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Episode 6

• This piece is often performed at galas, and Zakharova had always wanted to perform it herself but had never had the chance. She said that she discovered nee nuances of the dance while watching Maria and Vladimir.
• Vladimir and Maria had to rehearse with Wheeldon via Zoom – something Vladimir had no idea was possible.
• Maria expected Wheeldon to be very strict in his guidance, but instead Wheeldon insisted that every duet is different and personal to the dancers performing it. He told Maria and Vladimir the story of the first performance (it was the last ballet Wheeldon created for Jock Soto before Soto’s retirement in June 2005).
• Maria and Vladimir, per Wheeldon’d instructions, told their own story with their dance, but Vladimir refused to say what the story was (Zakharova thinks it’s the story of two artists who grew close though the competition).

Feedback (note: only Maria gets scored):

• Farukh Ruzinatov (Score: 10): Ruzimatov values dancers’ ability to completely lose themselves in the music, the choreography and each other above everything else. He thinks Maria and Vladimir are creating something we will remember and talk about for a very long time.
• Alexei Mirishnichenko (Score: 10): Generally positive feedback, especially regarding the musicality of the performance. However, Mirishnichenko pointed out that Vladimir has a more thought out approach to the role in terms of acting, which isn’t surprising because he’s a much more experienced performer than Maria. Mirishnichenko was VERY distracted by the bands on Maria’s shoes (they should be flesh-coloured and shouldn’t stand out).
• Denis Matvienko (Score: 10): Denis said he was missing “something” in Masha’s performance. Something “special” in her eyes. It said that this isn’t a criticism of her as a dancer, by any means. She is very young and can’t connect with and express her inner world like an older ballerina would be able to. She should be able to lose herself in the moment and forget about the audience.
• Denis asked Maria to talk about what went through her head during the rehearsals. Vladimir told her not to, which prompted Denis to call Shklyarov a “spy” (for being so secretive in this episode).
• Maria interprets “After the Rain” as a quiet after a storm of emotion.
• Diana Vishneva (Score: 9): Diana says that “After the Rain” is one of Wheeldon’s best works and she had seen all the great dancers perform it. Like Denis, Diana points out that this is a duet for mature artists. Not just in terms of their age, but in terms of their life experience and their interpretation of the music. An artist must understand what they’re putting into their interpretation and why. Shklyarov delivered, while Maria simply needs to keep working.

Post-Show Comments:

• Vladimir says that he and Maria discovered new qualities in each other through the rehearsal process.
• Maria says that she values the experience and the knowledge Vladimir has given her during the rehearsal process.