To the origins of the creation of the Beijing Choreographic School. Olga Alexandrovna Ilyina.

Abstract

The subject of this research is the first stage of creation of Beijing Ballet School, while the object is the pedagogue of the Moscow State Academy of Choreography O. A. Ilyina. The author underlines her contribution to the creation of the first professional system of education in China. The role of Soviet ballet masters and pedagogues, who carefully examines the peculiarities of Chinese teaching technique is highlighted. The Russian system of choreographic education with its accumulated valuable theoretical and pedagogical experience laid the foundation for establishment of the system of preparing ballet dancers in China, creating a strong basis for the development of Chinese professional classical ballet. The novelty of this work consist in the analysis of Olga Ilyina’s impact upon the early stage of development of Chinese ballet. The author explores and assesses her versatile activity in China – initially, in creation of Beijing Ballet School, and later, as a pedagogy who made a significant contribution to preparation of national ballet dancers. The scientific novelty is substantiated by the fact that the activity of Olga Ilyina in China has not been previously a subject of a separate research, although she played a significant role, along with other pedagogues of the Moscow State Academy of Choreography under the Bolshoi Theatre, in creation of the first professional ballet school in Beijing.