Ballet Academy

Agrippina Vaganova was born in 1879 into the family of a coppersmith at the Mariinsky Theatre. In 1897, she graduated from the ballet department of the Petersburg Theatre School (studying under E. O. Vazem, K. P. Johansson, P. A. Gerdt) and joined the Mariinsky Theatre troupe. Her «unremarkable» physical characteristics initially hindered her career, and for many years she remained a corps de ballet artist. Over time, Vaganova learned to redirect attention from her short stature and stocky figure with a large head and heavy muscular legs to her technique.

Observing visiting stars from the corps de ballet, she learned and mastered the secrets of the latest Italian school. Rehearsals with the best teachers, guardians of Russian and French ballet traditions K. P. Johansson, N. G. Legat, and O. I. Preobrazhenskaya softened the straightforward rigidity of the Italian manner. Gradually, the dancer’s repertoire expanded from small ensemble and solo roles to numerous variations in classical ballets that demanded virtuoso dancing technique on pointe, strong jumps, and sharp changes of dance tempo.

Vaganova received the unofficial title «Queen of Variations» from critics. Even today, variations in the grand pas of «Don Quixote,» in the shades’ pas de deux in «La Bayadère,» in the pas de trois in «Paquita,» and many others are referred to as «Vaganova’s.»

Large roles began to appear in her repertoire—Mistress of the Dryads in «Don Quixote,» Queen of the Swans in «The Magic Swan Geese» by C. Puni. Extremely demanding of herself, Vaganova felt the shortcomings of her dance technique: «It was obvious that I was not progressing. And this awareness was terrible. Here is where the torment of dissatisfaction with myself and the old system of teaching began for me.»

Later, Agrippina Yakovlevna bitterly recalled her life on stage. Major roles in ballets such as L. Delibes’s «Coppélia» (Swanhilda), P. Tchaikovsky’s «Swan Lake» (Odette-Odile), «The Magic Swan Geese,» and «Giselle» by A. Adan (Giselle) were entrusted to her shortly before the end of her performing career. In 1915 she was awarded the title of prima ballerina, and in 1916 she left the stage.

At the turn of the century, the Russian ballet school emerged, incorporating the technicality of the Italian and the grace of the French. The young «Russian school» of ballet had not yet been established in pedagogical practice. This became the life’s work of Agrippina Yakovlevna. Recalling the lessons of one of her favorite teachers, E. O. Vazem, using the advice and explanations on «Italian» exercises from O. I. Preobrazhenskaya, and observing the ballet master activities of the young Fokine, Vaganova gradually selected the distinctive features of the Russian dance manner. The desire to understand the «science of dance» became clearer and clearer.
In 1918, Vaganova began teaching at the Baltic Fleet School, under the leadership of ballet critic and avid supporter of classical dance, A. L. Volynsky. Three years later, Agrippina Yakovlevna moved to the Choreographic School.

Vaganova started her teaching career during a time when there was official debate about the abolition of ballet as an art form, seen as classist and alien to the proletariat and peasantry. Her work as an educator affirmed the viability of classical dance at a time when the press dismissed ballet as a «hothouse art.»