© spbt SPBT 'Gala' reviews recent SPBT reviews SPBT Website Richard Amey reviews Web version held on Ballet.co by kind permission of Richard Amey and the Worthing Herald Worthing Herald Website

While all the attention and focus has been on prima ballerina Irina Kolesnikova in recent years, as the company have emerged in the west, St Petersburg Ballet Theatre's performances at Brighton's Dome - in what now seems a kind of Christmas residency – have been sustained by the consistency and radiance of another dancer in particular. That is one of their character specialists, Dymchik Saykeev. His powerful expressive and physical range, the sense of mystery around his roles, his unusual face, his Russian physique and technique, have created a palpable magnetism.

And with so little known about him other than the biography in the glossy show programme, add these ingredients and Saykeev has aquired a charisma that draws the dance fan beyond the explicit and predictable sphere of the prima ballerina into other areas of the ballet that are especially absorbing and intriguing.

Interviews with Kolesnikova have been the chief focus of the company's availability to the press. She has been their flagship and she is becoming a world class artiste, so what we have here on the Herald may be the first interview given by Saykeev to a British journalist. It was done through a translator.

Which roles will you be portraying at Brighton this year? And what will you be doing in the Gala Night?

I have a premiere on the 21 December when I shall be dancing Drosselmeyer in Nutcracker for the first time.

We have an artist (Pavel Kholoimenko) who has often danced the role and dances it perfectly. Physically, he is perfect for the role and I need to try and not copy him. I must be careful to dance my own way. I shall also be dancing Rothbart in Swan Lake and Hilarion in Act 2 of Giselle in The Gala.

At Brighton we have seen you in SwanLake, Sleeping Beauty and Giselle, as Rothbart, Carabosse and Hilarion, as well as in the Spanish Dance in The Nutcracker divertissement. We regret not being able to see you, yet, as the Great Brahmin because, if I am right, your company have not brought La Bayadere to Brighton! Can your company put that right, or is there a practical reason?

I am not sure whether there is any intention to bring La Bayadere to Brighton.

Which of these character roles was your first?

It was Rothbart, which I first danced a long time ago, when the Saint Petersburg Ballet Theatre was founded.

Did you always want to be a character dancer? If so, why? Or did someone, or something, alter your career in that direction?

I always wanted to dance those sorts of roles. They seem more interesting, deeper roles. You have more opportunity to express your emotions and dance them differently every time. You can't get bored.
 

These roles listed above are all evil or tragic characters - do you ever perform good or happy ones? ...!

It just so happens that I don't dance good or happy roles. Evil and tragedy is more interesting to play. I think it is easier to dance happy or good characters, but a little boring.

Would you like to play Rothbart in a production where he is not killed? If so how would you like him to end the ballet? If not, tell us why?

Why not? Any version can be made interesting. Sometimes it might be interesting to change a ballet's libretto. Rudolph Nureyev had a version of Swan Lake where Rothbart remains alive and keeps the Odette/Odile character in his power. In fact, the original Swan Lakes did not have a happy ending at all. They were always presented as a tragedy, like Romeo and Juliet.

Which of these roles would you say is the most challenging, and why? Which takes the most out of you physically? And which emotionally?

Physically, definitely Rothbart. Lots of jumps and complex lifts. There are a lot of dynamic movements. Emotionally, I would say Hilarion from Giselle. He has many emotions battling away inside of him. He is in love, but jealous and envious. He is torn apart by good and evil. That is why it can be very satisfying when you feel you have given a good performance.

In which other character roles would you like to be cast in future?

I have not really thought about that too much and am quite happy with the roles I am dancing at the moment. I am always open to suggestions, however.

If your career ended tomorrow, which role(s) would you like to be remembered for?

All of them. They are all different and can be performed in different ways. I would like to be remembered for versatility.

Which great dancers before you have you admired most? (Principal or character) Have any taught you?

The Mariinsky have a superb teacher named Gennadiy Seliutsky, by whom I have never been taught, but whose performances I have seen on recordings. I have always admired his work.

What would you advise a young boy ballet dancer who wanted to be a character dancer? What qualities would he need?

I am not ready to give any advice yet.

I watched you in SwanLake two years ago and found myself sitting next to your wife! Which is her favourite role of yours? Have you any children? Do they have your kind of face? Or hers!

She likes Rothbart the best. She occasionally sees a different " me" in that role and sees me as the main character in the ballet. We have no children.

Does the name 'Dymchik' mean anything in English?

It is actually a Tibetan name. My grandmother chose my name and she was a very devout Buddhist. In fact, it was a name she was advised to use by a lama. It means " fortunate" .

Would you like to tell us a bit about where you come from? Where is your native Ulan-Ude, what kind of place, and how big is it? What did your parents do? What language do you speak? Did you play any sport at school?

Ulan-Ude is the capital of Buryatia which is adjacent to Lake Baikal in Siberia. It is a beautiful place in parts, with an oriental feel. It has links with Mongolia and China. My mother has her own children's theatre ensemble who perform Buryatian folk music and dances. I never knew my father. I played, and still play, football. We play a lot on tour with other dancers, members of the orchestra and crew. We have our own collapsible goal posts which we take everywhere with us.

And how far did you have to travel to go to the Vaganova School in St Petersburg?

It takes 4 days by train! That says it all. I think.

Where and as what did your Vaganova School teacher Boris Bregvadse make his name? (Forgive my not knowing) What were the three best things he taught you?

He was a great dancer. He was a virtuoso and an extremely emotional, passionate performer. He is a still a professor at the Vaganova. I can't really think of three things that he taught me.

How long were you at the Odessa Theatre? What were the highlights for you while there?

Just one year. The highlight was the theatre. It is beautiful and was great to work in it. But I really wanted to return to work in Saint Petersburg.

How many hours in your day, when off tour, are taken up my training or dance exercises or routines?

When I have shows to perform in, just a couple of hours a day.

Please tell us your five favourite ballets and your five favourite musical scores! How about your five ballerinas!?

Swan Lake, La Bayadere, Don Quixote, Les Sylphides, Romeo and Juliet. Same as the previous ballets. I don't like to make such comparisons.

What other music do you listen to? Favourite composers? Do you play a musical instrument?

Everything except heavy metal. Tchaikovsky. I play guitar

How does the Brighton audience rate among British audiences? And how do British audiences compare and contrast to those in Russia?

Audiences seem to react to us well wherever we go and this includes Brighton. I don't really detect a difference between Russian and British audiences.

Have you ever danced at the Bolshoi Theatre or the Maryinsky? If so, in what and with which company? Do you do any guest artiste appearances with any other companies now?

I danced at the Bolshoi when I was 10 years of age in La Paquita with the Vaganova School. As students we danced at the Mariinsky all the time as an important part of our dance education. Now I only ever dance with the Saint Petersburg Ballet Theatre.

How many more years do you expect to continue performing? What do you intend or hope to do when you retire?

I hope to carry on for many years yet. When I can't dance any more I hope to play more acting only roles. I don't really feel I have to think about it yet.