The "Century Dancer" Vladimir Malakhov, who hadn't performed on stage for a long time, and the "Ballet Queen" Diana Vishneva, who hadn't performed domestically for years, joined the stage together. What kind of heatwave could they ignite? From November 2nd to 3rd, the "Dance with the Stars" ballet star dancer special performance produced by Beijing Dance Academy was staged at the Tianqiao Performing Arts Center. The two legendary dancers, along with star dancers from 9 ballet troupes in China and students from Beijing Dance Academy, presented a ballet feast, also officially closing the second Tianqiao Dance Festival.
Two Ballet Masters Leave Their Splendor to Beijing
Vladimir Malakhov and Diana Vishneva sharing the stage was undoubtedly the focus of all audiences. Malakhov is an undisputed iconic figure in contemporary dance. His brilliant interpretation of roles and unique charm on stage have attracted countless audiences. His good friend Diana Vishneva, known as the "Ballet Queen," hadn't performed in China since her 2016 performance of Romeo and Juliet with the Mariinsky Theatre in Shanghai. This time, after receiving Malakhov's invitation to perform, she readily agreed, making it a dream-fulfilling journey for many Chinese audiences.
Their performance of Old Man and Me was the grand finale of the show. After watching a star-studded lineup of dancers take the stage, audiences' expectations were raised higher and higher. How could Malakhov and Vishneva disappoint? Old Man and Me, a modern ballet work depicting the fragile relationships between people, featured Malakhov in a suit vest and trousers, and Vishneva in a ball gown, portraying life emotions such as love, disappointment, joy, and happiness through their interaction.
Despite not performing together for many years, the two dancers still had impeccable chemistry. This work was not aimed at showcasing technical skills; rather, their full commitment and graceful body language allowed the inner worlds of the characters to constantly manifest, presenting the audience with a beautiful dance that was as smooth, harmonious, and profound as a duo. When the dance ended, it earned wave upon wave of applause from the audience.
As international ballet masters, Malakhov and Vishneva have left many classic moments on the ballet stage. This performance of Old Man and Me marked an exclamation point on their years of collaboration. Before the performance, Malakhov admitted, "This may be the last time Diana and I collaborate." Although they are still on the front lines of nurturing young dancers, they chose to leave this special collaboration in Beijing, for Chinese audiences.
In the past two years, Malakhov has taught full-time at Beijing Dance Academy and served as the school's first foreign department head - the head of the Ballet Department this year, affectionately known as "Mr. Ma" by BDA students. For "Mr. Ma," China is a new chapter in his artistic life. "Everything is new, including different cultures and foods," Malakhov said, adding that he has made new discoveries every day since coming to China and gained much inspiration for creation. In this star-studded performance, Malakhov not only appeared as a dancer who hadn't been on stage for a long time but also served as the planner and artistic director of the performance, injecting his nearly苛刻 pursuit of art into rehearsals. Just in the rehearsal the day before the performance, Malakhov spent nearly half an hour with the dancers rehearsing just the curtain call segment, which contributed to this stunning artistic presentation.
Star Dancers Dance with Students on the Same Stage
Apart from Malakhov and Vishneva, this performance also brought together star dancers from ballet troupes such as Beijing Modern Ballet, Chongqing Ballet, Guangzhou Ballet, Harbin Ballet, Liaoning Ballet, Shanghai Ballet, Suzhou Ballet, Tianjin Opera and Dance Theatre Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, as well as students from the Ballet Department of Beijing Dance Academy. In this toe-tapping party, there were classic dance segments from classical ballets such as Swan Lake, La Traviata, and The Nutcracker, as well as a revival of Malakhov's version of The Four Seasons, and avant-garde, pioneering modern ballet. Superb technical skills and full emotions elicited screams of excitement from the audience.
This performance was not only a key production of the 2024 Beijing Dance Academy Performance Season but also the grand finale of the second Tianqiao Dance Festival. Beijing's top art schools and well-known theaters on Beijing's central axis jointly presented a wonderful performance for capital audiences. Batu, the secretary of the Party Committee of Beijing Dance Academy, said that this performance was a vivid embodiment of "all dancers are one family." Top dancers from home and abroad, famous actors from ballet troupes across the country, and students from the Ballet Department of Beijing Dance Academy gathered because of dance, painting a beautiful picture of human art.
Furthermore, the second Tianqiao Dance Festival, themed "Body as Words, Dance as Essence," officially closed with this event. Over the past five months, the festival presented 11 domestic and international dance classics, with 46 performances attracting nearly 68,000 audience members to the Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center, adding a dazzling artistic light to the city.
