INFO PENDIDIKAN DI RUSIA

RUSSIAN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION:

THE ST. PETERSBURG STATE BALLET ACADEMY

(VAGANOVA BALLET ACADEMY)

By Imperial Decree of the Empress Anna, on May 4th, 1738 in St. Petersburg, the first Russian School of Theatrical Dance was founded. Known as the Imperial Theatre School it was the initiative of the French ballet master and teacher, Jean-Baptiste Lande. Twelve girls and twelve boys began to study "the foreign steps" on one of the upper floors of the Winter Palace.

THE ELIGIBLE AND THE COURSE
To be eligible for entry, pupils must have finished their primary school education (9-10 years old). During the month of June, the auditions take place and these are divided into 3 sections. The first examination deals with the physical aptitude of the child: the proportions, height of jump, degree of turnout and so on. The child's general appearance is taken seriously into account. The second examination is judged by medical specialists who determine the future possibilities of the child. Good health is as important to the future dancer's career as a beautiful physique. Thirdly, there is a section to assess the child's musicality, rhythm, co-ordination and artistic talent. Having successfully passed these three sections of the audition, the pupil begins an eight year course of study.

From the first year the curriculum consists of dance training, general secondary school education, French language lessons and piano tuition. As they progress through the school, the pupils master a more intensive and varied programme in their dance subjects. In the first grade the pupils study classical and historical dance. In the fourth grade they have lessons of character dance and in the sixth grade they begin to study pas de deux and mime. The staff of the school consists of 75 dance teachers, 30 piano teachers, 40 teachers of general education and 40 pianists. The teachers strive to develop artistic style, strict academic execution and the feeling of ensemble.

Regular performances on the stages of the Mariinsky and Maly Theatres, as well as gala performances and frequent concerts on the stage of the school theatre, give pupils invaluable experience of stagecraft.

At the end of the 8th grade, the students have their graduating examinations on the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre. The most talented will be offered contracts by the Mariinsky, and the other' graduates will have the opportunity to fill vacancies throughout the theatres of the Russia.

ADMISSION
Foreign citizens aged from 18 to 20 are admitted at the Vaganova Ballet Academy to the 10-months course. They must be educated at the homeland professional ballet school according to the 6th year’s level of study of the Classical Dance at the Academy and pass the special audition on the Classical Dance.

Terms of the course are from September 1 to June 30. The fee for a full course is 10.000 USD. The program of the course implies following disciplines: Classical Dance, Character Dance, Pas de Deux, Historical Dance, Modern Dance, Actor’s Skill, Repertoire, Russian Language. At the Academy were taught such great dancers and choreographers as Rudolf Nureyev, Natalia Makarova, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Altynai Asylmuratova, Uliana Lopatkina, Farukh Ruzimatov, Igor Zelensky, Yuri Grigorovich, Oleg Vinogradov.

You may have an opportunity to study under direction of such educational specialists as Ludmila Kovaleva, Irina Guensler, Konstantin Shatilov, Yuri Umrikhin, Boris Bregvadze, Gennady Seliutsky.

The fee is including also:
accommodation at the student’s standards-driven residence located in the building of the Academy, equipped with modern services and utilities (two double rooms for contains also WC and shower), ensuring security blanket – twenty-four-hour guard; one meal per day at the student’s cafeteria; free visits to the ballet theatre performances;
opportunity to perform on the stages of Mariinsky Theatre, theatre of Hermitage, School theatre of the Academy.

Being in St. Petersburg you may make: tours of St. Petersburg and suburbs: Pushkin, Pavlovsk, Peterhof, Lomonosov, Gatchina; excursions to the museums – Hermitage, Russian Museum, Ethnographical Museum, St. Isaak Cathedral, Cabinet of curiosities (Kunstkamera), etc.; bus trips to ancient Russian towns as Novgorod, Pskov, “Golden Ring”, motor ship trips to Valaam and Kizhi.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
International Department:
Ms. Olga Efremova
Ms. Julia Volovets
Tel.: +7 (812) 110 47 60
Fax: +7 (812) 315 53 90
E-mail: intercontact@vaganova.ru
Address: 2 Rossi Street. St.Petersburg 191023.Russia

Information was taken from the official site of THE ST. PETERSBURG STATE BALLET ACADEMY VAGANOVA: http://www.vaganova.ru/eng.html