The Eifman Ballet will make its Australian debut next week with two of its most acclaimed productions, Anna Karenina and Tchaikovsky, at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre from August 15 and at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre from August 29.
Under the expert direction of Russian choreographer Boris Eifman, the 50-strong company will perform these two great classics in the style that is now regarded as being at the forefront of modern Russia ballet.
Amber Miller is loving her time with the Eifman Ballet
American dancer Amber Miller, 19, joined the Eifman Ballet in August 2011 and is the only non Russian in the company. Miller is now based in St Petersberg but has been travelling the world with the Eifman Ballet over the last year.
“To have been born in a very small town in Iowa, raised in a large suburb in Dallas, Texas, and now be living in Russia is amazing,” she reveals.
“It is definitely hard being the only non-Russian English speaker in the company, especially when I first moved here. I knew absolutely no Russian at all. I couldn’t even count in Russian.”
But everyone in the company was very helpful, inside the studio and out. Her roommates helped her with everyday living and showing her how to get around.
“I was very surprised when I first came at how nice and helpful everyone was,” Miller says.
“Boris Eifman has helped me a lot inside the studio because he speaks English very well. During rehearsals, he will translate for me which is extremely kind of him.”
Amber Miller
Miller grew up watching the Great Russian ballerinas on the internet and says she still finds it hard to believe sometimes that she is now in the same city as some of them.
“To be able to watch them is a dream come true. I am still trying to accept the fact that I am getting to live out many of the dreams I’ve had since I was a little girl. I never in a million years thought I would be living in Russia, let alone dancing here.”
The young ballerina hopes her time with the Eifman Ballet will help her to mature as an artist, and develop her professional dancing career. The experience she has gained over the last 12 months has helped her become a more diverse performer and allowed her to take on more roles as a dancer.
“It is a hard transition, especially coming from a training program where everything is perfectly placed, and now having to move my body in ways I didn’t even know I could. I am confident Eifman Ballet is helping me become a better performer over all,” she says.
“Already being with Eifman Ballet has helped develop my abilities as a dancer tremendously. I really believe that being exposed to different styles and choreographers in life is a must to grow as a dancer.
“Acting was always the hardest part for me because we focused so much on the strict technique of ballet in my training school. It is certainly a critical element of ballet, but I am having a blast being able to take on all of these characters and challenge myself to make them believable to the audience.”
Eifman’s repertoire is known for combining acting with brilliant classical technique and psychological intensity. Miller says Australian audiences are in for a treat: a lot of high energy dancing, excitement, and some amazing partnering and choreography during the performance.
“Watching this ballet will take you through a ride of emotions, and make you feel a part of it,” she promises.
