trying to find the best way of dancing whichever ballet I am rehearsing.

Svetlana Zakharova as Aurora in the Kirov's Sleeping Beauty
Photograph by Natasha Razina ©

You have guested with many companies, haven't you?

Yes, the Paris Opera Ballet, the Rome Opera, the New National Theatre Tokyo, the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, the Bolshoi Ballet of course, the Teatro Colon in Argentina, the English National Ballet, and the ballet companies in Chile, Rio de Janeiro, and Graz.

It must be quite demanding to travel round so much.

I don't mind at all, I do enjoy travelling which I find most interesting. As far as jet-lag is concerned, Japan is the most difficult country for me, but I try very hard to adjust to it.

Can you tell us some of your rewarding experiences with those companies?

Firstly, it's been extremely rewarding for me to dance with the Paris Opera Ballet which is an exceptional company of the highest professional standards. I danced both "La Bayadere" and "Swan Lake" with them. And when I danced with the Rome Opera, I had several sessions with Carla Fracci, and she also gave me some extra colouring for my performances. In Rio de Janeiro when I danced Natalia Makarova's production of "Swan Lake", I again found certain aspects which were very useful and interesting for me to learn.

Last year I danced with Sergei Filin (from the Bolshoi) in the English National Ballet's production of "Swan Lake" (choroeographed by Derek Deane) at the Royal Albert Hall. This arena production was new to me, and I had to learn every step from scratch - from the very first entrance up to the final scene. Everything was new, but it was an interesting experiment for me. Actually every time when I dance with a new company, I can always find something positive and rewarding, no matter how unusual the circumstances may be.

With those companies have you danced any ballets that you hadn't performed before in the Mariinsky?

The only new ballet that I have learnt was Balanchine's "Nutcracker" which I danced with the New York City Ballet. It was the first time that I danced a totally new ballet with another company. Most of the time I dance the classics like "Swan Lake" and "La Bayadere" when I guest with other companies.

You've danced all the classics. Which of them suit you more, you think?

Well, if I have to compare e.g. "La Bayadere", "Swan Lake", and "The Sleeping Beauty", I would say that I prefer "La Bayadere" and "Swan Lake" because there is more drama in these two classics. What I mean is that the dramatic development in both ballets is more powerful. In "Sleeping Beauty" there is just the plot to develop through dancing, but unlike the other two classics there isn't such a powerful dramatic conflict which I love to depict in my dancing.

- So you obviously prefer dramatic ballets to pure dance ballets.

Oh yes, without a doubt. I love to portray those human emotions in "Manon" and "Romeo and Juliet". But I love Balanchine too.

What do you love about Balanchine's choreography?

Balanchine's "Nutcracker" is a very sweet production. Mind you, the music was composed by Tchaikovsky who was such a genius that you can just enjoy the ballet by listening to the music. As for those Balanchine ballets without a story, if I have a different partner for instance, I can already invent a new story. So somehow I can always create a new story for myself. And with a story which I am hoping to create in each performance, the plotless Balanchine ballets can become so much livelier and more interesting to watch.

Have you thought of spending a season guesting with the New York City Ballet?

Not a whole year - I don't want to leave Russia for a whole year. I would prefer a contract for several performances, which is more suitable for me.

I am always drawn to Russia, and I want to dance in a Russian theatre. I always want to be back with the Mariinsky or the Bolshoi. When I am abroad somewhere, everything is fine. But for me, it's important to come back to Russia and be recharged by the Russian spirit, before going off again for guesting. I really love Russia very much, even though I was born in Ukraine instead of Russia. And I do feel that Russia is my country.

Will you miss your teacher Olga Moiseeva in future after you have joined the Bolshoi?

Yes, of course, Moiseeva is like a second mother to me. She has taught me from the very beginning of my career with the Mariinsky, when I danced one of the two big swans in "Swan Lake", one of the two wilis in "Giselle", and other small roles, and then later solo parts. I think what has given me the greatest enjoyment and happiness in the Mariinsky Theatre is my work with Moiseeva.

Svetlana Zakharova in the Kirov's Manon
Photograph by Natasha Razina ©

What are your interests outside dance?

You know, ballet has invaded my life to such an extent that I can't afford to do anything else. At this moment, for instance, I cannot leave the theatre (the Royal Opera House) because I have to work here all the time. Yes, I have a lot of interests, but I have to be working and cannot just leave the theatre.

Are there any particular choreographers whose works you particularly hope to dance but haven't had the opportunity yet?

I really hope that one day I can dance works by William Forsythe. I've met him before and talked to him. I do hope that it will be possible one day. Also I dream that Forsythe will create for me a new work - not necessarily a full ballet, but perhaps even a small concert piece. He's not a simple man, but he will be such an interesting choreographer for me to work with.

And Alexei Ratmansky will take over as the artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet in January 2004. After I've started my work with the Bolshoi Ballet, I do very much hope that he will do something for me as well.