Currently, Aydai Akylbekova, a leading soloist and ballet master, has visited the editorial office of Kaktus.media.
The Beginning of the Ballet Journey
Aydai was born in Kyzyl-Kiya, where her mother, a professional gymnast, took her to ballet classes at the age of six.She recalls, "We went to the school where we were seen by the wonderful Reina Chokoeva. I passed the audition, but I was so fragile that my mother didn't dare to leave me in a foreign city with relatives. Later we moved to Bishkek, and from the 2nd grade, I started studying at the choreographic school."
Laughing, she admits that at first, she didn't quite understand what ballet was. However, by the sixth grade, she was fully immersed in its world.
The ballerina dreamed not just of dancing but of becoming a true professional: "I wanted to be the best!" she shares.
Success came to Aydai when she became a diploma holder at the international competition "Orleu" in 2008 and then received the presidential scholarship "Preludia" in 2009.
At that time, she was already performing on the stage of the Kyrgyz Opera and Ballet Theater named after Maldybaev.
"From the second year, we were actively involved in performances. Some danced in the corps de ballet, while others were entrusted with more responsible parts. I was entrusted to dance the quartet in "La Bayadère." Some didn't take it seriously, saying, 'She's so small, and she's already on stage,'" Aydai recounts.
In addition, she graduated from the conservatory.
"I was constantly studying, striving for perfection," the ballerina shares her memories.
International Achievements
The year 2014 was a landmark in Aydai's career."We went to London to shoot a program about ballet. It was a real studio with professional equipment. We worked with the Persian Ballet, a famous company led by Nima Kian, who lives in Sweden. I performed the role of Visa Aramin in the ballet of the same name."
After that, Aydai received an invitation to the Persian Ballet.
In the pages of this theater, she is listed as the principal ballerina, while in the Kyrgyz theater, there is no such division, and the term "leading soloist" is used here.
Soon she decided to broaden her horizons and joined the Russian National Ballet under the direction of Sergey Radchenko.
"At that time, I was already married to ballet artist Nursultan Almambetov, and we toured together. We went to the USA for a tour with the Russian National Ballet," Aydai shares.
During the tours, they staged classical works: "Cinderella," "Swan Lake," "The Nutcracker," and "Sleeping Beauty." We were offered to stay in the USA, but we had other creative plans," Aydai recounts.
She continued her career in the Moscow City Ballet as a soloist and later returned to her native theater to dance with the best domestic artists.
"I danced with international competition laureate Talant Osmonov and Marat Sadykov. I performed Kitri in "Don Quixote" and the pas de deux in "Giselle," which has always been close to me," Aydai shares.
Then the couple went on tour with the troupe "St. Petersburg Ballet of Classical Traditions on the Neva."
"It was an amazing experience, as the troupe included outstanding masters, such as soloist of the Mikhailovsky Theater Oksana Bondareva, soloist of the Vienna Opera Alexey Popov, and soloist of the Mariinsky Theater Ekaterina Borchenko," Aydai says.
In addition, Aydai realized herself not only on stage but also in her personal life. She is the mother of twin daughters and returned to the stage just six months after their birth.
"It wasn't easy, but the support of my husband and my love for the profession helped me," she recalls.
Creating a New Ballet
However, Aydai did not stop at what she had achieved. She decided to create her own ballet inspired by Mel Gibson's film "Braveheart."
"I watched this film in my childhood and was inspired by it. It tells the story of the struggle for freedom and love. I wanted to convey this story through dance, making it more optimistic," Aydai says.
Thus, a one-act ballet "Braveheart" was created, which was positively received by the audience and colleagues.
"I knew that this ballet would have a continuation. Now I can devote more time to its development. The libretto is already written, and work is underway on the music and decorations. I hope to present my work as a choreographer soon," Aydai says, adding that she has many plans ahead.
Author of the material: Natalia Timirbaeva.
