Vakhtang Chabukiani Dancer and choreographer Date of Birth: 12.03.1910 Country: Georgia

1. Biography of Vakhtang Chabukiani
2. An Unforgettable Premiere
3. An Influential Figure in the Ballet World
4. The Impact of Vakhtang Chabukiani
5. Influence on the World of Ballet
6. Memories from a French Ballerina

Biography of Vakhtang Chabukiani

Vakhtang Chabukiani, a dancer and ballet master, is considered the greatest dancer and ballet master of our time. All the epithets and comparisons have already been exhausted. I can only add that a part of his soul lives in every one of his productions, as well as in every person who has ever interacted with him. And in this lies the immortality of his great talent. Vakhtang Chabukiani would have turned 95 on February 27th. My memoirs dedicated to Vakhtang Chabukiani are still far from completion. They are still being enriched with memories from his contemporaries, whose lives were illuminated by their interactions with the legendary dancer. "The Sorcerer of Dance" - that's how Kote Makharadze named him in our television film, shot while the maestro was still alive.

An Unforgettable Premiere

In 1970, our creative group (the film was shot by the leading operator of the Georgian television Igor Nagorny) traveled to Moscow and Leningrad and met with all the outstanding partners of Vakhtang Chabukiani. "I am happy to have seen the genius dancer in the prime of his life, whose art is unparalleled," said Alla Shelest, a star of the Mariinsky Theatre. "The premiere of the ballet 'Othello' was unforgettable. Our leading soloists Irina Kolpakova (Desdemona), Inna Zubkovskaya (Bianca), and Nonna Yastrebova (Emilia) participated in the performance. Zurab Kikaleyshvili's portrayal of Iago was irreplaceable. The thunderous applause deafened the audience when the idol of the Leningrad public, Vakhtang Chabukiani, took the stage at the Mariinsky Theatre." The press described it as a truly "Chaliapin-like performance." The stars of the world ballet, Galina Ulanova, Maya Plisetskaya, Natalia Dudinskaya, Tatiana Vecheslova, and Raisa Struchkova, also spoke with equal enthusiasm about Vakhtang Chabukiani's unrivaled mastery.

An Influential Figure in the Ballet World

Our guide during all these encounters was Misha Lavrovsky, who was already a young soloist at the Bolshoi Theatre. When I approached Misha Lavrovsky to share his memories, he readily agreed. "... My debut on the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre took place in Boris Asafiev's ballet 'The Flame of Paris'. Vakhtang Chabukiani had once danced the leading role in this ballet. It was symbolic for me. Vakhtang Mikhailovich played a huge role in my life both as an artist who influenced the formation of my creativity and as a person who helped me in a difficult and decisive moment of my life. Art was perceived as a tangible part of our everyday life in our family. My father worked tirelessly and passionately. At one time, he was the chief ballet master of the Mariinsky Theatre (then named after S. Kirov), and from 1944, for more than twenty years with small breaks, he was the chief ballet master of the Bolshoi Theatre and always admired the talent and skill of Vakhtang Mikhailovich. My mother, Elena Chikvaidze, was a close friend and the first partner of this great dancer, so the name Vakhtang Chabukiani was familiar to me from an early age. My mother adored and revered his genius.

The Impact of Vakhtang Chabukiani

It was difficult for me to objectively judge Chabukiani's skill, comparing him to other outstanding dancers of his time. Films have been preserved. Two of them - "Bayaderka" and "Taras Bulba". They give a wonderful but unfortunately incomplete representation of this artist. Over time, I understood why. Theater is powerful in its immediacy, the direct impact of the stage charm, the personality of the artist. Cinema mainly shows the external form. However, the personality is always visible, everywhere. And then, when I, already a soloist, came to Tbilisi for a tour, I remember a not-so-young Chabukiani entering the rehearsal hall - he was supposed to give a master class! That's when I witnessed a miracle firsthand. Chabukiani's legs moved with difficulty, his back hardly bent. He had long since stopped dancing. But as soon as Vakhtang Mikhailovich stepped into the center of the hall and showed a few movements, everything around him... became less expressive, gray. Before us stood a giant who created dance, inspired art. It was impossible to approach him! Everything paled in comparison to him. That's when I thought: how powerful he must have been in his youth!

I always rehearsed my parts with Vakhtang Mikhailovich when I came to Tbilisi for tours. He often helped me morally. With his royal hand, he saved my career during a critical turning point in my creative destiny. There was a period when I worked as the chief ballet master at the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre. Those were wonderful years for me. It was during that time that I became closer to Vakhtang Mikhailovich. And what always struck me was that we, young dancers and ballet masters, saw and continue to see so many performances, folklore ensembles, video recordings, but we struggle to create something monumental. Yet, Vakhtang Mikhailovich, in his young years, had not seen any of these things and did not have a special choreographic education, yet he created brilliant ballets such as "Laurence" and "The Heart of the Mountain". He skillfully revitalized the main male role in the ballet "Bayaderka". Taking into account the new traditions of male dance and based on his own performing style, Chabukiani transformed the role of Solar into a harmonious series of movements. His interpretation of the character's image was so in line with the new interpretation that the creative collective of the Mariinsky Theatre was stunned.

Influence on the World of Ballet

He choreographed many male variations in several old classical productions. With his talent, he "revived" and modernized classical ballet. Unfortunately, male dance is changing in our time. We always look with reverence to the West, although the European ballet took dramatic, narrative, and passionate themes from us. It is wonderful that Vakhtang Chabukiani devoted a significant portion of his life to Georgia. He was a true patriot. However, I am convinced that if Vakhtang Chabukiani had stayed in Moscow or Leningrad, he would have constantly been in contact with Western art. Nevertheless, his influence on male dance, imbued with knightly romance, remains as a benchmark in the world of choreography.

Memories from a French Ballerina

From faraway Paris, the French ballerina Eteri Pagava responded. "I had the fortune to dance with Vakhtang Chabukiani in the ballets 'Giselle' and 'Don Quixote' in 1967. Each meeting with him left an indelible mark on my life and gratitude in my heart for the joy of creation. I will always remember the unforgettable tours in my beloved Tbilisi. Vakhtang Chabukiani is the greatest dancer and ballet master of our time. All the epithets and comparisons have already been exhausted. I can only add that a part of his soul lives in every one of his productions, as well as in every person who has ever interacted with him. And in this lies the immortality of his great talent."

Years go by... New generations of ballet masters enter the stage of life, but the interest and love for the great son of Terpsichore never diminish. And when, in these anniversary days, the blue screen allows us to somewhat restore the magical dance of the legendary artist, we once again become part of a world of beauty, love, and perfection.