SYLFIDA WITH A HEART

SYLFIDA WITH A HEART

Masha Ilieva is a prima ballerina at the National Opera. She studied and

graduated at the Leningrad Ballet School. She describes her stay there as a

crucial period of professional education and as a time of an important character

building. Today she still thinks that her proper place is there. Because the ballet

in Sankt Petersburg has always been of a top class, difficult to achieve. She is a

laureate of the International Competition in Varna and later she was selected by

Yuri Grigorovich for his masterpiece of a production of the “Nutcracker” in

1988. This breakthrough is followed by memorable interpretations of Odette-

Odylia, Juliet, Aurora, Margaritta Gautier etc. Having established herself as a

Prima under the conditions of fierce competition among the ballerinas of

different generations, she asserts herself as an astute administrator- Director of

the Sofia House for Opera and Ballet and also as a dedicated pedagogue who

sets up her own Ballet school for children from 3 to 10 years of age.

We met at the “Entre” bistro, opposite the Opera House. That’s where many of

the artists from the opera have a quick lunch and a chat with colleagues or

friends. When she arrived, her mobile went on a ringing spree. She apologized

and switched it off. She had just come back from a rehearsal of the children’s

ballet “The Flowers of Little Ida”, whose premiere was in two days’ time at a

chamber hall of the opera. And she started telling me how hard it was for her to

start this private ballet school at the House of Culture, opposite the Zaimov

gardens. At first, she started with eight girls, but by the end of the year, they

grew to sixteen. Then she realized that there was no teaching manual for very

young children. All manuals were for children over 10 years of age. She

compiled a course of exercises which suited this very early age in 2000. Then

she did a Master’s in Ballet Pedagogic and she was invited to teach at the

Musical Academy where she has been teaching for nine years Ballet Classical

Heritage and pedagogic. And because there was a gap in teaching literature for

very young children, Masha published two well-illustrated books for children.

After she defended her PhD degree in the same domain, she published her

dissertation as a book in over 1000 copies.

But, don’t get the wrong impression that her rise to the status of prima ballerina

has been a smooth one!

“What happened when you came back from Russia?”

“It was a painful and bumpy ride. When I came back, I was the youngest. There

were the great Primas like Bogoeva, Koldamova, Krasteva. I was never sent to

ballet competitions because there was a group of older graduates from

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Leningrad. And when we were finally sent to Moscow, it was a perfect failure as

soon as the first round. Then, I won at the competition in Dobrich and this was

some kind of encouragement, which boosted my competitive edge. A year later,

I won second prize at the International Ballet Competition in Varna- 1986.”

Later when Yurii Grigorovich came to Sofia, he definitely singled her out for the

role of “The Nutcracker” - it was not only for her extraordinary technique, but

for her powerful stage presence as an actress, as a performer.

“When can you expect to become a prima?” “It all depends. There are cases

when they appoint you as a Prima, after a brilliant performance in one of the

cameo roles like Giselle or Carmen. But, I, personally, had to do all major roles,

before I achieved the cherished status of a Prima. And most of all, to give them

my own unique touch. My preference has always been for the dramatic and

heroic strain in the character of my heroine.” And yet, she is more than versatile

– she touched the heart of the audience with her reincarnation of Giselle, Marie

and Sylfida. With her, there is no simple technical perfection of detail. There is

full “immersion” into the character of the heroine, bringing out new nuances in

it, a fresh look at a well known artistic creation.

In theatrical circles, Masha is known as “the bad girl” of Bulgarian ballet.

Because she is very straight-forward truth-seeking - she fights for what she

believes in, without being afraid of those who pull the strings. All the hypocrisy

and sycophancy, thriving in abundance backstage, are completely alien to her

nature. And, when she has to stand off her ground on the professional field, she

is a vehement and untiring fighter, making life difficult for the yes-men or

women. It takes a great talent to succeed with such a character of integrity.

“The sublime instant is when I dance, merging with the music…” Behind the

exquisite beauty, there is lots of blood, sweat and tears. Behind the dedication to

your art, there is sacrifice and, even resilience. Masha Ilieva proved it during her

marathon tour abroad- Germany, Switzerland, Austria, when le corps de ballet

covered no less than 12,500 km. And Masha had to dance in ‘Swan Lake” in

seven successive nights. And today, after her elegant benefice farewell in

Sylfida, she never stops serving in the altar of her art, this time as a pedagogue.

She tells me of her student, a young girl, who got ill of cancer and who wanted

to dance to the very last moment. Ever since, the dancers from Masha’s school

give charity concerts for cancer-ill children every year. The hostel, next to the

ward in “Saint Joanna” hospital is fully equipped by “Angelia’ foundation. Like

the fairy from “Sylfida’, Masha brings all kinds of toys for the sick children.

Computers with games, racing cars…And plush bears and dogs to cuddle with,

before going to sleep. So, she perfectly deserves her name of “Sylfida with a

heart”.

Sofia Echo weekly, July 1st 2010