The article is devoted to the life and work of the Theater School Inspector V.I. Likhosherstova, who served in it for 40 years. The image of a tutor and, then, the head of a ballet school are recreated based on memoirs and diary entries of various figures of the ballet theater. The article gives a brief overview of the archive of V.I. Likhosherstova and some of her letters are used as examples of inspector’s numerous responsibilities, as well as her extensive contacts.

The author studies different approaches to analysis of dramaturgy of The Sleeping Beauty, defines the significance of this ballet for biography of Marius Petipa as well as for the development of the ballet theatre itself. The author gives definition of four types of dramatic action in Petipa’s ballets and describes varied means of expression in the ballet theatre as well as various dancing forms. The article contains act after act analysis of the ballet. The author presents schemas describing scenic action of The Sleeping Beauty. He comes to a conclusion about the leading role of choreographic dramaturgy in general structure of The Sleeping Beauty.

The article summarizes the history of The Sleeping Beauty ballet had been performing for over a hundred years in the Mariinsky, formerly Kirov, Theatre. The author describes the most important theatrical productions which are milestones of The Sleeping Beauty scenic life. The Sleeping Beauty productions are traced from the beginning, namely the first M. Petipa’s premiere presentation in 1890, to the final reconstruction by S. Vikharev in 1999. A new ballet design by K. Korovin (1914) as well as its new edition by F. Lopukhov (1922-1923), then the evacuation Molotov (Perm)-sity version of the ballet (1943), and a ballet edition by K. Sergeyev (1952) are also observed.

The article is focused on preservation of the classical ballet heritage. An example of this theme is The Sleeping beauty ballet by M. Petipa and P. Tchaikovsky in K. Sergeyev’s, Y. Grigorovich’s, and R. Nureyev’s versions. The author compares the most significant scenes of the ballet versions and also identifies the most valuable ones. The comparative analysis of the ballet versions is based on The Sleeping Beauty ’s studies conducted in the aspects of choreographic dramaturgy and text.

The article explores the origin of creation and the production history of such masterpieces as Grand pas from Paquita and Grand pas Le Jardin Animé from Le Corsaire by Marius Petipa. The analysis proves the fact that with the invention of these choreographic structures the Romantic Pantomime Ballet turn into the Grand Ballet of the second half of the 19th century. In Petipa’s mature works the plot of the ballet is revealed not only in pantomime but through dance as well.

The article is devoted to one of M. Petipa’s the most famous ballets called Don Quixote which was shown in Moscow and St. Petersburg versions in 1869 and 1871 respectively. The primary Moscow choreography is in a focus. Musical dramaturgy of the ballet is analyzed as well as connections between musical dramaturgy and drama plot are traced. Besides, the article contains a brief comparative analysis of music from Moscow and St. Petersburg choreographies of Don Quixote.

This paper considers how some classical ballets (viz. The Sleeping beauty, Giselle, Raymonda, La Bayadere) from Marius Petipa’s repertoire were reproduced by Yuri Grigorovich. Sharp dramatic conflicts related to fundamental problems of existence as well as to major forms of multiacted performances are basis of the Grigorovich’s works. The choreographer changes the old dance in accordance with the parameters of the modern performance. The estimation is given to the creative collaboration between the ballet master Yuri Grigorovich and the outstanding theater artist Simon Virsaladze.

Preservation of classical ballet heritage is discussed in the article. The loss of the authentic choreography is observed on particular examples related to such ballet masterpieces as Giselle, Swan lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Les Sylphides etc.

The article presents a critical review of the monograph written by an American researcher Roland John Wiley. It is devoted to the life and ballets of Lev Ivanovich Ivanov, a Russian choreographer. Several experiences of Lev Ivanov’s biography creating were made before Wiley, including two Soviet ballet experts, namely V.M. Krasovskaya and J.I. Slonimsky. A comparative analysis of the three monographs written by the abovementioned authors made it possible to reveal the advantages and disadvantages (the politicization of value judgments, first of all) of Wylie’s scientific work.

The article describes the activities of the largest historian, theorist and screenwriter of the Soviet ballet theater, Yuri I. Slonimsky, also known as the author of some fundamental monographs about great choreographers of the 19^th century and theatrical performances, including La Sylphide and Giselle romantic ballets. The author considers Slonimsky related to the emergence of choreographic education in Leningrad Choreographic School and in The Russian University of Theatre Arts (GITIS), where he taught drama in ballet. Slonimsky’s book called The Soviet Ballet. Materials for the History of the Soviet Ballet (1950) which was the first review of the first three decades of Soviet ballet history is newly valued in the article.

The article deals with Igor A. Moiseyev’s creative method which is a characteristic of original ballets staged at the Bolshoi Theater. The author studies stage history and choreographic drama on the example of such ballet versions as The Footballer and Three Fat Men by Victor. A. Oransky, Salammbô by Andrey F. Arends, Spartacus by Aram I. Khachaturian.

The article deals with St. Petersburg-Leningrad addresses associated with the birth of Lyubov Dmitrievna in the family of the brilliant Russian scientist D.I. Mendeleyev, the years of her studies, the novel and marriage with the St. Petersburg poet Alexander Blok. The analysis of the scientific contribution of L. Block to ballet studies is given as well as the contacts with A.Ya. Vaganova and Leningrad Choreographic School are tracked.

The article is devoted to the peculiarities of combining study assignments with plié leitmotifs movement by male teachers of classical dance of the middle of the 20th century. Using tables, examples are given from the lessons of V.I. Ponomarev, N.I. Tarasov and P.A. Pestov.

The article tells the history of the creation of the ballet The Golden Age in the Leningrad State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet in 1930. This production became the first experience of attracting young choreographers to work on the Soviet academic scene. The records of the sessions of the Theatre Artistic and Political Council cited by the author allow us to recreate the atmosphere in which the stage embodiment of the early ballet score of Shostakovich was born.

The article analyzes the Professor Bad Trip trilogy of Fausto Romitelli, a composer of Italian origin, staged by French choreographer Maud le Pladec. The author comes to conclusion that borderline specificity of Romitelli’s creativity takes his works beyond the boundaries of academic avant-garde music. It also trends to psychedelic literature, rock music, Francis Bacon’s fine arts, as well as to modern technologies that transform artistic reality by means of modern communication. There is a visual projection supplemented by formalization and structuring of listener’s perception that create an artistic foundation of Maud le Pladec’s performances. It is this interaction that allows the choreographer to reach a new receptive level.

The article analyses the history of the famous American non-profit theatre Arena Stage, one of the first regional theatres in the United States. The artistic, creative and organizational activity of the company is presented as the evolution of the theatre in the pursuit of serving public goals. Examples are given of how the founder of Arena Stage, Z. Fichandler, in her creative strategy, tried to resist the “artistic deficit”, refusing the compromises to attract mass audience.

The article analyzes breathing exercises had been teaching from 1950s to 1990s in choreographic schools of Russia, including Leningrad Choreographic School. The article describes the origin of the breathing technique, as its application in a ballet training system. A methodical manual by E.A. Lukyanova called Breathing in choreography is considered in details. The effectiveness of breathing exercises for improving modern ballet training systems is evaluated.