A year after former Bolshoi Theater ballet star Nikolai Tsiskaridze was appointed acting head of a Petersburg ballet school, prompting criticism in some circles, the staff of the Vaganova Ballet Academy have voted resoundingly to make his position official.
Tsiskaridze, who had been a star dancer at Moscow's Bolshoi Theater until he was fired in June 2013 amid a public falling-out with the theater's then-director, served as the acting head of the Vaganova Academy since October 2013.
"The vote was democratic, 227 people voted for Nikolai Tsiskaridze and 17 against. We believe the collective made the right choice. Nikolai Tsiskaridze is capable of creating stars of a global scale," Deputy Culture Minister Grigory Ivliyev said in comments to RIA Novosti.
Tsiskaridze said he had no plans to change the current makeup of Russia's oldest ballet school, which marks its 276th birthday this year.
"I don't think I need to change anything, we need to carefully preserve it all. People have been studying ballet in these walls for longer than some governments have existed," Tsiskaridze was cited as saying by RIA Novosti.
Tsiskaridze's appointment a year ago initially prompted criticism from St. Petersburg cultural figures, who immediately wrote an open letter to the Culture Ministry complaining that he was "not a bearer and preserver of the St. Petersburg tradition."
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
