The First Position: Russian Ballet at the Manege Central Exhibition Hall offers visitors a distinctive glimpse into the storied world of Tchaikovsky and the generations of dancers who brought his music to life. This newly opened showcase highlights an impressive array of artifacts that trace the lineage of Russian ballet from its classical roots to the modern stage. The exhibition opened to the public on February 21 at the Manege Center in St. Petersburg, inviting audiences to explore a curated journey through sound, movement, and design that defined an era of performance. [attribution: Manege Central Exhibition Hall]
Among the treasures behind glass, Tchaikovsky’s fabric slippers stand out. The soft satin remains, revealing embroidered birds perched on berry branches, a tiny window into the craft and symbolism that informed stage costumes and personal mementos alike. These slippers are presented not merely as relics but as intimate connections to the composer’s life and the broader cultural fabric of his age. The display invites viewers to notice the quiet details—the stitching, the wear, and the way a simple pair of slippers could carry the weight of a grand artistic tradition. [attribution: Russian cultural archives]
The impetus for the exhibition lies in commemorating the 350th anniversary of the Russian ballet, celebrated on February 17. The project gathers more than a thousand objects drawn from 40 museums, archives, and libraries across St. Petersburg, Moscow, and other parts of Russia. The breadth of the collection spans visual arts, stage costumes, personal belongings, posters, and archival media, all curated to illuminate how Russian ballet evolved through centuries of creative collaboration. Within the display are paintings by celebrated artists such as Mikhail Vrubel and Zinaida Serebryakova, the tutus formerly worn by Galina Ulanova for the Dying Swan solo, and personal items linked to towering figures like Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Agrippina Vaganova, and Alexander Benois. The exhibit also showcases posters from the Russian Seasons, along with archival videos and photographs that capture performances and rehearsals in vivid, moving detail. [attribution: Russian state art collections]
The exhibition is a joint initiative organized by the Manege Central Exhibition Hall in collaboration with the Planet9 Bureau, made possible with support from the Presidential Cultural Initiatives Fund. This partnership underscores a concerted effort to preserve and present Russia’s ballet heritage in a way that resonates with contemporary audiences while honoring the discipline, artistry, and international influence of the art form. The presentation is designed to be accessible to a broad audience, offering context about the creators, performers, and institutions that have shaped ballet from its classical foundations to today’s stage practices. [attribution: Presidential Cultural Initiatives Fund]
Earlier announcements from socialbites.ca highlighted the opening of the “First Position” exhibition, Russian ballet, and its significance for cultural memory in Russia. The current iteration expands on that initial enthusiasm by placing a wider array of artifacts in dialogue with one another, encouraging visitors to draw connections between personal keepsakes, legendary performances, and institutional archives. The result is a richer, more layered portrait of how Russian ballet has reflected social change, artistic innovation, and national identity across generations. [attribution: socialbites.ca]