The Purpose of this dissertation is to examine and interpret works of the Soviet ballet in the 20th century, to examine the tendency of ballet works in terms of socialist realism and to reappraise them. First, I focused on the conditions of ballet in the Soviet era after the October Revolution; how the classical ballet managed to survive; what kind of creative works attempted by young choreographers, such as Goleizovsky and Lopukhov. Then, I investigated that how the Soviet ballet works represented socialist realism which was prevailing in Soviet literature and arts. Finally, I examined the change of Soviet ballets which are still performed on stage,
Socialist realism had been the trend of literature and the principle of creation through the 20th century since 1934, during Soviet regime. It was not only an artistic style but it was also a propagandistic ideology that promoted the view of Soviet life. It was aimed at enlightening labours and peasants and remodeling them to the “Homo Sovieticus”. Socialist realism tried not to show the real social problems which 19th century realism had tried to describe, but to show as it ought to be, such as a happy, optimistic Socialist utopia. This trend of literature is based on the Soviet aesthetics, namely Marxist-Leninist aesthetics. The fundamental principles of this aesthetics consist of “nationality(narodnosti’)”, “class system(klassovosti’)” and “partizanship(partinosti’)”.
I analyzed and described four Soviet ballets as follow: The Red Poppy (by Gliere and Tikhomirov), The Flames of Paris (by Asafiev and Vainonen), Romeo and Juliet (by Prokofiev and Lavrovsky) and Spartcus (by Khachaturian and Grigorovich).
The Red Poppy is considered as the first Soviet ballet because it deals with the theme of soviet “contemporary” life. Even though this ballet sticked with the form of 19th century classical ballet, it had tremendous success and marked a new stage in the history of Soviet ballet. The dance of the Soviet sailors(Яблочко) was so popular that it has been performed even separately.
The Flames of Paris is about French Revolution, which gave the impressive scenes of rebellious revolutionary people against the Ancien regime. This ballet is full of energetic and vivid character dances which symbolize “nationality(narodnosti’)” of soviet aesthetics. Also this ballet shows the dramatic confrontation of the two worlds: aristocracies and revolutionaries.
“Drambalet” in 1930’s is the alternative name of the socialist realism ballet. Romeo and Juliet is called as the genuine drambalet. For doubling the dramatization and psychological description, the choreographer, Lavrovsky eliminated the conventional idioms of the classical ballet and created the new way of expression of pantomimes. This ballet embodies the conflict between the rising generation and the old world in the historical transition from Feudalism to the early Capitalism during the Renaissance.
Spartacus was projected and produced specially in remembrance of the 50th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution. Soviet ballet faced the turning point with the emergence of the choreographer, Grigorovich at the end of 1950''s. He brought back the elements of dance to the ballet and tried to create a musical-choreographical dramaturgy, which is called “Symphonic dance”. Spartacus is provided as the model of Soviet ballet.
Apart from the ideology, Romeo and Juliet and Spartacus demonstrate the outstanding choreography, also the new aesthetics of Soviet ballet. It is why those two ballets have been constantly performed to this day.
Since the disorganization of Soviet Union, Soviet ballets have been disappeared behind the stage for decades. Today, some of them have been eventually revived and shown to public. It seems that the socialist ideology is no more effective, but audiences appreciate those ballets simply as an entertainment, They fully enjoy the aesthetic values of those ballets.
In conclusion, in this study, it was examined the way how socialist realism was reflected in the Soviet ballets. The aesthetic values of ballets other than the ideology were also interpreted. Finally, the further step of study can be developed about the Soviet ballet in the 20th century on the ground of history and aesthetics.