Interview by Kathy Valin
It was a normal day for many Cincinnatians. But for Anna
Reznik and Alexei Kremnev, Oct. 3 wasn't quite business as usual.
Early that morning they received a phone call announcing that, due
to an injury, guest principal dancer Anthony Randazzo and Joanna
Berman would not appear in Cincinnati Ballet's Swan Lake that
evening. Reznik and Kremnev, already scheduled to perform the
roles of Prince Seigfried and Odette/Odile during matinee
performances, would instead be starring that night. By 10:30 a.m.,
the couple was doing a run-through on stage. By curtain call that
evening, the audience was on its feet applauding a performance
notable not only for its technical brilliance but also for the strong
chemistry between the two.
A year ago, no one might have predicted the Moscow natives
would end up dancing in Cincinnati. Yet, in the small world of
ballet, that's exactly what happened.
In Moscow, where they trained, Reznik and Kremnev danced with
Moscow Festival Ballet, Moscow Renaissance Ballet and in galas
with the Bolshoi. Each also won special prizes in international
competitions. Last year, they spent a few months in Philadelphia
after arriving in the U.S. Their first job in Cincinnati was with
Claudia Barrett's Ballet Tech school. Soon after, they auditioned
for Cincinnati Ballet Artistic Director Victoria Morgan and are
currently featured in the company's annual production of The
Nutcracker. In January, each will be promoted to principal dancer
with a two-year contract.
Last week during their lunch break, the dancers chatted informally
with CityBeat about their life together since their marriage in 1995
and their views on art, dance and living in the Queen City. They
were assisted by the translating skills of SCPA student Anthony
Weinstein, himself a Russian native.
CityBeat: When did you two meet?
Alexei Kremnev: We've known each other since we were little
kids. When we finally started performing together, it was strictly
professional , but since 1992, when we got to know each other a
little better, we've been inseparable.
CB: How were you introduced to dance? When did you
know you could devote your life to dance?
Anna Reznik: My parents encouraged me. I started at 5 years
old doing some figure skating, and at about age 10 I realized that
ballet just started making sense to me. It was something I could do
forever.
Kremnev: It took me a little longer. I was in figure skating, too,
for about 10 years. When I was 15, I came to a crossroads. With
my parents' encouragement, I then realized that I would be a
dancer.
CB: What dancers are your inspiration?
Reznik: The work itself is for me an inspiration, but I admire
Ekaterina Maximova. We fit in different categories as dancers, but
she combined technique and artistry. That's the ideal for a ballerina
as an artist. My favorite role is Giselle.
Kremnev: When I was in figure skating, my ideal was Robin
Cousins, an English skater. It wasn't the number of jumps or the
difficult twists, but more the substance of the artistry and his ability
to combine the music with the technique of skating. I also admire
Maris Liepu (a famous Latvian dancer), not for his technical
"showing off" and not the number of pirouettes but for his ability to
combine music and dance. This happened when I was 12 or 14 and
I had started to think intellectually about it.
CB: How does American ballet compare to Russian ballet?
Reznik: French is the language of ballet, so that's not a problem.
Kremnev: Basically, for the spectator, if the idea of the composer
and choreographer is really convened, there is not a difference. It's
hard to determine a serious difference between the good that's
there and the good that's here. Really, it depends on the personality
of the choreographer, the professionalism of the director. The
Russian approach is a little different in the sense that it's more
directed towards the personality of every dancer on the stage.
CB: What benefits you do expect from working in
Cincinnati? What will the dancers here gain by working with
you?
Reznik: We've only been working here for a few months, and so
it's hard to determine what we'll find out for ourselves. We expect
to start answering those questions after a year or so.
Kremnev: But what we want to point out is that we're very happy
here. Thanks to the new director there's a lot of culture, a lot of
professionalism.
CB: Have there been any cultural adjustments?
Anthony Weinstein: Alexei wants to mention his driving exam.
Before he came here, he'd been driving in Moscow for 10 years. I
can tell you, if you can drive in Moscow, you can drive
anywhere. It's even worse than New York City. People don't
follow any rules at all.
Kremnev: I passed the written test here. When I arrived for the
road test, I asked my instructor to please speak a little slower and
be particular. But he didn't follow me. What happened was that I
started missing all the turns, and on the review, which of course I
failed, he'd written "does not follow instructions."
Of course, with a more understanding instructor, Kremnev passed
on the second try with flying colors.
Cincinnati CityBeat
Vol. 4, Issue 5
December 18, 1997-January 1, 1998