• “Khetag” ballet and the formation of the Ossetian tradition of ballet art

УДК: 792.8.221.18

DOI: 10.35852/2588-0144-2022-4-133-150

Full text (PDF): Download

Alan T. Kokaev

Vice-Rector for Investment Development and Property Management
North Ossetian State University named after Kosta Levanovich Khetagurov
0000-0003-4771-5890, at.kokaev@nosu.ru

“Khetag” ballet and the formation of the Ossetian tradition of ballet art

Abstract

The first Ossetian ballet Khetag by D. S. Khakhanov was staged by the teacher and soloist of the Bolshoi Theatre, A. G. Zakalinsky in 1979. Careful analysis enabled the author to evaluate the nature of the synthetic approach that helped to combine the principles of national music and classical dance technique. The reconstruction of the first production of Khetag is based on interviews with participants of the first performance, which was present for only two seasons (1979/1980 and 1980/1981), and reveals the main characteristics of the Ossetian ballet theatre. This theater pays special attention to the role and significance of national dance, which determines the regional specificity of choreographic and musical components. New facts and detailshave made it possible to reconstruct the history of the first professional Ossetian ballet Khetag in the context of heroic-romantic ballets withthe national theme,which is based on the folklore of the North Caucasian region and reflects the national culture. The history of the Khetag ballet is closely linked to the history of the North Ossetia musical theatre’s ballet troupe. The education of national dancers in North Ossetia, Kabardino-Balkaria and Dagestan is placed in a joined historical and cultural context. This allowsone to make the conclusion that in the Caucasian region, national choreographic art dominates the ballet theatre’s stage because it manifests the most important features of national mentality and cultural identity.

Keywords

Ossetian ballet, traditional culture, dance, music, “Khetag”, heroic ballet.

For citation

Kokaev A. T. “Khetag” ballet and the formation of the Ossetian tradition of ballet art. Theatre. Fine Arts. Cinema. Music. 2022, no. 4, pp. 133–150.

DOI: 10.35852/2588-0144-202-4-133-150

References

  1. Akademiya russkogo baleta im. A.Y. Vaganovoj. Vypuskniki [The Academy of Russian Ballet named after A. Vaganova. Graduates]. Available from: Akademiya russkogo baleta im. A. Y. Vaganovoj, https://vaganovaacademy.ru/academy/history/vipuskniki.html. 2. Xetagurova Z.V. Audiointerv`yu [Audio interview]. Personal archive of A.T. Kokaev. 2022. January. 
  2. Dudar Hahanov. Muzyka kak sud`ba. K stoletiyu kompozitora: Dokumentalnyj film [Dudar Khakhanov. Music is destiny. To the centenary of the composer: Documentary]. Available from: GTRK “Alaniya” (Vladikavkaz), https://youtu.be/82PlbfK7aQo. 
  3. Atabiev I. Kultura Kabardino-Balkarii: 100 let tvorcheskix poiskov i dostizhenij [Culture of Kabardino-Balkaria: 100 years of creative searches and achievements]. Nalchik: Elbrus, 2021. 383 p. 
  4. Procenko Aleksandr Ivanovich. Available from: Gosudarstvennaya nacionalnaya biblioteka Kabardino-Balkarskoj respubliki. Available from: https://gnbkbr.rf/wpcontent/uploads/proects/culture/ethnos/ukrainians/protsenko_a.i..html [Accessed 4th July 2022]. 
  5. Balet Kabardino-Balkarii [Ballet of Kabardino-Balkaria]. Nalchik: Goskomizdat KBASSR, 1989. 42 p. 
  6. Kesheva Z.M. K voprosu ob istorii stanovleniya professional`noj xoreograficheskoj kul`tury` kabardincev [To the question of the history of the formation of the professional choreographic culture of the Kabardians]. Terapevticheskij arhiv. 2007, no. 2 (79), рp. 132–141. Available from: http://intercircass.org/?p=359.
  7. Kosta Available from: Mariinskij teatr. Available from: https://www.mariinsky.ru/playbill/playbill/2018/7/ 11/1_1900/. 
  8. Kosta. Available from: Mariinskij teatr. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AT_lLP8zN4.
  9. Lavrov L.M. Karachaj i Balkariya do 30-x godov XIX v. [Karachay and Balkaria until the 30s of the XIX century]. In: Caucasian ethnical digest / Ed.M. O. Kosven. Moscow: Izdatelstvo Akademii Nauk SSSR [Academy of Science USSR Publ.], 1969, [Vol.] 4, pp. 55−119. 
  10. Kaloev B.A. Proishozhdenie nekotoryh osetinskih familij po narodnym predaniyam [The origin of some Ossetian surnames according to folk legends]. In: Polevyje issledovaniya Instituta etnografii [Field research of the Institute of Ethnography]. 1979. Moscow, 1983, рp. 207–214. 
  11. Hetagurov K.L. Sobranie sochinenij v 5 t. T. 1 [Collected Works: In 5 vol. Vol. 1.] Moscow: Izdatelstvo Akademii Nauk SSSR [Academy of Science USSR Publ.], 1959. 455 p.
  12. Uarziati V.S. Izbranny`e trudy`: e`tnologiya, kul`turologiya, semiotika [Selected works: ethnology, cultural studies, semiotics.]. Vladikavkaz: Proekt-Press, 2007, vol. 1. 551 p. 
  13. Suharnikov A.F. Dudar Hahanov [Dudar Khakhanov]. Ordzhonikidze: Ir, 1983. 63 p.
  14. Adyrhaeva S. D. Audiointerv`yu [Audio interview]. Personal archive of A.T. Kokaev. 2021. December. 
  15. Makarova O. N. Nacional`ny`j tanecz v sovremennom balete [National dance in modern ballet]. SaintPetersburg: Baltijskie sezony, 2012. 175 s. 
  16. Batagova T. E`. Muzykalnoe iskusstvo Osetii XX–XXI vekov: 50 kompozitorskih portretov [Musical art of Ossetia in the XX–XXI centuries: 50 composer portraits]. Vladikavkaz: Ir, 2020. 320 p. 
  17. Zakalinskiy A., Nashkhunova S. Samyje volnuyushhie aplodismenty [Most Exciting Applause]. Socialisticheskaya Osetiya. 1979. 21st October. 
  18. Vanslov V.V. Statii o balete: Muzikalno-esteticheskie problemi baleta [Articles about ballet: Musical and aesthetic problems of ballet]. Leningrad: Muzyka, 1980. 191 p.
  19. Butaev R. Audiointervyu [Audio interview]. Personal archive of A.T. Kokaev. 2022. January. 
  20. Katonova S.V. Muzyka v balete [Music in ballet]. Leningrad: Muzgiz, 1961. 51 p. 
  21. Luczkaya E.L. Balerina Svetlana Adyrhaeva [Ballerina Svetlana Adyrkhaeva]. Ordzhonikidze: Ir, 1986. 167 p. 
  22. Hetagurova Z. Audiointervyu [Audio interview]. Personal archive of A.T. Kokaev. 2021. November. 
  23. Batagova T. E`. Pervyj osetinskij balet “Hetag” i razvitie nacional`nogo baletnogo teatra [The first Ossetian ballet “Khetag” and the development of the national ballet theatre]. Balet. 2010, no. 3 (162), pp. 22–23.
  24. Shumilova E`. I. Nacionalnoje v sovetskom balete [National in the Soviet ballet]. In: Muzyka i horeografiya sovremennogo baleta. Leningrad: Muzyka, 1974, vol. 1. 293 p. 
  25. Gazaeva Z.N. Audiointervyu [Audio interview]. Personal archive of A.T. Kokaev. 2021. November. 
  26. Ozdoev M. Balet v Dagestane by`l, est` i budet! [Ballet in Dagestan was, is and will be!]. Available from: Argumenty` i fakty, https://dag.aif.ru/culture/persons/balet_v_dagestane_byl_est_i_budet [Accessed 4th August 2022]. 
  27. Kochesokova M. Intervyu s R. Pachevym [Interview with R. Pachev]. Available from: Gosudarstvennyj mkuzykalnyj teatr Respubliki Kabardino-Balkariya, http://muzteatrkbr.rf/smi. 
  28. Gergieva L. Vo Vladikavkaze na yazike originala idut opery, ukrashauschie vse sceny mira. Available from: Eto Kavkaz, https://etokavkaz.ru/kultura/opernyi-teatr-nemozhet-sushchestvovat-na-podachki?utm_source=yxnews&... referrer=https:%2F%2Fyandex.ru%2Fnews%2Fsearch%3Ftext%3D.
  29. Gazdanova Avrora (Alokka) Danilovna [Gazdanova Avrora (Alokka) Danilovna]. Available from: Osetiny`, http://ossetians.com/rus/news.php?newsid=537 [Accessed 1st August 2022].
  30. David Zaleev [David Zaleev]. Available from: Mariinskij teatr, https:// www.mariinsky.ru/company/ballet_mt_men/zaleyev/.

Received: 12.11.2022

Revised: 14.11.2022

Accepted: 15.11.2022