Kristina Kretova: from Bolero to Don Quixote

Kristina Kretova, Leading Soloist at the Bolshoi Theatre, will dance the role of Kitri in Don Quixote on 19 and 22 February. Ivan Vasiliev will perform alongside her in the role of Basilio.

Kretova made her first appearance at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in 2011, where Channel One Russia was in the process of filming its dance programme, Bolero. Her performance with Olympic figure skating champion Alexei Yagudin was considered to be “the high point of the contest”.

The concept behind Bolero was to partner leading dancers from Russian theatre companies with Olympic figure skating champions. The project began with several months of training and rehearsals, during which time some of the best instructors and choreographers attempted to transform improvised pairings into harmonious dance duos. The show’s contestants then performed before a strict panel, aiming to impress the judges with the symmetry and rhythm of their dancing, as well as their emotional expression. The competing pairs included Natalia Osipova and Roman Kostomarov, Irina Perren and Peter Tchernyshev, Evgenia Obraztsova and Maxim Staviski, and Ekaterina Krysanova with Maxim Shabalin. A number of experts oversaw the choreography for the performances, including masters such as Nacho Duato and Radu Poklitaru.

Kristina Kretova and Alexei Yagudin took first place after performing nine choreographed pieces on stage, ranging from modern interpretations of classical dance to tango and rock ‘n’ roll. Enthusiastic viewers later described their dancing as having “stood out for its expressiveness and dynamism, in stark contrast to the rest of the programme.”