Meeting with choreographer
Anton Pimonov

A meeting with Anton Pimonov is timed to coincide with the first opening of the season — two one act ballets Bambi and In the Jungles which were successfully transferred from the historic stage of the Mariinsky Theatre. At the meeting the choreographer will speak about his work and unique features of the idea of these unusual ballets intended for a family outing.

The evolution from dancer to choreographer is a logical career development of a number of outstanding ballet dancers. The most famous example is the career of Marius Petipa. After finishing one of the oldest ballet school in the world — the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet — and joining the Mariinsky Theatre company, Anton Pimonov mastered quite a significant repertoire both in quality and in quantity. His list includes several dozens of parts stylistically ranging from classical to modern ballets staged by Russian and foreign choreographers. In 2013 Anton Pimonov had his debut as choreographer participating in a Mariinsky Theatre’s project called Artistic Workshop of Young Choreographers. He presented a one act ballet called Choreographic Game 3×3. This work had a great success among the audience and soon was listed in the regular repertoire of the Mariinsky Theatre. His other show Inside the Lines with Maurice Ravel’s music opened in 2014 and became a great event of the next Workshop. A year later Anton Pimonov was given an opportunity to choreograph two related ballets at the renowned historic stage of the Mariinsky Theatre. This is how Bambi and In the Jungles made their appearance in the repertoire of the theatre.

While creating these two ballets the choreographer had to tackle numerous interesting and quite complex tasks. How should different fairy-tale animals move on stage? How are they going to express their emotions and feelings? And finally how to ‘crossbreed’ animalistic movements with movements of the classical dance? These things and many other interesting nuances of the upcoming premier will be unveiled for attendees of the meeting, and the audience will also have an opportunity to ask Anton Pimonov their own questions.

Bambi and In the Jungles are two ballet shows that are linked by one story. The first one is based on Felix Salten’s novel Bambi, A Life in the Woods and the second one is based on its sequel Bambi’s Children. I believe that we need to talk to children like to adults from the very early age. And I do my best choreographing these shows as ‘adult’ shows. For me it is important that children will be able to perceive my choreography so that it is clear for all ages what the story is about. And the story of the shows is about kindness…”