Altinai Asylmuratova

Azawakh, Asil Arabian horses, classical ballet...for me they are all variations on a theme.

Asylmuratova is one of my all time favorite Russian ballerinas (although she is by blood Turkic, not Russian). Her name translates literally as 'pure-in-the-blood of Murat': her father. She was trained at the greatest school for classical ballet in the world: the official school of the Mariinsky (formerly Kirov) Theater in Pyotr (formerly Leningrad). She was one of the greatest of the lyrical ballerinas and one of the last of her 'line'. The Mariinsky of today is a different world; one whose purity of heritage has been irreparably compromised by western influences. There is no going back. But well, all things change. We are lucky to have these records of the past. And it is still the greatest school and theater for classical ballet in the world.

The plot line of this excerpt from La Bayadyerka should not be considered allegorical; there is no vague symbolism. I was just remembering this film today and decided to post it for others to enjoy.

(sorry for all the reposts...each time I reread it I see another grammatical error...remember, English is not my first language!)