The definitive guide to the Russian Method of ballet, this complete, unabridged original version is the basis for all other classical ballet textbooks. It contains expanded text, entirely new sections, and corrections. Agrippina Vaganova articulates her own role in the rebirth of Russian ballet, discusses the body and its expressive capabilities, and explains how to attain a harmonious totality in dance. With additional documentation, photos, and contextual analysis, this edition contains a new biographical essay, a comprehensive summary of Vaganova’s lifetime achievements, photos of her as a dancer in some of her greatest roles and as a teacher with her students, and important new research into the influence of the Italians, led by Enrico Cecchetti, on the development of Russian ballet. Penetrating, insightful, and authoritative, this is much more than a textbook; it is the best guide available to Russian ballet technique and the Vaganova Method.
