What’s your biggest nightmare onstage? Sometimes I’ll blank out and forget the choreography. I hate when I do it. I’ve had a few moments where later someone asked me, “What were you doing out there?” And I say, “Sorry! Got confused.” You do a lot of tall girl roles, especially in Balanchine. What do you […]
What’s your latest discovery? I love yoga! If I could, I would take yoga classes all the time. I do Bikram. The great thing is you can go all over the world and it’s the exact same sequence, every single class. What currently inspires you? Working with Alexei Ratmansky. From the time I was in […]
Why did you leave the Bolshoi for the Mikhailovsky? It’s one of the only companies led by a major choreographer today. I worked with Nacho Duato for Kings of the Dance, and had been dreaming of collaborating with him again. I also value the freedom I have now to expand my repertoire and perform with […]
Is there anything you would change about yourself as a dancer? Sometimes I get hung up on certain steps or phrases. When you have a moment that doesn’t go well, it’s hard to let that go and continue as if it didn’t affect you. Do you ever suffer from stage fright? I do when I […]
Zakharova in Yuri Possokhov’s Cinderella. Photo by Marc Haegeman. You’re coming back from maternity leave. How does it feel? It’s not easy! But as soon as I stepped back in the studio, I told myself: Svetlana, you have time to get back in shape. There used to be days when, if something went wrong in […]
Do you have any pre-performance rituals? I’m a control freak. I do my makeup and hair, then pack everything away before I go onstage. If something is out of place, it makes me nervous. How do you prepare your pointe shoes for performance? I always wear brand-new shoes. I try them beforehand to see if […]
How did you become a fan of tennis star Rafael Nadal? I started following tennis when I was in SAB—it’s a very elegant sport. I like that Nadal doesn’t take anything easy. You see the effort in his strokes. I watch him like I’m working with him. Do you think Nadal is reflective of your […]
What does it take to be a successful leading ballerina? It’s more than just dancing at a higher level. You have to remember it’s not only about you, even if you’re in the spotlight. You must share yourself with the whole company. You gather that energy so they’re involved with you, so there’s a dialogue. […]