User:Ik4us/Alexander Filipov

This is what there is to read on Wiki on my friend and I found it today 12-02-2014.

Alexander Filipov (Russian: Александр Филипов) was born in Moscow,Russia. He started his classical ballet education at The Bolshoi Ballet Academy and at the age of ten he had been studying at the famous Vaganova Ballet Academy for nine years under the great  teachers Alexander Pushkin and Asaf Messerer. After graduation he joined the Classical Ballet of Russia of Igor Moiseyev. With this company he extensively traveled throughout Russia and Western World. In 1970, while in Mexico A.Filipov decided to remain in the West. Immediately after that he was invited to join the American Ballet Theater (ABT) and debuted in Swan Lake with Eleanor D`Antuono. He danced leads in Swan Lake, Giselle, Don Quixote, Coppelia, La Fille Mal Gardee,  Le Corsaire, Theme and Variations (G.Balanchine), Paquita. Appearing as guest artist with major companies throughout U.S.A and South America, in 1978 he joined San Francisco Ballet as a principal dancer and became a "permanent guest star" with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater where he danced classical repertory as well as the man lead in the revival of Ruth Page`s Frankie and Johnnie. Mr.Filipov made his Broadway debut in "On Your Toes" partnering Natalia Makarova. His teaching experience includes teaching at the American Ballet Theater, Alvin Ailey Ballet, Joffrey Ballet and Steps Dance Studio in New York. Now Alexander Filipov lives in New York and continues his career as a teacher sharing his extensive knowledge with the new generation of dancers.

Biography
Alexander Filipov was born on in Moscow, Russia. His mother was a dancer at the Bolshoi Ballet. He started his aducation at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy. He had been studying there for two years and was "released" from the school. "I started in Moscow but, after two years they threw me me out.I was a hooligan",says A.Filipov using the phrase the Soviets used for non-conformists. Young "Sasha" had to join the Young Pioneers organization which trained young Communists.""Every summer we went to camp and every summer they took away my red scarf and sent me home,I`d get back to Moscow and buy another scarf". However, he was able to continue his education in Vaganova School. He was placed in the class of the famous russian pedagodue Alexander Pushkin. Among his classmates was Mikhail Baryshnikov, who also later defected to the U.S. After graduation he preferred to join The Young Classical Artists of the U.S.S.R directed by Igor Moiseyev. At that time everybody wanted to live in Moscow but it wasnt  easy to get identification papers to live there. Mr.Moiseyev had good connection and was able to arrange it as well as twice more money that a first year dancer could get at the Kirov. Traveling with the company to Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and though all South America, he got his first taste of western life."When you see a lot you learn how to be dissatisfied",says Filipov. He saw how people live outside of the Soviet Union, most of his salary went to the company management and eventually to the Soviet government. Although Alexander was fanatic about dancing he also liked to enjoy life. Music, theaters and going out and having fun after work was not encouraged. dancers were not supposed to enjoy themselves after the performance. However Filipov "has always been a repel", as he says. His behavior meant questions always, and more and more pressure was gradually applied to him. Finally he had more and more work to do to get him tired to disappear after the performance. Sometimes he had to dance five or six classical Pas de Deux in one performance and his repertory was very restricted to classics: Don Quixote, Le Corsair, Giselle, Flames of Paris, Esmeralda. For four years he traveled the world doing Pas de Deux. In 1970, while being on tur with the company in Guadalajara, Mexico without telling anybody, including his friend and colleague Alexander Godunov who defected several years later, Filipov decided to remain in the West. His future wife, Lucia Tristan, helped him to arrange the taxi and they drove all the night to Mexico City where he applied for asylum at the American Embassy. Two weeks later he was already on a plane to New York to start rehearsals with the American Ballet Theater. After 4 years at the ABT he left the company. In 1978 Filipov accepted an invitation from Michael Smuin to join the San Francisco Ballet and also became a "permanent guest star" at the 'Pittsburgh Ballet. As a guest star he danced for a year in the Ballet of Caracas. To perform on Broadway in the musical "[[ON YOUR TOES" Alexander Filipov moved back to New York.

Dance carrier
Alexander Filipov started his professional dance career with the Classical Youth Company directed by Igor Moiseyev. With this company he extensively traveled around the world. In 1970 he joined the American Ballet Theater. As a principal dancer he danced in Swan Lake, Giselle, Don Quixote, Coppelia, La Fille Mal Gardee, Paquita, Le Corsair, Gaiete Parisienne. Among his partners were Natalia Makarova, Eleanor D`Antuono    A.Filipov also performed in "Theme and Variations'' of George Balanchine. For this role Filipov was coached by Mr.Balanchine. Later with the San Francisco Ballet Filipov also performed  Balanchine`s "Serenade", "Four Temperaments" and "Symphony in C". After four years with the American Ballet Theater he letf the company and then for the next several years he appeared with numerous major ballet companies in USA and South America.  In 1974 Alexander Filipov danced Romeo in the very first american production of this ballet with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater choreographed by Nicolas Petrov. "Alexander Filipov, who shuttles between Pittsburgh and San Francisco companies, is a quick, boyish, and fate-defiant romeo...", wrote "Saturday Review" (April 19, 1975) .In 1978 he joined the San Francisco Ballet. With this company he danced Romeo in "Romeo and Juliet" of Michael Smuin and  Lew  Christensen`s  "Don Juan".In 19 he moved back to New York to dance in the Broadway musical "On Your Toes" the role of Konstantine Morrosine, opposite Leslie Caron and Natalia Makarova.