In 1738, by decree of Empress Anna Ioannovna, the first ballet school in Russia was established. Today, it is one of the oldest ballet schools in the world.

The historical milestones in the development of ballet in Russia contributed to the creation of the strongest ballet school. A unique, well-organized system of education and training for ballet dancers was developed and flourished. All schools, both in imperial and Soviet Russia, were established alongside theaters to prepare specialists for their companies. This unique system of national culture produced extraordinary results in both imperial and Soviet Russia.

We have the best ballet school in the world. We say this not because everything must be the best in Russia—perhaps not everything is, nor should be. But in all my years of work, I have not encountered such a precisely structured system of choreographic education anywhere else. Thanks to this school, the achievements of Russian classical ballet have influenced the development of ballet worldwide.

But would such a strong school have been created without the existence of a brilliant native ballet theater in Russia? Certainly not. The influence of the theater on the development of the school is indisputable. The interaction between the school and the theater is an essential process, an inseparable organism. The school, while providing the educational process of training ballet dancers, prepares talent for the theater. The tasks in the theater, shaped by its repertoire and artistic principles, directly affect the direction of the dancers’ training at the school.

Thus, the face of the school is, to a large extent, the face of the theater, and vice versa.

The development of ballet in the Soviet state and the opening of new state theaters led to the establishment of new ballet schools and further strengthened the achievements of the Russian classical ballet school. The systematization of education, the broad range of dance subjects, and related professional disciplines have trained, and continue to train, dancers for ballet companies. This training is often tailored to the directions, style, and technique set by the country’s theaters and their artistic leaders.

During my career, I’ve had the privilege of staging productions and teaching in many countries. That is why I fully share the opinion that the educational system established in Russian ballet schools (colleges, academies) is the best. Theaters without their own schools are forced to recruit dancers from various schools, whose training often lacks clear guidelines, apart from the artistic principles of their director. Today, there are many such schools worldwide. While there are outstanding dancers with excellent classical technique and deep acting abilities, there is no unified corps de ballet, which is essential for performing any classical ballet. There is no unity in performances—that distinctive quality that creates a true ballet world on stage.

There are different periods in the ballet world. Having strong leadership at the helm of a ballet company drives the theater forward, inspires new dancers, engages the younger generation, and sets the direction for future development. It is no coincidence that many prominent schools were established under such leaders. This helps the school move forward, preparing dancers with specific objectives, inspiring the younger generation, and reinforcing their desire to become part of this theater.

I would venture to conclude that not only the heads of ballet schools but also the heads of ballet companies in theaters influence the schools and bear responsibility for their future. This should not be forgotten. After all, the face of the theater is tomorrow’s graduates from these schools, and a faceless school poses a threat to the theater. Do not be mere transients in the seats of ballet leadership. The school and the theater are inseparable, and only through close cooperation can our art continue to develop.

© Konstantin Uralsky