78 Ballet No creature holds such an important role in classical ballet as the swan. Four principal dancers share how swans inspire them in interpreting the dual role of Odette and Odile, from grace and restraint to fierce territorial instinct. Riho Sakamoto: “What I admire most about swans is the way they claim their space and defend their territory. That is something I try to do as Odette and Odile too: to take space. Whenever I see swans, I study them. The shape and movement of the head, neck and beak, the way they spread their wings. In rehearsals I often think back to that. For me, the white swan Odette combines the strength and independence of the bird with human vulnerability. For that vulnerability, I draw on my own emotions, which means I perform the role differently each time. Odile, in my view, is more human than bird. Yet there is one thing I always carry with me as the black swan: swans are not simply gentle creatures, they can suddenly attack.” Anna Tsygankova: “For me, Tchaikovsky’s swan theme is inextricably linked with the bird. Not that I hear swans in the music, though: I actually feel them! I have always had a strong connection with animals. One day I would love to live on a farm with a horse, an owl and a swan. For now, I visit parks and nature reserves to watch swans, talk to them, feed them. An interaction naturally unfolds. And once I am in ‘swan mode’, I start seeing them everywhere. I look at how they move their necks, how they clean their feathers. I admire their grace: the way they lift their head slightly or turn their neck with subtle precision. When preparing for a run of Swan Lake, I reflect on all of this in great detail. But once I am on stage, my muscles take over. The transformation from bird to human is already stored in the body.” Olga Smirnova: “For anyone dancing Swan Lake, the swan is a powerful symbol. I am particularly touched by its duality. Gliding over the water, the bird radiates nobility and restraint, yet beneath the surface there is Interview Principal dancers talk about real swans and ballet swans Photo: Marc Haegeman Photo: Sasha Gouliaev Yuanyuan Zhang (2023) Anna Tsygankova with Giorgi Potskhishvili (2023)
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