Ballerina Anastasia Volochkova has shared with socialbites.ca that World Ballet Day isn’t something she marks with personal traditions, yet she receives warm wishes from friends and colleagues on the occasion.
“No, I don’t celebrate. There aren’t rituals tied to this day. Do my friends offer congratulations? Absolutely. I have dedicated my life to ballet. When I was five, I set a goal to become a dancer, and I have stayed true to that path. I remain devoted to my art and I am grateful to all the teachers who educated me and to the great masters of performing arts with whom I had the privilege to work,” Volochkova explained.
The artist emphasized the importance of inspiring children to explore ballet. She advised parents to consider starting their kids in ballet when they reach six years old.
“Of course, children should be drawn to ballet. I pursue this in every possible way by staging engaging original shows and concert programs, and I invite young participants to join these programs. At what age should a child begin ballet? Six to eight years old is ideal. Interestingly, the ballet academy where I studied and graduated with honors accepted me starting at age nine,” Volochkova noted.
Thursday, October 26 marks World Ballet Day. Dancers did not take a professional break until 2014, when they began celebrating this occasion and sharing performances with the world.
On this day, more than 50 of the world’s leading ballet companies broadcast rehearsals and lessons live, free for viewers to enjoy.
Earlier, Anastasia Volochkova commented that she would not ride the subway due to the attention from fans.