END OF SUMMER EDITION
July/August 2023
The Akhmedova Ballet Magazine is a product of the collaborative efforts of the students of the Akhmedova Ballet Academy. We wish to spread our ideas and knowledge to connect with others in this uncertain time.
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This summer, ABA took a 2-week trip to Italy to participate in IDTCI (International Dance Talent Competition Italy) finals. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience from which I made countless memories and learned many things. One of the things I enjoyed most at the competition was watching many of the other performances. Being an international competition, there were dancers from all over the world who brought with them their respective cultures and styles, and we were even able to watch a couple of traditional and native dances. There was also a broader spectrum of variations, as there were no strict rules in following a suggested classical repertoire list, which is something present in many US competitions. This gave us a chance to see many rarer variations, for example a variation from a ballet called “The Fountain of Bakhchisarai'', danced by PTP student Emma Paskhal. The competition was situated in the small town of Mesagne. The venue was smaller than many other competitions we have participated in in the past, which were located in bigger and more populated cities. The main difference we experienced was the raked stage; for many of us, it was our first time performing on one. Raked stages are stages that are slightly slanted at an angle, tilting downwards towards the audience. Its purpose is to improve the view of the stage for all audience members, and is more common in Europe than America. While the stage may have seemed like a challenge to us at first, it built upon our ability to adapt to different performance settings, a necessary skill to have as a dancer.
An additional challenge throughout our trip in Italy was the lack of a proper space to warm up. As it was a smaller venue, there were no large areas or studios to do so unlike in most larger competitions we have visited in the US. Despite this, my teachers were still able to utilize creative ways to find or create space for us, even if it wasn’t ideal. We used wide alleyways, or unused hotel rooms. We used chairs or wall crevices as barres. Combinations were altered to fit more compact spaces. The teachers played music from their phone, and if it wasn’t loud enough, they would count it instead. This was something that stood out to me because it both amazed and inspired me how they were able to make use of their resources and could carry the feeling of a studio wherever they go, regardless of their surroundings. While I have made many memories at the competition, performing tarantella was one of my favorite parts. It was especially unique as we were performing it in its country of origin. Hearing the audience clapping and singing along was highly motivating, and it is an extraordinary feeling when the energy and passion of dance radiates to the audience as well. This trip was truly life changing and I am so grateful to have been able to share this art form with the world.
The competition ABA has recently performed in, IDTCI, was an international dance competition that gave dancers around the world a chance to reveal their talent in many different ways such as ballet, contemporary dance, character, and hip hop. For me, this was a very thrilling experience as the idea of an international competition was new. My favorite part of the competition was definitely performing in it as it took many hours of preparation and practice before going on stage. Finally performing dances, I practiced for a long time definitely was amazing. I also liked the environment as the other competitors and judges were very friendly and the stage was more “theater-like” rather than a convention stage which made me think I was actually performing on a stage and not a competition. I also enjoyed not only performing but watching other competitors perform from around the world. The competition in Italy was a very fun experience for me and I’m happy that I could have a chance to perform outside of the US.
-Ella
-Elaine
ABA IN ITALY
WITH ELAINE AND ELLA
This July students from ABA had an opportunity of their lives to travel to Italy for a competition (IDTCI Finals). ABA got many awards including the Best School Award along with multiple awards for our group dances and for our soloists. We were in Italy for about ten days, we stayed in Mesagne and Venice. On the way back home, we also spent a day in Munich, Germany, where Madam Akhmedova used to dance and were thrilled to see the studios and the theater. While in Italy we were lucky to have several photoshoots in Mesagne and Venice. We met with three amazing and very talented photographers. Some of the photographers captured more of us in poses, but some were more focused on candid photos of everyone as well as the group photos. And although it was a hard work for everybody, it was something that most of us had never experienced before. The first photo shoot was in Mesagne with Clarissa Lapolla, who was also the official photographer for the competition. Clarissa was very encouraging and let us experiment with our chosen poses. She took us to beautiful places such as the 11th century Castello, the historical center and took many breathtaking photographs. We enjoyed the peace and beauty of Mesagne. The photoshoot in Mesagne was very different from the one in Venice because the vibe of both places was very different. Measagne is a very small and quiet commune, while Venice is grand, has astonishing palaces and basilicas, canals that intertwine and meet at the Grand Canal, and many, many tourists.
One of the photoshoots in Venice was with Pierluigi Abbondanza, a well-known photographer in the world of dance and ballet photography. We were all thrilled beyond belief to be photographed by a celebrity. We walked with Pierluigi around Venice and were photographed in amazingly beautiful and ancient places, tiny alleys and piazzas. He was very kind, and his photographs are one of a kind. The third photographer was Paolo Galli, he is also the photographer who usually takes photographs during ABA performances in the United Stated. Luckily, he happened to be in Venice at the same time we were there. Paolo followed us around Venice and took candid photos of everyone. While we were taking gondola rides, Paolo ran after the gondolas and managed to capture the most beautiful moments. This photoshoot was very special to me as in the photos you can see everyone bonding and making memories together. Everyone was very excited to travel to Italy and Germany, not only we were introduced to cultures which we do not see often in America, but also the photoshoots were an additional incredible experience – we met with the Italian photographers, learned about them and their beautiful country, and saw many amazing places. I am so grateful to have these opportunities that would not be possible without ABA.
-Emma
PHOTOSHOOTS ACROSS ITALY
WITH EMMA
One of the aspects I enjoy about ABA’s summer intensives is the variety of dance styles and classes besides just classical ballet that were offered, from character to contemporary to ballet history. Something many of my classmates and I look forward to each year is the photoshoot, producing professional photographs of high quality. The summer is always a time of reflection on my improvement over the past year, preparing us for an anticipated new year of learning and working with my talented teachers and classmates.
-Elaine
Akhmedova Ballet Academy’s variation summer intensive was very instrumental in practicing my variation and improving parts of my variation that were a challenge for me. I received so many thoughtful and specific corrections that really changed the way I approached each step and many of them were very useful in ballet class. The Technique intensive has been challenging but rewarding! I am constantly pushed in class to think more about how to perform a movement or step and to carry out corrections throughout the class. I enjoy being able to slow down in class and really work on something because that's when I really get to experiment on how to execute a step.
-Juliana
One thing I enjoyed during the ABA Intensive was the photo shoot by Jeri Tidwell. During the photoshoot, we took headshots, group photos, and individual photos. This experience was unique and exciting, especially because this was my first photo session with Ms. Jeri Tidwell and I have seen so many amazing photos by her.Looking back, I am very thankful about how much I have learned since last year’s summer intensive and looking forward to seeing my teachers and ABA friends for the upcoming school year.
-Eliana
