Interview with a graduate student at the Moscow Academy of Sciences, Stanislava Postnova. Young talent Stanislav Postnova - about ballet, diets and envy Now you have a lot of them

Stanislava Postnova is only 18 years old, but she is already predicted to have a great future. This year, the young ballerina graduates from the Moscow State Academy of Choreography, tirelessly prepares her own projects and appears in glossy magazines. At the same time, she has enough strength to run Instagram, which has more than one hundred thousand subscribers, and draw pictures. We met with Stanislava and found out how ballerinas really live, and most importantly, what we can expect from an Academy graduate starting her career in the future.

Tell us how you got into ballet?

Initially, it was not my choice, but rather the decision of my parents. Naturally, it is unlikely that at the age of 3 a child can independently choose his profession. And the parents themselves did not think then that everything would end so seriously. I don’t have a ballet family, so no one wanted to make me a professional ballerina. And then one day, after six months of classes, my parents and I went to the ballet “The Nutcracker,” and, to their surprise, the action on stage fascinated me so much that then everyone understood that something would come of it.

It turns out that you have been studying and dancing all your life. What difficulties do you face while studying?

In general, these are rather the difficulties of our profession. First of all, it’s hard mentally, because you need to have incredible willpower. For example, when you have a performance in the evening, you can finish at 11 o'clock. By the time you wash off your makeup, take off your suit and come home, it’s already about one in the morning, and tomorrow you need to go to class and continue working as if nothing had happened. Many people lack some kind of inner core and willpower not to stop.

Apparently, you have enough! You are an excellent student, everyone will probably envy you. What is your relationship with the girls inside the academy?

I am not looking for friends or enemies either in the academy or in this profession in general. I try to communicate smoothly with everyone. Of course, there are kind and understanding people who know how to be friends and, despite the fact that we are in the same profession, they do not envy. Often there are people who are completely opposite. I just personally try to stay away from them.

What about diet? There are all sorts of horror stories that many girls starve themselves before the control weigh-in. This is true?

Yes, it's true - there are weigh-ins twice a year. Of course, if you're on the weight chart, that's nice, but if you look good and have good muscles, then weight isn't that important. I don’t presume to speak for others, but I can judge from myself - if you work every day, you don’t have to limit yourself. On the contrary, you won’t have any strength from malnutrition. But do you still somehow monitor your diet? You often post various sweets on Instagram, which to a person outside the ballet seem like a crime against the figure.

I don't really have a specific eating schedule or how many calories I should consume per day, I eat intuitively. Let’s say, if I want to eat a chocolate bar, I can afford it, because I know that if not today, then tomorrow I will have a difficult rehearsal. Of course, my priority is foods such as meat, fish, vegetables, like any healthy person who takes care of himself. Just trying to eat a balanced diet with all the vitamins.

How long do classes usually last?

Do you have a lot of them now?

The most important event of this year for all graduates is the graduation concert, which will take place in mid-May on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater. A lot of material is being prepared for it now, but I don’t want to say yet what it will be. I don't want to jinx it.

How does a graduate manage to be a social media ballet star with 110 thousand followers on Instagram? Does it bother you that so many people are following your life?

My Instagram journey is actually quite interesting. When I first registered in it, I was 14 years old, and I did not have any clear understanding of how and why I would run it. I started posting ballet photographs and realized that people were interested in it, especially foreigners. In general, I slowly began to develop my page, and probably that year the peak of its popularity occurred. After I posted just a few videos on my page at the beginning of last year, people started sending so many messages, hundreds of likes began to come. My phone was just blinking non-stop! And it really started to scare me. People became interested in me, and I myself realized that I probably need to develop my Instagram. Everything went gradually - first 20 thousand, then 40, then 80...

I try not to pay attention, because, firstly, this is everyone’s opinion and you cannot please everyone. People can have their own position, and I respect and accept it. Criticism is always good. But, of course, it is better that it is adequate.

In general, for the average consumer the world of ballet is so mysterious and enchanting, and quite often this gives rise to all sorts of sane and not so sane film adaptations. What thoughts do you have when watching some Black Swan?

In these films, of course, everything is exaggerated a hundred times, because the people who create them often have no idea what really happens in ballet life. Yes, of course, when feathers come out of their backs on the screen, this is a beautiful metaphor for some psychological problems that ballerinas actually have due to stress. But it’s better not to endure such things.

But at the same time, you quite often use Instagram as a kind of personal diary. Do you want to convey some of your thoughts to people? Or why is all this?

I want this page to reflect my essence, talk about my life, and therefore everything that happens on it is there, and everything that is important to me or that I just want to convey to others. I'm just posting this from the heart.

Regarding personal experiences and stress. How do you relax?

For me, the best way to relieve stress is to go out and work. When you dance, you forget about everything. For me, this is such an internal high when you don’t think about anything else, you’re just alone with yourself.

Do you really go to training every day like this, tirelessly and happily?

Of course not. In the mornings, and even in winter, of course, it can be difficult to force yourself to do something. When I want to distract myself, I draw. Or sometimes after a good day of work you can have a good rest - I have friends who are not from the ballet environment with whom I can go somewhere in the evening. Of course, there are not many of them due to the fact that I am at the academy six days a week, and the seventh is spent on some household chores. But I like to communicate with people from different fields, because I hear something new from them, I get inspiration from communication, and that’s great. The worst thing is to withdraw into yourself. You need to constantly be in search, look for something new.

So, in addition to dancing talent, you also have artistic abilities?

For me, drawing is a kind of meditation. I don’t have a specific disposition: if today I want to go paint in oils, I’ll go to the studio on Patriarch’s Street. If I want, I’ll go and make a sketch. It’s just that when I was a child, I also did drawing professionally, and then I gave up at the age of 10. But some skills remained.

If it weren't for ballet, would you have become an artist?

More like a designer.

Do you follow fashion? Which designers do you like?

Returning to the topic of social networks. I know that now, sooner or later, all questions come down to them, but nevertheless, how do you feel about the fact that now many ballet dancers, take Polunin, Roberto Bolle, Diana Vishnevaya, are a kind of media rock stars from the world of ballet ? At the same time, there are other talented ballerinas, such as Svetlana Zakharova, who generally avoid the Internet. Do you think social media does not distract viewers and fans from the real talent?

I don’t presume to judge for those people who don’t lead them, but personally I like that I can see what my idol Diana Vishnevaya, figuratively speaking, ate for breakfast today. In general, it is the media stars of world ballet that attract me. Those who are not focused only on ballet. Yes, you need to be very immersed in your profession, but in order to gain new inspiration, you need to develop in all areas. I really like stars who collaborate with fashion brands and do some other things in art. I think this is great, and if a person really has enough talent for everything, then why not. Viewers are very attracted when they can buy, for example, perfume created by their favorite star. After all, ballet is also not eternal. Ballerinas retire at 40 and have to do something else after that.

Stanislava Postnova is only 18 years old, but she is already predicted to have a great future. This year, the young ballerina graduates from the Moscow State Academy of Choreography, tirelessly prepares her own projects and appears in glossy magazines. At the same time, she has enough strength to lead Instagram, which has more than a hundred thousand subscribers, and draw pictures. We met with Stanislava and found out how ballerinas really live, and most importantly, what we can expect from an Academy graduate starting her career in the future.

Tell us how you got into ballet?

Initially, it was not my choice, but rather the decision of my parents. Naturally, it is unlikely that at the age of 3 a child can independently choose his profession. And the parents themselves did not think then that everything would end so seriously. I don’t have a ballet family, so no one wanted to make me a professional ballerina. And then one day, after six months of classes, my parents and I went to the ballet “The Nutcracker,” and, to their surprise, the action on stage fascinated me so much that then everyone understood that something would come of it.

It turns out that you have been studying and dancing all your life. What difficulties do you face while studying?

In general, these are rather the difficulties of our profession. First of all, it’s hard mentally, because you need to have incredible willpower. For example, when you have a performance in the evening, you can finish at 11 o'clock. By the time you wash off your makeup, take off your suit and come home, it’s already about one in the morning, and tomorrow you need to go to class and continue working as if nothing had happened. Many people lack some kind of inner core and willpower not to stop.

Apparently, you have enough! You are an excellent student, everyone will probably envy you. What is your relationship with the girls inside the academy?

I am not looking for friends or enemies either in the academy or in this profession in general. I try to communicate smoothly with everyone. Of course, there are kind and understanding people who know how to be friends and, despite the fact that we are in the same profession, they do not envy. Often there are people who are completely opposite. I just personally try to stay away from them.

What about diet? There are all sorts of horror stories that many girls starve themselves before the control weigh-in. This is true?

Yes, it’s true - there are weigh-ins twice a year. Of course, if you're on the weight chart, that's nice, but if you look good and have good muscles, then weight isn't that important. I don’t presume to speak for others, but I can judge from myself - if you work every day, you don’t have to limit yourself. On the contrary, there will be no strength from malnutrition

Many people lack the inner core and willpower not to stop

But do you still somehow monitor your diet? You often post various sweets on Instagram, which to a person outside the ballet seem like a crime against the figure.

I don't really have a specific eating schedule or how many calories I should consume per day, I eat intuitively. Let’s say, if I want to eat a chocolate bar, I can afford it, because I know that if not today, then tomorrow I will have a difficult rehearsal. Of course, my priority is foods such as meat, fish, vegetables, like any healthy person who takes care of himself. Just trying to eat a balanced diet with all the vitamins.

How long do classes usually last?

According to the schedule, the school day begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 6:30 p.m. every day. This year I do this every day, plus rehearsals begin after 18:00 if you are preparing for some competition or project.

Do you have a lot of them now?

The most important event of this year for all graduates is the graduation concert, which will take place in mid-May on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater. A lot of material is being prepared for it now, but I don’t want to say yet what it will be. I don't want to jinx it.

How does a graduate manage to be a social media ballet star with 110 thousand followers on Instagram? Does it bother you that so many people are following your life?

My Instagram journey is actually quite interesting. When I first registered in it, I was 14 years old, and I did not have any clear understanding of how and why I would run it. I started posting ballet photographs and realized that people were interested in it, especially foreigners. In general, I slowly began to develop my page, and probably that year the peak of its popularity occurred. After I posted just a few videos on my page at the beginning of last year, people started sending so many messages, hundreds of likes began to come. My phone was just blinking non-stop! And it really started to scare me. People became interested in me, and I myself realized that I probably need to develop my Instagram. Everything went gradually - first 20 thousand, then 40, then 80...

I try not to pay attention, because, firstly, this is everyone’s opinion and you cannot please everyone. People can have their own position, and I respect and accept it. Criticism is always good. But, of course, it is better that it is adequate.

If you work every day, you don’t have to limit yourself in food

In general, for the average consumer the world of ballet is so mysterious and enchanting, and quite often this gives rise to all sorts of sane and not so sane film adaptations. What thoughts do you have when watching some Black Swan?

In these films, of course, everything is exaggerated a hundred times, because the people who create them often have no idea what really happens in ballet life. Yes, of course, when feathers come out of their backs on the screen, this is a beautiful metaphor for some psychological problems that ballerinas actually have due to stress. But it’s better not to endure such things.

But at the same time, you quite often use Instagram as a kind of personal diary. Do you want to convey some of your thoughts to people? Or why is all this?

I want this page to reflect my essence, talk about my life, and therefore everything that happens on it is there, and everything that is important to me or that I just want to convey to others. I'm just posting this from the heart.

Regarding personal experiences and stress. How do you relax?

For me, the best way to relieve stress is to go out and work. When you dance, you forget about everything. For me, this is such an internal high when you don’t think about anything else, you’re just alone with yourself.

Do you really go to training every day like this, tirelessly and happily?

Of course not. In the mornings, and even in winter, of course, it can be difficult to force yourself to do something. When I want to distract myself, I draw. Or sometimes after a good day of work you can have a good rest - I have friends from outside the ballet community with whom I can go somewhere in the evening. Of course, there are not many of them due to the fact that I am at the academy six days a week, and the seventh is spent on some household chores. But I like to communicate with people from different fields, because I hear something new from them, I get inspiration from communication, and that’s great. The worst thing is to withdraw into yourself. You need to constantly be in search, look for something new.

So, in addition to dancing talent, you also have artistic abilities?

For me, drawing is a kind of meditation. I don’t have a specific disposition: if today I want to go paint in oils, I’ll go to the studio on Patriarch’s Street. If I want, I’ll go and make a sketch. It’s just that when I was a child, I also did drawing professionally, and then I gave up at the age of 10. But some skills remained.

The best way to relieve stress is to go out and work

If it weren't for ballet, would you have become an artist?

More like a designer.

Do you follow fashion? Which designers do you like?

Russians! Yanina, of course, she is incomparable, and Tatyana Parfenova.

Returning to the topic of social networks. I know that now, sooner or later, all questions come down to them, but nevertheless, how do you feel about the fact that now many ballet dancers, take Polunin, Roberto Bolle, Diana Vishneva, for example, are a kind of media rock stars from the world of ballet ? At the same time, there are other talented ballerinas, such as Svetlana Zakharova, who generally avoid the Internet. Do you think social media does not distract viewers and fans from the real talent?

I don’t presume to judge for those people who don’t lead them, but personally I like that I can see what my idol Diana Vishneva, figuratively speaking, ate for breakfast today. In general, it is the media stars of world ballet that attract me. Those who are not focused only on ballet. Yes, you need to be very immersed in your profession, but in order to gain new inspiration, you need to develop in all areas. I really like stars who collaborate with fashion brands and do some other things in art. I think this is great, and if a person really has enough talent for everything, then why not. Viewers are very attracted when they can buy, for example, perfume created by their favorite star. After all, ballet is also not eternal. Ballerinas retire at 40 and have to do something else after that.

Of course, you are still far from retirement. But nevertheless, what would you like to do after ballet?

Of course, I plan to do some of my own projects. I want to get an education to become a ballet critic. I follow the articles carefully and this really attracts me. I think that this can be easily combined with work in the fashion industry. I also want to try myself in modern choreography.

You say you read ballet criticism. As a future critic, what performance have you enjoyed lately?

The last one that struck me was Balanchine’s “Jewels” at the Bolshoi Theater. This was not the first time I watched this production. Great actors, good cast, impeccable costumes - it was amazing. In principle, I am attracted to Balanchine’s choreography, and I myself study it with interest, but costumes and music are also important.

Would you like to go abroad or dance in Russia?

Of course, I want to stay in Russia, because Russian ballet is considered the best in the whole world. For the first 3-5 years I want to gain a base, and then develop to get a level higher than I have in my academy. Because abroad there will be more work with oneself, but here I would like to work with great teachers.

For example, with whom?

My dream is to work with Marina Kondratieva, a teacher at the Bolshoi Theater. The second dream is Lyudmila Kovaleva, Diana Vishneva’s teacher. I was able to talk to her, and she is an incredible woman, ballerina, artist.

Do you have a dream ballet role?

It would be trite, of course, to say “Swan Lake,” but in fact the ballet of my dreams is also “La Bayadère” by Ludwig Minkus.

Photo and video: Fedor Bitkov

Style: Oksana Dyachenko

Interview: Ksenia Obukhovskaya

Makeup: Sergey Naumov

Hairstyle: Yulia Bushmakina

Producer: Magdalena Kupreishvili

Born in Moscow. In 2017, she graduated with honors from the Moscow State Academy of Choreography (teacher Irina Pyatkina) and was accepted into the Bolshoi Theater ballet troupe. Rehearses under the direction of Lyudmila Semenyaka.

During her studies, she took part in performances at the Bolshoi Theater. In 2010 and 2015 took part in the tour of the Moscow State Academic Academy of Arts in Greece: in the ballet “The Nutcracker” by P. Tchaikovsky (choreography by V. Vainonen) she performed the role of Columbine, and was engaged in Pas de Trois, Russian dance, Chinese dance, Rose Waltz and Waltz of Snowflakes. Also in the repertoire: “Russian” to the music of P. Tchaikovsky (choreography by K. Goleizovsky), 5th duet from the ballet “The Phantom Ball” to the music of F. Chopin (choreography by D. Bryantsev), variations - Lilac Fairies, Tender Fairies from the ballet “The Sleeping Beauty” by P. Tchaikovsky (choreography by M. Petipa), Kitri from the ballet “Don Quixote” by L. Minkus (choreography by A. Gorsky), Gulnara from the ballet “Corsair” by A. Adam (choreography by M. Petipa), Pas de deux to music by P. Tchaikovsky (choreography by J. Balanchine) and many others.

Repertoire

2017
pas de deux(“Giselle” by A. Adam, choreography by J. Coralli, J. Perrot, M. Petipa, revised by Y. Grigorovich)
four dryads(“Don Quixote” by L. Minkus, choreography by A. Gorsky in the second edition by A. Fadeechev)
Columbine(“The Nutcracker” by P. Tchaikovsky, choreography by Yu. Grigorovich)

2018
four swans(“Swan Lake” by P. Tchaikovsky in the second edition by Yu. Grigorovich, fragments of choreography by M. Petipa, L. Ivanov, A. Gorsky were used)
Le Travail/Work (four)(“Coppelia” by L. Delibes, choreography by M. Petipa and E. Cecchetti, production and new choreographic version by S. Vikharev)
pas de sis(“La Sylphide” by H. S. Levenskold, choreography by A. Bournonville, revised by J. Kobborg)

2019
Amur("Don Quixote")
Congo(“The Pharaoh’s Daughter” by C. Pugni, staged by P. Lacotte after M. Petipa)
maids of honor, Fairy of Carefree, White cat(“Sleeping Beauty” by P. Tchaikovsky, choreography by M. Petipa, revised by Yu. Grigorovich)
Galya(“Bright Stream” by D. Shostakovich, staged by A. Ratmansky)
flowers(“Parisian Fun” to music by J. Offenbach / M. Rosenthal, choreography by M. Bejart) — participant in the premiere at the Bolshoi Theater

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18-year-old Stanislava Postnova is a graduate student at the Moscow State Academy of Choreography. The fragile girl’s arsenal includes a silver medal at the Yuri Grigorovich International Competition “Young Ballet of the World”, an army of 100 thousand followers on Instagram and collaboration with the Nike brand (Stanislava became the face of the new Black & White collection). The young ballerina told ELLE about her relationship with fashion, stereotypes associated with ballet, and the daily routine of the future prima of the best theaters in the world.

ELLE Is ballet as scary as it is described? Professional injuries, competition between colleagues, grueling diets - constant companions of any ballerina?

STANISLAV POSTNOV Indeed, in our profession there are occupational injuries, no one is immune from them. Another question is, if you work with your head and distribute physical activity correctly, injuries can be avoided or at least reduced in number. When you are very tired and do not fully control your actions, it is often your tired legs that cause injuries. Therefore, I believe that you should always work wisely, in any condition, and it is better to finish on time than to get injured.

Not everything is clear with diets either. When I work very hard, I simply don’t have time to eat. I have never specifically limited myself in food and probably never will. You need to eat a balanced diet so that you have enough strength and muscles develop correctly. In general, I don’t presume to judge for others, but I didn’t exhaust myself with diets, I didn’t starve myself in any way, because all this negatively affects the body. In addition, I know from my own experience: if I don’t eat a hearty meal in the evening, then in the morning I wake up exhausted, with a work day ahead.

Competition is truly present in our profession. I try to avoid communicating with very envious people, I simply isolate myself from them. In our profession there are also kind, understanding people who will always help and with whom you can be friends. I think it all depends on the environment, on the people. If a person is self-sufficient and is satisfied with everything both in life and in his profession, then normal healthy competition can develop.

ELLE What is the “gold standard” of a ballerina - height, weight, parameters?

S.P. Complex issue. Yes, there is a standard set of data that every ballerina should have. This, of course, is a step, a beautiful high foot, a rise, an eversion, a jump, flexibility of the joints. Appearance is very important: a ballerina must be slim, have long arms and legs. Musicality and expressiveness are important. Naturally, each dancer has his own shortcomings, and the further distribution largely depends on the set of positive qualities: who becomes the leading soloist and who becomes a corps de ballet dancer. However, almost all the initial data can be developed. I don't think there is a specific standard. Each ballerina touches the viewer with her personal, unique qualities and captivates her with her individuality. Ballet is an art, and art should not have clear boundaries.

ELLE How does your day usually go?

S.P. I'm usually busy from 9 am to 8 pm. Classes at the academy are held as scheduled, we start at 9 and finish at 18.30. Sometimes we come to the second or third pair. We have both general education and special subjects. This, of course, is not mathematics and physics, but, for example, the history of theater, ballet, and musical literature. Among the special subjects, the most important and fundamental for us is classical dance. This is a kind of professional exercise that is necessarily present in the life of a ballerina both during her studies and while working in the theater. In addition to classes, there are rehearsals throughout the day, so by the evening you are always tired and your muscles are sore. Therefore, most of us use even the lunch break for other purposes: we quickly have a snack and have time to sleep in order to regain some strength. In the evening after classes, I usually go to the theater, work with teachers there and gain skills from those who have achieved a lot in the profession. It’s very cool that the culture of ballet is passed on from generation to generation.

ELLE Do you have any favorite parts of ballet training?

S.P. One of my favorite movements at the barre is adagio. These are slow smooth movements to beautiful wide music. I like it when beautiful music sounds and you can fill its pauses with feelings, breathe your emotions into it through movement. This is how true beauty and grace are born.

ELLE Is there room for anything other than regular grueling rehearsals? Sports, hobbies?

S.P. I don't have much free time. And when it appears - it could be the end of the working day or a weekend - I love meeting with friends: I get additional inspiration and positive energy from this.

My main hobby is drawing. Almost every weekend I try to go to the studio and paint. It could be an oil painting or a simple sketch; it really helps me relax and meditate. I think in our profession it is very important to be distracted, because we need additional recharging, both physical and emotional. Therefore, I try to allocate part of my time to going with friends to the cinema, to the drama theater. I go to the pool: I love swimming and it’s very good for my muscles.

ELLE Tell us about your diet.

S.P. I eat everything, but not as much as I would like. With such an intense schedule of classes and rehearsals, it is very important to eat, otherwise you will not have the strength. I was lucky: genetically I was given such a metabolism that the calories received from sweets and cakes do not affect my figure. In the morning I can have coffee with a croissant or yoghurt, then during the day at the academy I hardly eat, only have a small snack. These could be bars, muesli, fruits or vegetables. In short breaks between classes I drink tea or water. I usually sleep during the lunch break; a hearty lunch will in any case be superfluous before classes or rehearsals. And only in the evening can I afford a full dinner, sometimes it can even be pizza or pasta. I know that this is not very correct, but if I don’t eat in the evening, then in the morning I will wake up exhausted.

ELLE Were there moments when you wanted to leave ballet?

S.P. Many people ask this question. I will definitely say no, because I believe that ballet is my life. Yes, there are difficult moments when your hands give up, you have no strength, your muscles ache and your soul is empty inside. But for me, in this case, the best medicine is to stand at the machine and continue working. Dance heals me, my body, my soul. My life would be impossible without this.

ELLE Where do you get the motivation to continue even if you give up?

S.P. The best motivation is to go and continue working. Teachers often have a positive influence on me. They will always find the right words, because they themselves were in similar situations more than once when they were dancers. The shoulder of loved ones, teachers, friends, loved ones and dear people always helps a lot. Video recordings of various ballet stars dancing also help me. I can spend an evening staring at the computer and non-stop watching different ballets or the same ballet performed by different dancers, and this has a tremendous effect on me: when you see such great people, there is a wild desire to work, to develop further.

ELLE Is there a list of roles that every ballerina dreams of performing? Which ones are you dreaming of?

S.P. I understand that now as a dancer I am learning, developing, and every day, every week I become interested in new frameworks, new projects, new choreography. And perhaps the list that I will name will change dramatically in six months. First of all, of course, these are golden classics: leading roles in Tchaikovsky’s ballets “Swan Lake”, Minkus’s “Don Quixote”, in the beautiful ballet “La Bayadère”, where Nikiya is the role of my dreams, my whole life. Just as many people like to dream about “Swan Lake”, about the role of Odette or Odile, so all my life I have been dreaming about the role of Nikia in the ballet “La Bayadère”.

I am also attracted to modern choreography. I like to create something new, to work directly with the choreographer. So, for example, I worked on the number “Dialogue with myself” with Andrei Merkuriev, the leading soloist of the Bolshoi Theater. We created this number together and selected the music. Naturally, Andrei created the movements, but he was always in favor of listening to me as a performer: how I feel this movement, what should I do better.

And, of course, I can’t forget about neoclassics, such as the choreography and productions of George Balanchine. For me, this is probably the second standard of how a person can move in space to music. I really like one of Balanchine’s productions - the ballet “Jewels” and the part of the diamond. This is an incredibly mesmerizing sight - my second dream party after Nikiya.

ELLE On which stages, besides the Bolshoi, is it considered the most prestigious to perform? Where would you like to perform?

S.P. I think it’s no secret to anyone that the two best Russian theaters are the Bolshoi and the Mariinsky. I will even be bold enough to say that these are the two best theaters in the world. If Russian ballet is the best in the world, then its two leading theaters can be considered temples of all ballet art. Of course, I would be interested in working with troupes and dancing on the stages of theaters such as the Opera Garnier in Paris, La Scala in Italy, and Covent Garden in London. Many of my friends live in the English capital, and I would like that someday they could come to the theater and watch me as a guest ballerina. In general, going on any stage for me is happiness and a sea of ​​positive emotions. Of course, the larger the scale of the stage, the higher the responsibility and excitement, but now, when I’m just starting my journey, I so want to dance, create, constantly do something, transform into new images, that for me every appearance on stage is small holiday. At the moment I dream of dancing on all stages of the world.

ELLE What do fashion and style mean to you?

S.P. Style for me is a combination of individuality, impeccable taste and comfort. When it’s comfortable for me, when it’s my color and style, only then am I sure that I look decent. For me, this is equally important in everyday life, in classes, and at performances. For example, at the beginning of a lesson or rehearsal, we like to put on everything at once so that we are warm and the muscles warm up - I even try to match such warm-up things to each other: leg warmers, shorts, a thin woolen jacket and vest. Everything should be in the same style.

ELLE Ballet is usually associated with beauty and elegance. Is there room for sportswear and sneakers, for example?

S.P. And how! Sneakers always help out: I always have a spare pair in my locker in the academy locker room, because in the evening my feet get so tired that it’s impossible to fit into any other shoes other than comfortable sneakers.

ELLE What are you most comfortable in to train in?

S.P. The ballet uniform at the academy is a leotard, tights and a thin chiffon skirt. Everything is as open as possible so that teachers can see the work of the muscles and all our movements. After all, the task of training at the academy is precisely to practice all the basic movements and bring your professional form to the ideal. And then, while working in the theater, this base will be superimposed on the artist’s acting skills and individuality - everything that makes up talent and the ability to live a whole life on stage.

ELLE Tell us how your life has changed after you became popular on Instagram?

S.P. When I started running Instagram, I didn’t think that I could achieve so many subscribers. Initially, my goal was to show the world my ballet achievements, everyday life, what I do and how I live. Later, I began posting ballet videos and photographs, they were published by popular ballet pages - and so subscribers slowly began to come. When I had about 20 thousand subscribers, I started working with professionals in the photography genre, together we made amazing shots, fashion projects, and interest in my page began to grow even faster. Now more than 100 thousand subscribers follow me on Instagram, and I still show my life in ballet and my development, reality with pros and cons, I tell it like it is. Subscribers especially like videos of the work process, performances and our exams - something that usually remains behind the scenes.

ELLE Do you feel that you can influence your audience, do you feel any responsibility for your posts?

S.P. I started asking this question not long ago. At some point I realized that people were really interested in what I wrote and posted. I used to write my thoughts on Instagram, post pictures that I liked, and didn’t think about anything. Now I really understand that I have a responsibility to the audience, to the people who read me. I can’t write any nonsense anymore, I have to be responsible for the quality of photographs and texts. Despite the new responsibility, I understand that I still have to do it with my soul, leave my individuality and keep a live blog without any templates, retouched photographs and contrived texts.

ELLE Do you have any idols you look up to?

S.P. Diana Vishneva. I admire her dedication and energy. Charisma, beauty, strength - she has it all. I wonder how she manages to combine work in the genre of classical dance with experiments in the field of modern choreography. Every year, her Context festival brings together the best choreographers in the world with modern productions. Diana is multifaceted even outside the profession of a ballerina: she actively participates in social life, collaborates with major brands, tries herself in different roles and projects. Ballet is 90% of our life, but it is not our whole life. Like Diana, I do not plan to sit in one place and limit my development only to the sphere of ballet.

Stanislava Postnova, a graduate student at the Moscow State Academy of Choreography, told Zefir Ballet about how clothes make an artist stand out from the crowd, how to cope with rehearsals at 11 pm and why not thinking while dancing is the secret of success.

Zefir Ballet:Judging by your Instagram account, you love beautiful clothes, fashion in general, and lifestyle. Did you grow up in such an atmosphere? Did your parents instill this love in you?

Stanislava Postnova: Yes, parents. My mother is very interested in fashion, she always tries to look beautiful. Although her profession is not related to fashion, but to languages, she loves fashion herself and makes sure that I always look good.

ZB: At what age did you start dressing yourself and designing your own outfits?

JV: At 10. My dad and I went on a tour of Europe, and one of the countries was Italy. Then my mother was not with us and we had to choose clothes ourselves. Of course, she scolded me a little when she saw what things I chose.

ZB: At the age of 10, they are just accepted into the ballet school. Tell me, did the decision to go to a professional ballet school influence your choice of clothes?

JV: No, because I’ve been doing ballet since I was two years old.

ZB: Ballet costumes and their aesthetic side still influence the way you dress.

JV: Naturally, it influences - an artist can always be distinguished from the crowd. Artists are distinguished by their vision of style: they always dress with a twist, of course, not always successfully; They borrow something from the stage - bright costumes, a lot of jewelry, decorative elements.

ZB: What inspires you when choosing clothes?

JV: Art. Fashion is also an art, and my sources of inspiration are fashion magazines and paintings.

ZB: Unusual cuts and colors in a very conservative and specific area of ​​​​fashion - ballet clothing - can also be inspiring. Which Zefir Ballet collection is your favorite?

JV: Floral, I especially love the combination of plain swimsuits with brightly printed skirts.

ZB: How would you describe your style?

JV: Elegant and practical, for every day, but not something ordinary and sporty, but with an element of elegance.

ZB: What is practicality?

JV: This is when I can go to the academy in the morning and continue in the evening at the theater or restaurant.

ZB: Sneakers won't do?

JV: Hardly. Sneakers are most likely to work when I go to the gym on the weekend or when my feet are really sore after rehearsals.

ZB: By the way, what do you wear after the most difficult, many-hour rehearsals?

JV: I always have a pair of sneakers at school. If I feel like I can’t walk in ballet flats or boots, I put on sneakers; it’s good that the walk is close to home.

ZB: What are you uncomfortable wearing?

JV: It depends on the mood and the place. I don’t like stretched sweatshirts and huge sweaters—I feel uncomfortable in them.

ZB: Tell us about your favorite rehearsal clothes.

JV: I love to surprise teachers and classmates. Most often I love to wear sweater shorts, pink and purple, and leg warmers. At first, this surprised many, even made them laugh. I like that my legs stay warm, and in winter, when the heating is poor, I wear leg warmers and pants on top. My muscles warm up pretty quickly and cool down pretty quickly.

Stanislav is wearing a Zefir Ballet Phaeton leotard (dark blue)

ZВ: Are you allowed to wear all this?

JV: During class, no, but in the hallway, yes. It can be cold, but many people like to warm up without anything - they believe that the muscles do not work properly when they are warm. I am not a supporter of such barbaric methods, because I am already a freezing person. Often in winter I do the barre and only at the grand battement do I feel that I have warmed up, although I warmed up in everything warm. Therefore, in the warm season, I often wear sneakers on my feet, which I wear to school, and in winter, these are, of course, warm-up slippers.

ZВ: Are you in favor of a uniform at the academy or are you in favor of being able to do whatever you want?

JV: I will now dispel this myth about the form, because it depends on the teacher. If the teacher who teaches the class allows you to wear different colored swimsuits with different skirts, then you can wear whatever you want. Naturally, a fuchsia swimsuit is unlikely to be welcome. Our teacher has become loyal - before she was stricter, but now, of course, she can ask everyone to wear black for at least a week, otherwise it will dazzle our eyes. Younger teachers hardly pay attention to this: there is a teacher who dances at the Bolshoi Theater, and she is used to everyone dressing the way they want.

ZB:Do you want to wear bright colors in the theater or do you like a neutral uniform?

JV: According to my mood: on some day I want to stand out in order to attract attention, on another day, when there was a late rehearsal, I wanted to wear something discreet.

ZВ: How do you feel about the fact that everyone in the theater dresses however they want? What would you like to wear that you can't wear at the academy?

JV: I like colorful leggings. Everyone in the theater is already an adult, and no one will force them to wear a uniform, however, sometimes this is not very correct. When in 2015 they filmed the day of the ballet, which was broadcast to the whole world inyoutube , and other theater troupes were dressed in neutral pink tights, and the men were in long tights, not shorts, at the Bolshoi everyone was dressed too colorfully. I think that for one day we can agree to dress more casually and not exercise in slippers. If you allow yourself to act like this, it doesn’t mean that it’s normal for the whole world; after all, this is the best theater in the country. Neutral clothing or uniform is, first of all, self-discipline and how you show yourself from the outside.

Stanislav is wearing a Zefir Ballet Cousteau leotard (gray)

ZB: A couple of weeks ago you returned withVI International Yuri Grigorovich Competition “Young Ballet of the World”, where she took2nd prize and silver medal.

Why did you decide to participate in it?

JV: It was not my decision - our school sent several students who, in the opinion of the teachers, turned out to be worthy of this. I was presented with the fact that I could participate and had to show the academy.

ZB: What were you dancing?

JV: Four variations - one folk, one modern, a variation from Balanchine's pas-de-deux, the Lilac Fairy, a third shadow from La Bayadère and a variation of Raymonde.

ZB: What are your general impressions of the competition?

JV: I liked it very much. This is my first competition, and I thought it would be more difficult. The hardest thing is rehearsing, because the scene is given for five minutes, and you need to have time to change the costume several times. There is only one such rehearsal, and therefore you need to come one hundred percent prepared in order to be confident in all the movements. Another difficulty is that on our stage at school we have a roll (the angle of inclination of the stage to create perspective. - Ed.), and at the competition there was an absolutely flat stage, on which, of course, it is convenient to rotate, but you need to get used to it. It turns out that after arriving, the next day there is a rehearsal in the morning, and the first round in the evening.

ZB: Did you feel like the competition was more of a competition, whereas ballet was more about art?

JV: It rather seemed that some people were creating an atmosphere of competition. They were ready to go over their heads, but, fortunately, they did not make it to the third round. 5 girls and 5 boys from America, Japan, Ukraine and Russia reached the end. We had a friendly atmosphere, everyone helped each other. To be honest, I thought that this wouldn’t happen, but it so happened that the atmosphere was more creative than tense. I really enjoyed it and, if the academy allows it, I would like to participate in competitions in the future.

ZB: This was your first competition. It was scary?

JV: It was difficult in the second round. I understood that the very weak ones had been weeded out, and I had to continue to move on. It’s difficult when yesterday you danced all day, and today, instead of a day off or an easy class, you need to work again. My legs hurt, it was hard and hot: the climate was not very suitable for work. On the one hand, in five minutes you warm up and do the splits, but, on the other hand, your legs begin to hurt and swell in the evening, and the tour is just in the evening. It was difficult when the second round ended, and I realized that I was already a graduate, and I needed to show myself in the third round if I wanted to take some place.

ZB: It turns out that all the rehearsals took place every day and you had no rest?

JV: Practically. The next day after the first round, the second round took place, and the rehearsal on stage with lights and music took place in the morning. We had to tell the sound engineer when to turn on the music, and in my modern room there was a difficult way out: I first made a few movements, and only then the music turned on. It was difficult to explain. The third round was in the morning, and before it the rehearsal was scheduled for me at 11 pm. Then I wanted to sleep more than to rehearse; I was last in order. Some rehearsed at 9 am, 3 hours before the tour, and some rehearsed late in the evening - it happened by lot.

ZB: Congratulations on your successful debut in the competition, despite all the difficulties. Tell us what is your favorite thing about ballet as an art form?

JV: I like the fact that it's a way to forget. If I’m in a bad mood in the morning, bad weather, then when I come to the hall and start dancing, I can forget about everything. On the one hand, it’s scary on stage: you’re very worried, but in the end, it’s self-emancipation. You just move, but your head is empty. You don't think about anything, dance and get high. This is probably the most interesting thing, besides the beautiful costumes and flowers.

ZB: A blank mind is good during class when you need to memorize a sequence of movements with your body rather than your head. And when you are on stage in the image of, say, the Lilac Fairy, do you have no thoughts at all, or do you concentrate and think about your image?

JV: The worst thing is when you start thinking about something while driving, I notice this in class. If I make a movement and there are some thoughts in my head, that’s it, it’s the end. You start to think and lose coordination of movements, so you need to leave a void in your head and think about the image in advance. To do this, you need to take additional rehearsals if there are not enough of them, but you cannot do this on stage. Even without this, there are many factors that provoke it: the worst thing is when you slip on stage or are blinded by spotlights. Unexpected situations are the worst thing, because you start to think about them and lose the thread of the image, spirituality, and contact with the viewer. You must dance for the audience, you must not do anything on stage for yourself. In my opinion, you should give yourself completely to the viewer, and you need to think in advance.

ZB: Have you successfully gotten out of such situations? Did you pull yourself together?

JV: Yes. It’s uncomfortable when something doesn’t work out for you on stage, and everyone is looking at you, the spotlights are shining, you’re in a tight suit and you’re hot; giving in to emotions in such situations is unprofessional. I'm trying to get rid of this. At such moments, panic sets in, and I am a very emotional person and a perfectionist. I know that many artists fail the variations, but there is still a whole ballet ahead, and, of course, this must be overcome.

ZB: What don’t you like about ballet?

JV: It’s annoying when your nails fall off. This situation constantly haunts me. You need to work further, but your work capacity is reduced from three hours to an hour, because it is very difficult to endure such pain. It's impossible to predict when this will happen. It’s one thing when your feet start to hurt after an hour of rehearsal, but it’s another thing when you’ve just put on your toes (pointe shoes - editor’s note) and you’re no longer comfortable. And I also don’t like general mass rehearsals, when there are a lot of people and it’s difficult for teachers to organize everyone quickly. I understand that time and energy are quickly running out before everyone gets together. And when the nails fell off and there was a general rehearsal, it was absolutely terrifying.(laughs).

Stanislav is wearing a Zefir Ballet Phaeton leotard (turquoise)

ZB: Where would you like to dance in the future? Is there an ideal option and an acceptable one?

JV: I would like to work in a theater where I will be appreciated, where I will be needed, and there will be a contract where I will understand that I can further develop. I am always for development and don’t want to sit in one place, so this will be a theater where I will see self-development.

ZB: In Russia or abroad?

JV: This is a difficult question, I will audition for different theaters, but it all depends on the repertoire and terms of the contract.

Model - Stanislava Postnova, Makeup - Anita Pudikova, Stylist - Liliya Kosyreva, Clothes - Zefir Ballet (denim clothes are the property of the stylist), Photographer - Katerina Ternovskaya, Photography assistant - Daria Lobkovskaya