Olga Smirnova, Leaps and Bounds

Until March 2022, Olga Smirnova was one of the top dancers at the Bolshoi, performing roles in a large swathe of the repertory, everything from Odette in “Swan Lake” to Marguerite Gauthier in John Neumeier’s “Lady of the Camellias” and Bianca in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s “Taming of the Shrew.” She was an infrequent visitor to New York, though she appeared in Natalia Makarova’s “La Bayadère” at American Ballet Theatre in 2014 and took part in the now legendary performances of George Balanchine’s “Jewels” at the Lincoln Center Festival in 2017, in which each section—”Emeralds,” “Rubies,” “Diamonds”—was taken on by dancers from the Paris Opéra, New York City Ballet, and the Bolshoi, respectively. I wrote at the time that Smirnova “seemed to swim in the music, like a magic creature.”

Olga Smirnova and Artemy Belyakov in “Giselle.” Photograph by Damir Yusupov | Bolshoi Theatre

Her previous life came to an end in early 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine and Smirnova made the brave decision to leave her job, family, and life in Moscow behind. Days before, she had declared herself “against this war with every fiber of my soul” on the social media platform Telegram. At the time, several Russian dancers made such statements. Many erased them soon after, but not Smirnova. In March of 2022 she and her husband moved to Amsterdam, where she joined the Dutch National Ballet. She has been there ever since.

Since arriving, she has danced “Raymonda” and “Giselle” and works by Hans van Manen and Jiří Kylián, as well as Jerome Robbins’s “Other Dances.” In the fall of 2022 she appeared in van Manen’s “Variations for Two Couples” at Fall for Dance in New York. And this Saturday, June 21, she will dance the role of Giselle alongside Daniel Camargo with American Ballet Theatre at the Metropolitan Opera House. It is a ballet she has danced before, many times, in many different versions. At a recent rehearsal, she and Camargo worked their way through the ballet, step by step, glance by glance. Smirnova’s focus was extraordinary—as soon as the music began, she seemed to enter another world. She spent a long time practicing a single gesture, the “prayer” hands with which Giselle pleads with the Queen of the Wilis to allow her lover, Albrecht, to live. Each finger was distinct, expressive, beautiful, like the fingers of a figure in a Verrocchio painting.

Smirnova’s Giselle was quiet and inward, trusting and delicate; Camargo’s Albrecht full of confidence and an almost irresistible attentiveness. They worked with the coaches Irina Kolpakova and Julio Bocca, both legends in their own right, who offered gentle guidance and suggestions. They worked like jewelers. At one point Kolpakova placed her hand—also beautiful—on Smirnova’s back, shoulder, and ribcage, gently shaping the relationship between the arm and torso, like a sculptor. She also encouraged Smirnova, who from time to time seemed to question herself. Perfectionism is no joke. “Don’t worry,” said Kolpakova, “it is so interesting to see you find your own way.”

Smirnova and I spoke before that rehearsal. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

So, you’re here in New York, preparing to dance “Giselle” with American Ballet Theatre. What is your relationship to “Giselle”?

It is one of my favorites, because you have the opportunity to focus on the acting and the story. Before I go onstage I’m not thinking about having to do double or triple pirouettes or balances or other technical challenges, but I focus on my character’s behavior and reactions. This way the technique is woven into the narrative and brings me the pleasure of living Giselle’s life on stage.

I saw you dance it in Moscow in 2019—that was the Ratmansky version, based on historical sources. How many versions have you danced at this point?

Many: by Grigorovich and by Ratmansky at the Bolshoi, the Mariinsky’s version, Dutch National’s by Rachel Beaujean and Ricardo Bustamante, another one in Vienna, by Elena Tchernichova. And now this one, by Kevin McKenzie. Mostly they are very similar, with little differences in the choreography and with a similar interpretation of Giselle’s character. Except the one by Ratmansky, who changed the traditional notion of Giselle. He wanted her to be bright and vivid, without any emphasis on her weak heart.

Olga Smirnova and Jacopo Tissi in Jerome Robbins' “Other Dances.” Photograph by Altin Kaftira

This is your first time dancing with Daniel Camargo. How is your partnership developing as you rehearse together?

The stage will show the final result, but I think our creative union might be interesting. He has chosen not the most common interpretation. Mostly my Albrechts have been fully in love with Giselle, and then in the second act their hearts are truly broken. But Daniel wants to be a Count and his relationship with this young and naïve peasant girl is more like an entertainment or a game for him. And then the second act will be for him less about understanding the enormity of Giselle’s love and more about feeling guilt.

Does that change your approach?

It makes my Giselle more naïve. She is in love with Albrecht as an ideal, perfect man. It’s as if she is making up her own reality, without receiving true emotions from him. It might be quite a strong and interesting interpretation. The most important thing is to make it legible for the audience.

You’ve been working with Irina Kolpakova in the studio. Of course, you studied at the Vaganova Academy, the same school where she studied in the 1940s. What has it been like to be coached by her?

It’s the first time we’ve worked together. First of all, you feel the history and connection with legends like Agrippina Vaganova. The other day she was talking about her experiences at the school and the atmosphere in the studios when she was studying there. To hear about Vaganova from a person who saw her and worked with her is incredible. We instantly had a connection, but I think she wanted to get to know me and my approach in rehearsals a bit more. I told her I really wanted her help, and she began showing things in rehearsal more and more, especially the arms. It’s very inspiring and precious to receive corrections from her.

Do you have someone like that at the Dutch National Ballet?

In Amsterdam, I work on all the classical ballets with Larissa Lezhnina, who is also from the same school. It helps me to preserve our style, the Petersburg style, which I think is one of the best. Of course there are other great schools—French, English—but the Russian school is one of the greatest.

Did you have to adapt your way of dancing when you went to Dutch National?

Not really. In the classical repertoire, I work with Larissa in a way I completely understand. But when we are preparing other repertoire, we work with the choreographer or the stagers, so we have a direct connection with the people who can coach us in the style in which we’re going to perform. Besides the classics, we have Hans van Manen’s ballets, and these are our heritage.

What is it like to work with van Manen?

It’s like working with a legend. We prepare everything with the ballet-masters and then he comes in for the last rehearsals to give us the final corrections, like a master. It’s always more about the mood and intention. In one rehearsal of “Variations for Two Couples,” the last section, “Tango,” he asked me, “Can it be more ‘dirty’? He wanted to see more sensuality, sexiness. I like how direct his corrections are, so you understand them immediately. It’s like his choreography, which is about minimalism, equality between men and women, and incredible musicality.

What have been some of the highlights of your time with the company?

I was part of the historical event when the company performed the work of Jiří Kylián for the first time. There have always been two companies, Dutch National and Netherlands Dance Theater; one had Kylián, the other had Hans van Manen and the classical repertoire, and Kylián never gave permission for his dances to be performed at Dutch National. We performed his “Wings of Wax” [1997], a piece for four couples. He came for the final rehearsals. His corrections were amazing because they weren’t about the steps but about the meaning behind the steps. He uses metaphors that give you a deeper understanding so you can be spiritually involved in the choreography, not just from the outside. I also reunited with Paul Lightfoot and Sol León. I danced their choreography in Moscow, and I had the chance to perform a pas de deux from their “Postscript” again for a gala in Amsterdam. I’m also very grateful to my director, Ted Brandsen, who has been very generous in giving me opportunities to guest outside of the company. I was able to work with Jean-Christophe Maillot and John Neumeier again.

Have you worked with Alexei Ratmansky at all since he became Associate Artist with Dutch National?

I got his invitation to participate in a very interesting project, filming restored variations from classical ballets, based on notations, to see what they look like. I did four variations for that project. It’s a very interesting idea to record these forgotten variations, creating a kind of study guide for students in the dance world. There are gaps in the notation, so in some parts we can only guess what was there. He has to find logical steps to connect the poses. It’s like you are participating in the creation.

Olga Smirnova as Nikiya in “La Bayadère.” Photograph Fabrizio Sansoni | Opera di Roma

Both of your lives have been deeply affected by the war. You left Russia soon after the invasion, and his family is in Ukraine. Have you talked about your situations?

No, we didn’t have such conversations.

Your departure, in March of 2022, was very sudden and must have been quite destabilizing. How have you adapted to your new life, a new city, a new company, far from home? At least everyone there speaks English, so you were able to communicate.

I had never lived abroad. And of course English is not my language. It took a while for me to get used to the new city, a new system in the theater, cultural differences, language. At first I felt a bit isolated. But my colleagues were amazing from the first day, really friendly and open, so that helps. I never had the intention of completely leaving my country. I hoped that one day I might get a guesting contract somewhere but still live in Russia. So to change everything in your life was hard. But what I believe helped me a lot was that I was immediately involved in the repertoire. After three weeks I had already danced the full-length “Raymonda” with the company, and then in June there was a festival dedicated to Hans van Manen, to celebrate his ninetieth birthday. So I was really busy learning the new repertoire.

Do you feel like you have a full life in Amsterdam now?

Yes, I have a place I call home. After I leave to guest somewhere, I have the feeling of coming back home. I’m really settled. And making friends at the company and taking part in ballet premieres has made the company feel special to me. Three years is enough time to get used to your new space.

I’m sure when you left Russia it was not with the intention of never going back. How do you feel now? Do you think you will be able to go back one day?

We all hoped it would be over in a few months and that then people would be able to come back to their normal life. But the war is still going on and I don’t want to come back to Russia, so at some point you need to tell yourself that your life is moving forward. It’s still your life, and you need to live it. You have to keep going. Unlike many Russians who had to go back to Russia because they couldn’t settle down in a new place, I was lucky. I immediately got a contract, I have a job, I have my husband here with me. I can’t compare my difficulties to the experience of people who are actually facing the war every day, who are under the bombing. Even if I had some mental difficulties, I am still young and have my life.

And what about your family in Russia? What was the decision like for them?

It was hard for them to accept my decision. Maybe they still don’t understand. And over time we decided not to talk about the political situation because it caused arguments and hatred between us at one point. I was afraid to lose my family. I haven’t seen them for three years, since the beginning of the war.

Do you miss Moscow, the Bolshoi?

I miss more my native city of St. Petersburg. It is so beautiful, and that is where my family is. I might miss sometimes my previous life, but if I went back now it would not be the same life. It is gone and the peaceful Russia is gone as well.

Jacopo Tissi, with whom you danced at the Bolshoi, is also at Dutch National. Is it nice to have him there with you?

Yes, and he loves speaking Russian. It is a gift to have him there, because we do all the classical productions together. And we just danced “Other Dances” together.

It is a special ballet; Robbins created it for Baryshnikov and Makarova. Who taught it to you?

Isabelle Guérin [of the Paris Opera Ballet]. We were determined to achieve exactly what she wanted, because it’s quite hard to dance this piece. You need to be of course technical, but the technical side should be invisible. You actually become the music. It’s a bit of a scary feeling. I almost felt like I’m naked, because there is no character you can hide behind.

Do you feel Baryshnikov and Makarova’s presence in the steps?

They have left their mark on the steps, no matter how many dancers have come after them. But then you need to put in your own personality and at the same time be simple, like you’re living this music in the present moment. I have this connection with Natasha Makarova because we worked together on her version of “La Bayadère,” so I sent her a message telling her that I‘m working on “Other Dances,” and she said, “Robbins wanted a singing quality in the movements.” That made sense for me. The dynamics are not all the same, and actually every time you dance it you have choices in the dynamics. When we performed it, I had the feeling of the pure joy of dancing, as if I were returning to that initial feeling of why you dance. It was really magical. Jacopo and I will dance it in New York when Dutch National comes on tour [November 20–22].

Do you have other things coming up that you’re excited about?

Later this summer, Sol León and Paul Lightfoot are doing an evening of their choreography in Copenhagen [August 10]. I’ll be dancing with a group of former Netherlands Dance Theater dancers, who have worked with Sol and Paul, people who speak their body language and understand their style. I can’t wait to start this truly creative process.

It sounds like you are quite happy in Amsterdam. Do you think you will stay there long term?

Professionally I am very happy. But I’m not planning too much ahead. Since all this happened, I prefer to think just about the next season, and that’s it. Then we’ll see what life brings. It’s more protective.

It’s such a dramatic rupture—something like a war, it happens outside of you but it affects how you choose to live your own life.

You always think that you’re responsible for your life and your decisions. And up to a certain point you are indeed responsible for your decisions, but you need to accept that you’re not controlling your life, actually.

Have you ever regretted your decision?

No, no. I wish this situation never happened, but I know for sure that I could not live in today’s Russia.

Marina Harss

Marina Harss is a dance writer in New York, a frequent contributor to the New York Times and the New Yorker Magazine, as well as to Dance Magazine and Fjord Review. She is the author of a book about the choreographer Alexei Ratmansky, The Boy from Kyiv, published by Farrar Straus and Giroux in 2023.

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Until March 2022, Olga Smirnova was one of the top dancers at the Bolshoi, performing roles in a large swathe of the repertory, everything from Odette in “Swan Lake” to Marguerite Gauthier in John Neumeier’s “Lady of the Camellias” and Bianca in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s “Taming of the Shrew.” She was an infrequent visitor to New York, though she appeared in Natalia Makarova’s “La Bayadère” at American Ballet Theatre in 2014 and took part in the now legendary performances of George Balanchine’s “Jewels” at the Lincoln Center Festival in 2017, in which each section—”Emeralds,” “Rubies,” “Diamonds”—was taken on by dancers from...

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Olga Smirnova, Leaps and Bounds

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