Ballet art is multifaceted and diverse. Having experienced the ups and downs throughout its history, it has entered bright pages into the world cultural annals and for centuries has captivated the audience with its unique dance magic. Born in the 14th century, ballet has not lost its luster today. Young and talented artists continue to develop the art of dance and gain recognition on world stages.
Ballet can be called an animated chronicle of the world. An endless picture of human relationships embodied in dance and described in the language of body movements. This is a beautiful story of an ideal humanity - without wars and violence, without tears and losses. One of the most prominent representatives of the modern Russian ballet school, the premier of the Bolshoi Theater Artem Ovcharenko, devoted his life to creating such a picture of the world.
December 31: Day of Aesthetic Values
All biographies start the same way, from the date of birth. Our hero was born on December 31, 1986. Maybe it was a sign: the life of the newborn will accompany the holiday! Sometimes you should believe the signs and signs of fate. No wonder this day on the eve of the New Year is celebrated as the Day of Aesthetic Values. Innate artistry, a sense of beauty and inner harmony are the traits inherent in Artem Ovcharenko. On his birthday, the stars did not lie.
Place of birth - the city of Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. The big city provided great opportunities. But how to determine your path? Swimming, chess, martial arts, fashionable in those years - my mother tried to make Artyom a versatile person. Something prevented the guy from seriously getting carried away, the aesthetics of sports did not lie in the heart. But the first visit to the ballet performance turned upside down. The combination of beauty and harmony came together. Another natural quality predetermined by the date of birth worked - independence. At 11, Artem determined his future fate.
Dnepropetrovsk: the first scene
The State Choreographic School in Dnepropetrovsk is not much different from other similar educational institutions. Classical ballet pas, hours-long rehearsals, a strict lifestyle, which is already dedicated to a lofty goal - to conquer the ballet Olympus. The first performance took place a month later. To congratulate the teacher V. I. Rogachev on the day of his anniversary, they put on a leotard and a turban on Artem, and the aspiring artist was transformed into Aladdin. Although a simple role, it was the first.
And now the student enters the professional stage. It does not matter in the crowd, but the young performer gains invaluable stage experience. He did not dissolve among the "newspaper men" in The Great Waltz. In "Don Quixote" - "the townsman with a tambourine" danced. This was followed by the party of the Jester in Swan Lake and the Soldier in The Nutcracker. Small roles do not happen when you have a big and clear goal. At 17, Artem Ovcharenko takes another decisive step on the steps of the ballet staircase - he enters the Moscow Academy of Choreography.
Moscow: continued studies
Is it necessary to believe in the interconnectedness of the course of life? The Russian Empress Catherine II, in whose honor the hometown of Artyom Ovcharenko (Dnepropetrovsk was called Ekaterinoslav until 1926), was founded in Moscow in the form of Theater Dance Classes (1773). In our time, the educational institution began to be called the Academy of Choreography and has become the best theater university in Russia. In 2003, another door to the world of big ballet opened before Artem Ovcharenko.
Within the walls of a new educational institution, the beginner was not lost. Well prepared, “relaxed”, with a sense of stage and audience (the Dnipropetrovsk theater experience was not in vain), he successfully began his studies in Moscow. Lucky with the teacher. Alexander Ivanovich Bondarenko, a professor and head of the department, was called a strict and demanding mentor. But he loved his students and tried to convey to them all the intricacies of the Russian ballet school.
Artyom studied diligently. I understood that in the profession there are no trifles. Then there were solo parts in performances, participation in the tours of Academy students to the USA, China, and Greece. In 2007, he completed his studies and became an artist of the corps de ballet of the Bolshoi Theater. Fate did not let a single step be missed on the stairs leading to the ballet peaks.
Bolshoi Theater: first roles
Swiftness - this is how the progressive creative movement of Artem Ovcharenko can be described. Most recently, a graduate of the Academy entered the theatrical stage of the main theater of the country. But in the crowd did not stop. Because muses, patrons of art, see well talent and hard work. The first big performance is the Nutcracker ballet, for which, under the direction of N.M. Tsiskaridze prepared the party of the Prince. Then came the role of Rybak in the “Daughters of the Pharaoh” and the contest “Arabesque” (2008), which brought the award “For Fidelity to the Traditions of the Moscow School of Classical Dance”.
But so fruitfully began the collaboration of two creative people quickly disintegrated. In 2009, Ovcharenko transferred from Tsiskaridze to teacher N.B. Fadeechev. This decision can be explained in different ways. But since remembering the plans, maybe it’s worth remembering the birthday? After all, the date of birth of Nikolai Tsiskaridze also falls on December 31. Two bright, purposeful natures enriched each other and pushed off, like two identical poles of a magnet.
Creative way: all stages of ballet
Is it possible to describe the achievements of a creative person by simply listing the steps of the theater hierarchy?
- Corps de ballet artist and coryphaeus (the first line of the corps de ballet and the performance of small parts).
- Soloist, first and leading soloist.
- Since 2013 - Premier of the Bolshoi Theater (the highest level of excellence).
In less than 6 years, Artem Ovcharenko has overcome all the steps of the career ladder of a big ballet. But what is behind this listing?
The artist’s life is measured by the roles played, and not by the dry lines of entries in the workbook. Behind the list of creative victories is something much more significant for Ovcharenko. Artem put more than 40 ballet parties in the creative piggy bank of his achievements.
Contests
Participation in international competitions is another important step on the path to success. Although Artyom is critical of creative competitions. Still, art is not a sport. The Grand Prix of the “Dance Olympus” in Berlin (2006), the prize at the competition with the expressive title “Soul of the Dance” (2009) is an incomplete list of honorary professional “trophies” collected by Ovcharenko. Artem does not revel in success and tries to adequately carry high awards. After all, the main thing is not to become better than someone. The main thing is to become better than yourself.
Tour
Nevertheless, the life of a famous artist is full of its charms. Camera flashes, trains and planes, flowers, applause, stage. Blinding theater spotlights and the thrilling atmosphere of an echoing auditorium before the third bell.
Foreign tours are somewhat similar to competitions. The difference is that the sophisticated audience does not evaluate individual performers, but performances and national ballet schools.
February 2015. The German press reports that at the invitation of the Bavarian State Ballet, the Premier of the Bolshoi Theater Artem Ovcharenko arrives in Germany. The ballet “Lady with Camellias” with his participation delights the audience. Newspapers note not only magnificent dance technique, but also the amazing acting skills of a Russian artist.
March 2015. “The Flames of Paris” directed by A. Ratmansky stirred up Hong Kong at the Art Festival. Enthusiastic reviews focus on two divertissements performed by N. Kaptsova and Ovcharenko. Artyom and his partner did not leave the front pages of Chinese newspapers for several days.
May 2016. Gala concert of the Youth Grand Prix in America. In a review published in the DanceTabs publication, Artem Ovcharenko's impeccable technique evokes a desire to see such art as often as possible.
Not only ballet
If there is a prince on the ballet stage, it means that a princess must appear in his life. Alas, to the disappointment of the fans, this time the fairy tale did not remain within the theatrical stage.
Anna Tikhomirova and Artem Ovcharenko met at the Academy of Choreography. Anya studied at it since she was 9 years old. The debut for her was the ballet The Nutcracker, in which the six-year-old daughter of the Prime Minister of the Lithuanian Ballet Nikolai Tikhomirov played a tiny role. At 11 years old - the first appearance on the main ballet stage of Russia. In the play "Don Quixote" the young student was a "cupid."
Tender and fragile Anna. Strong, able to support Artem Ovcharenko. Personal life did not become an obstacle to creativity. Young, purposeful and talented - they found each other and found happiness in life and on stage. Still, the stars formed correctly on the birthday of Ovcharenko. Artem lives in the very center of the holiday.