Olga Smirnova: A Ballerina in Protest
Russian ballerina Olga Smirnova (Dutch National Ballet)
Life can change overnight. As one of the Bolshoi Theatre’s leading ballerinas, Russian ballerina Olga Smirnova was a national hero, a glamorous icon of Russian culture. But from one day to the next, she became an outcast and traitor in the eyes of the Russian government – and an international hero and symbol of artistic and human integrity in the eyes of the world. Olga Smirnova describes herself as someone who never followed politics - until it became impossible for her to ignore politics: on 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. Six days later, on 1 March, Smirnova posted a heart wrenching, immensely brave letter on the Russian messaging service Telegram, announcing publicly that she opposed the war “with every fibre of my soul. . . I never thought that I would be ashamed for Russia, I always took pride in the talented Russian people, our cultural, athletic achievements. But now a line has been drawn that separates the before and after.” For Smirnova, after the invasion, it was no longer an option to stand aside: “We cannot remain indifferent to a global catastrophe.” Smirnova no longer felt safe in Russia. Russia has adopted laws that criminalize independent reporting on the war and protesting against the war. Whoever is seen as breaking these laws can end up in prison for up to fifteen year. It is even forbidden to call the war against Ukraine a war. Soon after her post, Smirnova got on a plane with her husband – and joined Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam as a principal dancer, taking the difficult decision to leave behind not just her theatre and her home country, but also her parents.
As one of the outstanding dancers of her generation, Smirnova attracted attention from her very first days at St. Petersburg’s famous Vaganova Academy. Even as a young student, she stood out because she combined a perfect ballet physique with very special qualities: graceful seriousness, delicate strength and intelligent determination.
On 12 June 2022, Smirnova shared her knowledge in a very special masterclass for young Ukrainian dancers in Amsterdam. Thanks to a remarkable initiative by the organization Youth America Grand Prix, over fifty Ukrainian dance students have been placed in leading professional ballet schools across Europe (including Amsterdam) and several private ballet schools in Europe and America.
Olga Smirnova teaching a masterclass to young Ukrainian dancers in Amsterdam.
Here you can see Smirnova’s own progression from students to star: