The Ballet School "Princess Ksenija", founded 25 years ago, will celebrate its quarter-century anniversary today at the Montenegrin National Theatre.
With the program "Nesum dorma - 25 years of dance" on the Big Stage, fans of both ballet and the school will have the opportunity to watch a gala performance with a parade of ballerinas, as well as expertly conceived and connected famous ballet numbers.
"The great and dedicated work of the director Vanja Pantović, who, by founding the Studio for Fine Arts 'Zvončić' in Bar, sparked enormous interest and, continuing the work of the ballet school, from its very beginnings, has entrusted young ballerinas to the rich pedagogical and artistic experience and knowledge of top ballet artists, dancers and choreographers such as Lidija Pilipenko, Ivanka Lukateli, Sonja Lapatanov, Duška Dragićević, Ašhen Ataljanc, Konstantin Kostjukov, with the engagement of pedagogues from Russia, China, Ukraine, the USA, Great Britain, and Israel. After obtaining a license in 2004, following the procedures of the Ministry of Education, the school established a regional institution in Podgorica after the Bar one, and in cooperation with the Nikšić Theater, a department of young ballerinas was established in Nikšić as well. On the big stage of the CNP, the ballerinas of 'Princess Xenia' performed almost fifty performances ('Mary Poppins', 'Rhapsody 29', 'Čipolino', 'Krcko "The Nutcracker', 'Cinderella', 'La fille mal gardee', 'Pakita', 'Corsair' and others), while also working on its international presentation, participating in festivals around the world. The greatest recognition and affirmation of the school's work came at the end of the year from Beijing, when 'Princess Xenia' was accepted into the World Dance Education Alliance at the international summit in China. The young ballerinas of this school have so far performed in France, Croatia, Bulgaria, Italy, Ukraine, Germany, Serbia, Austria, China; the school is also a member of the Children's League of Nations and a member of the CEEC Dance Union 17+," the ballet school announced.
"Big names and great artists were invited by the director, Vanja Pantović, to visit the school, to work with the children, which is a great success for her, just to bring such people and such staff who can transfer their knowledge to those children and therefore the great projects that she carried out with the school. Those children really had the opportunity to work with people who are experts in their profession, and therefore they were on the right path, both in a methodological sense and artistically," says Tamara Ivanović, a long-time prima ballerina of the ballet ensemble of the National Theatre in Belgrade.
She also emphasizes that this is a very significant anniversary and that the "Princess Xenia" Ballet School plays a major role in the growth of young ballerinas, in their maturation."
"I follow the work of the school, of course, also in the creation of some future staff for the school, especially in an environment where, perhaps, this art is not developed and has not come to life, but it is absolutely a beautiful example that this school exists and I hope that it will only go up the stairs."
Tamara Ivanović is one of the pedagogues engaged at tonight's gala concert at the CNP, and through her introduction to the school's work, she emphasizes that the ballerinas of "Princess Xenia" gained much more from their education.
"In general, this work with children, pedagogically, requires a much broader view of things, not only to transfer knowledge and technique to children, and the elements that they struggle to master every day, so to speak, you also have to approach them in some psychological way, especially in adolescence, how they will cope with it, because growing up is not the same as for other children. It is a great effort, a great deal of work and a great commitment. To be in the ballet profession, in a ballet school primarily, a lot is taken away from you, maybe they lose some 'more social' moments, with society, but by doing so I think they build an absolutely strong personality on the other hand, because only those who are hardworking, who are very persistent and who develop that self-discipline in themselves that ballet provides can later in life, not only succeed but can achieve in all other aspects of life," she said.
Announcing the excellent choreography of tonight's gala concert, Tamara Ivanović sublimates both the art of dance and ballet.
"Every art is in the spirit of the times. If we start from history, and the development of ballet from the Renaissance to the present day, of course everything developed in that spirit of the times, in which art was permeated. Ballet has its own form, its own elements that have developed over time, improved the technique, but some individual, I would say, interpretations, even some technical requirements have not changed over time. The technique is much more virtuosic than it used to be, it progresses upwards with each century, and with that technique, ballet also has that artistic form, that expression that, I would say, every individual must feel within themselves, to bring out on stage. It is, in my opinion, a multidimensional art. It includes both psychological and artistic aspects, the development of the spirit, ethics, but also great discipline and physical effort."
The twenty-five-year efforts of the Montenegrin ballet institution named after Princess Xenia, sublimated in tonight's gala program starting at 19 pm, will be repeated on Sunday, March 23rd, starting at 14 pm. The concert's choreographers are Konstantin Kostjukov and Risima Risimkin.
Bonus video:
