She's one of my favorites, along with Renata Shakirova. They both have this depth to their dancing that a lot of other dancers don't have.

I ve seen her live, when it was the first time - last December, 2021, I was shocked, my friend also because she has unbelievable energy towards the audience, the special aura around her... so much love for music and very warm emotional wave around her, it's impossible to feel through video...

Her Raymonda variation is unbelievable! She's dancing alone but somehow fills the whole stage and I can picture the scene around her.

I think exactly the same about Maria I. She is one of the rare perles like Lopatkina!!!!

Most of the important Ballerinas nowadays are busy at making you say Wow, whereas with her, I feel empowerment. It is her generosity in her selfless and "effortless" art that melts you .

It’s so rare nowadays to see a ballerina capturing the essence of the style of a ballet. It’s not all about tricks. I totally agree that she’s probably a wonderful character dancer as well (I was trained at the Bolshoi and I loved character dance too - my first part was Spanish dance from Raymonda and later I did this variation many times). She truly captures the hongroise essence. Brava 🩰👏🏻

thankyou for voicing your opinion on Maria Iliushkina. whereas the technical abilities of many popular dancers nowadays are captivating to watch, from my point of view the term "ballerina" can only be applied to those who manage to catch the audience with simple movements as well, thus lifting the choreography above our understanding, and Maria Iliushkina truly does that!!

She doesn't have the best extensions, but her upper body really makes up for it. She's stunning and I'm thrilled to witness her progress! She's getting better and better

I agree completely. I noticed her a short time ago. The head positions, arms , upper back and facial expressions are definitely unique, and not the norm. I felt the same way about Altynai Asylmuratova, she will always be my favorite.

Any time I watch Lopatkina I'm completely mesmerised, her swan lake, I've literally never seen another like it, so so beautiful 💜

Delightful almost playful presence. Like a true sylph she manages to move through space without displacing the air. The slightest movement is ordered to her will.

Maria Iliushkina somehow brings and maintains a soft elegance to everything. And it somehow works. Even in the sassier grand pas classique she has this soft grace about it and it pairs marvellously.

Comment below if you agree! I can’t wait for you all to watch this video ❤

I totally agree! Saw her at MIBC and was blown away!

There are some dancers that can take a variation you've seen performed a million times and danced yourself a million times and make you feel like you've never seen it before. The choreo is obviously all the same, but the energy they bring to it is so different it feels like a new work. To me Sylvie Guillem did that, Marianela Nunez does that, and I feel like Maria Ilyushkina does that as well. It's one of those things I think you either have or you don't, it can't really be taught.

I love her too! Those beautiful lines, that natural St Petersburg aristocracy and presence. She is amazing!

The Raymonda variation, I've seen it done so many times where it comes off looking rather harsh or at times even mean. (just a bit *too* haughty) But this one was gorgeous. Just the right mix of strength, yet also some delicacy.That little head shake @4:10 did it for me! I hardly looked at her feet and legs, I couldn't wait to see what she did with her head next. As for her extension. When you have style like that, it hardly seems to matter. And Fonteyn's extension was rarely more than 90 degrees. And nobody cared. I may be old school, but sky high extension is so common now, that I actually like to see it a bit lower. I prefer to see the charm and personality. And she has it! Most definitely! Thank you for introducing her.

her dancing reminds me a lot of the russian ballet legends like ulyana as you mentioned, gabriela komleva, galina mesentzeva 💙 such a classical beauty!

This video made my day Isabella! I absolutely ADORE this dancer and agreed with everything you said. The qualities she posseses are so rare, the ballet world is saturated with those "tricky" dancers. Everything she dances she makes her own, you can see this with both these variations which have been done so many times in so many ways already. Iliushkina reminds me of a 21st century version of older generation great russian ballerinas, she is just magical. I tend to get the impression that Mariinski, while filled with beautiful dancers, quite lacks in those "one of a kind" personalities, especially among the younger dancers. While she doesn't seem to be cast very much these days, I find Alexandra Khiteeva enchanting to watch, she has a very unique and charming way of moving her body and has that similar quality that attracts your eye, in my opinion. Her Raymonda (Clémence variation I believe, in the blue tutu) is one I often go back to watch 🥰 Thank you for sharing this video !

This is a great format. I would love to see more videos like this. Your commentary while we watch the dancing is perfect. I am so thrilled that I found your channel. You're wonderful. It's amazing that you were in school with these dancers. I agreed with everything you said. Maria has a beautiful centeredness, a containment, a carefully honed stylistic gorgeousness. You feel this inward feel from her. Her carriage is royal and nuanced. The Raymonda solo is so unique, I love it. In the 2nd piece, Grand Pas Classique, I loved the way she did the lower legs part - such feeling and depiction, and yes, the higher leg part could have way more height and extendedness and sustainedness but she's still lovely and her dancing still wonderful. Her Raymonda was exquisite, like a chiseled jewel. Whenever I see Raymonda I think of Plisetskaya because I think the great Plisetskaya had the most exquisite port de bras on earth. Maria's feet on the floor don't have that great archment but it's also interesting because you move differently. Plisetskaya didn't have great feet but she was immortal. Maria is a wonderful dancer. Her Raymonda is absolutely exquisite. (Lopatkina, whom you mention, has gorgeous feet - her Dying Swan is incredible.) It is so interesting how there is one man's voice that comes out from the applause. It is not exactly a bravo. It is sort of this contemporaneous expression of pleasure and deep inward excitement and appreciation of Maria's dancing. That one expression of sound from that man in the audience had all of your appreciation of Maria in words in it. That incredible sound he made said it all. It was the sound of an extremely knowledgeable ballet person (like most Russians are) who saw the finest rich china on display on the stage. It was the sound you make not over technical tricks (brilliant as they can be) but over something of a richer, inward soil - artistry. That man saw every inch of wonderfulness of Maria that you described. I've been an avid balletomane for 60 years. I was in Russia decades ago and was watching Ludmilla Semenyaka in a performance who of course was so wonderful and my favorite dancer. She always reminded me of the great British-Russian ballerina Svetlana Beriosova. But somehow Semenyaka's a la second got bad. I don't know how and why that happened but her foot wasn't even hardly pointed in the a la second. It upset me. The person I was with was exclaiming how great Semenyaka was which was so true but I was so upset by her low and unpointed and un-fully extended and un-sustained a la second extension that I just kept exclaiming my upset over it. I was sunken. It was like a mar on wonderful dancing. It was like how the Italian audience got very upset if a tenor struck a bad note because singing to them is like a sacred church which is what ballet dancing is for me. Semenyaka's un-well executed a la second in that performance was so distracting. It was like Semenyaka had let a part of her technique fall. It takes away from the whole. This incident came to my mind somehow. But Semenyaka was delicate and beautiful. It was such a treat to be introduced to this dancer, Maria lliushkina. It's a sin I didn't know her but there are so many wonderful dancers it's hard to keep up and the names can really, really get confusing and sound the same and get all swished up in your head. I am trying to learn the names and not confuse them. How wonderful these dancers are. And yes, the a la second developees of today are exquiste, but as you say, it is not everything.

She really gives off a young Lopatkina vibe... The nuances with the arms and the head, I feel like she really draws inspiration from her. I've seen her Blue Bird, you can see her slowly improving and maturing.

Completely agree. I remember years ago, she had done Liliac Fairy on the Primosrky stage and someone had uploaded a video of that debut. I was shocked, she wasn't ready for the Mariinsky stage but there was something there that with time would blossom. What I was really struck by was her Grand Pas Classique. I always thought of her as so sweet and lyrical but her sass and pure charisma in GPC was so refreshing. Completely agree with you about how some of the younger up and coming Mariinsky still don't feel like a "Ballerina" yet, though they are technically perfect they just lack a bit of maturity and artistry IMO. With some, I feel like I'm watching what their coach instilled into them but there's still nothing that is THEIR choice of aristry. Yet. They are still young. WIthin the current Mariinsky ranks, I still adore Tereshkina. What utter class. Somova is someone who I think the acting is just on another level. She's so leggy that it can feel distracting but she truly can suffer on stage. At Bolshoi, Yulia Stepanova is someone I admire. I remember seeing her white swan debut uploaded here and being so touched. Her arms are just gorgeous and she's aonther dancer who I think can truly suffer on stage. Stepanova is also not a flashy dancer, but I appreciate her solidity. When she ends a variation with a sousous fifth, no bourres. Just a clean and strong sousou. She puts so much care into each finger placement, each meaning, and with her, like with Tereshkina, Somova, Smirnova, all the other great artists, I'm seeing her dance her interpretation, not the coaches'

I like all the Mashas at Mariinsky!

I love her❤She's truly extraordinary 👏Completely agree with you 🩰Thank you for this video💐W Mariinskij!🪆

Iliushkina absolutely reminds me of Lopatkina. Thank you for this breakdown, Isabella

I think I knew who you meant when you were speaking about those who are popular online and good technically, but lacking artistically… and I completely agree 😅 also agree with your opinion of Maria I., she’s an up-and-coming star of Mariinsky.

I agree. She's truly extraordinary. Thank you for introducing her on your channel! I think what really sets Maria off is her extreme musicality. She appears to be suffused with the music and that is what dancing is all about. Most well-trained dancers are competent musically speaking, but this level of musicality is instinctive and a true gift. Her epaulement is really gorgeous as you mentioned and she passes what I call "the acid test" which is her bourees. Some dancers consider bourees a throw-away step, but in the hands of a great dancer, bourees are as beautiful as all the other steps.

Thank you for introducing us to Maria Iliushkina. Isabella. Lately when watching ballet I see people moving with undeniable physical skills and superior technical standard, but they create the impression in me of gymnasts more than artists.

Maria is stunning, so graceful, light, elegant and effortless - such a beautiful classic dancer, how I feel ballet should be, old school without all these new tricks, you don't need to be able to do 11 pirouettes to be a beautiful dancer and often the 'trick' dancers, do lack a lot of the artistry that makes a prima ballerina 💜

For someone like , who adores Lopatkina and considers her the epitomy of THE ballerina, this is a pleasant surprise.I agree with you.She has style,musicallity,artistry,and that something that few have.I think she has a great future in front of her,

I also love her🤩

Thanks so much for answering my request 🙏 I like that your video is not just reacting but very educational. 🌹 As for suggestions, would you consider a video about Alena Kovaleva? Since her fast promotion all the way to principal in Bolshoi, I am curious to know what made her shine even amongst the elite dancers in Bolshoi. Thank you very much 🌹🌹

My favourite recording of this solo is of Olesya Novikova in 2011 for all of the same reasons but this young woman is destined to go far at the Mariinsky. Aplomb is key to a ballerina's career.

Agree so much. Lack of artistry is an issue in the modern day of ballet. Although technique skills are off the charts it’s uninteresting without the artistry. Thanks for sharing. ….. she is a wonderful artist

I've seen her in Bayaderka Primorsky Mariinskii theater Vladivostok, she was beautyful and amazing

Very very interesting video. I very much appreciate these detailed breakdowns. I was looking at other videos where you breakdown the Vaganova style, and I'd be so interested in hearing your thoughts about how that differs from dancers who were trained primarily in Cecchetti, or Bournonville, etc. To my uninformed eyes, it sometimes seems like Vaganova seems to have really drawn from the best aspects of the old (old!) French and Italian styles, and it's so interesting to see how it has developed on its own over the years.

You are a true gifted ballerina!! I love your dancing. Maria reminds me of the ballerina on my jewelry box, and my favorite ballerina doll that I would play with for hours, when I wasn't dancing myself. I can see what your talking about. I agree with you.😊❤

She’s really amazing! She reminds me a bit of one of my favourite ballerinas which is Larissa Lezhnina. She also is very petite but strong and has a lot of character. Love her especially when she was dancing with the (then) Kirov Ballet. :)

I feel totally inadequate to offer an opinion. I am not a ballet dancer but I like what I see without knowing why. All I know is that she makes me feel emotional. Someone else that I absolutely adore is Yulia Stepanova. I would love to hear you expert opinion of Yulia Stepanova as well. I love your programme even though I don't understand too much. It gives me a buzz and I am a big ballet fan.

Isabella, thank you for your channel.

I've always been captivated by Alexandra Khiteeva who, in my opinion, has similar artistic qualities to Iliushkina :)

2 недели назад видел Машу в роли Аспиччии. Это было совершенно невероятно! Маша - сама грация, нежность и очарование!

Thank you for this video. I have heard a few times already a comparison to Lopatkina :) .. you are right, there are plenty of technically perfect ballerinas and many have theatrical skills as well.. but Lopatkina and Iliushkina are simply from OUTER SPACE. They are some kind of next level creatures.. aliens from a planet of pure beauty!

Completely agree! Thankyou for sharing Isabella x

As a Huge Ballet Fan I Love Your Channel Keep Up The Great Work ❤

so glad you put up this video. She was my favorite as a pre-graduation year around 2015 and was just soo beautiful!

I adore her! Will you do a video on Masha Bulanova? I feel like her and Maria are so underrated. I hear so much about Maria Khoreva and she's great when it comes to technical things so I love her too, but I really love hearing about these other dancers. I feel like these Russian dancers that aren't so big on social media have such an alluring mystique about them, like the great Uliana. I hope you go back to Russia and do a Mariinsky interview with dancers, Yuri?? Lol Nikolai 😁

I also like Maria, thank you for the video.

I agree with you. I saw her on stage once, a few years ago. Still remember) I live in Spb, want to see her again)

Pienso igual!!! Desde el momento que la vi me recordó DEMASIADO a Ulyana. Pienso se convertirá en una leyenda, porque esa "pureza" de la que hablas Isabella es tan subjetiva pero a la vez tan objetiva. María tiene ese no se qué, q muy pocas bailarinas tienen

It is a great pleasure to follow young ballerinas and to witness their development. Maria Iliushkina is one of the dancers who gave me this pleasure. I totally agree with you Isabella, she has an artistic talent and it's precious because that quality is a gift, and can't be gained by effort in my opinion. I know it's cruel to say to some "ballerinas" but if ballet is an art, not sports, dancers must be artis. I feel in Mariinsky Daria Ionova and May Nagahisa has true artistry.

i like that it is not robotic--her dancing.

I love her! A lot of people criticize her for being thin, but I think she looks amazing !

Dear Isabella, I would love to have a video about Maria Bulanova! I like her because of her acting skills and her confidence, she looks so strong on stage. Her leaps and her turns are amazing, and she is a natural beauty. Her body type is different from Maria Khoreva, for example, and that makes a nice contrast on stage. For example when she is the street dancer in Don Q and Maria Khoreva is Kitri, I love that the street dancer is portrayed very different.

The Raymonda hongroise quality is something that you get from loving character dancing and giving attention to detail. When I went to dance in Hungary 🇭🇺 I finally got it. 8:10

Beautiful quality. It’s always hard to tell in video, but she seems to sit in the music more than others I’ve seen. That’s not a criticism, but more an observation and one that I don’t know is accurate because it’s not always clear if the music syncs up in the video. Maybe it’s is why others think there’s no “spice?” I disagree as her epaulement is exquisite.

What are your thoughts on Maria Khoreva and Bulanova?

the intangibles make all the difference

I find the same quality with Tatiana Tkachenko and Renata Shakirova

I follow the new ballerinas of the Mariinsky. Yes, Maria is undoubtedly good and very promising, I think she will become a prima in a year. But I like Renata Shakirova and Maria Bulanova better. In Ilyushkina there is no (little, not visible) expression, passion, blood games. I don't see her in the role of Carmen, Kitri. and even in the Park. For Maria I. Giselle, Sleeping, Swan, she is a frozen princess. I wonder how she will prove herself and whether she will be able to perform in modern ballet. It would be interesting to know Isabella's opinion about Shakirova and Bulanova, if she has the opportunity to follow their work. The obvious plus of Ilyushkina is her height (I think she is at least 175 cm) in harmony with the proportions of the body - that's how time has changed the approach to growth! Also interesting is Isabella's opinion about the ballet Legend of Love - I think it is not danced in Europe. And Isabella in the role of Mehmen Banu would be very good, as well as in the role of Gamzatti

you should say what you think about maria khoreva and marianela, and also react to male dancers

Слежу за новыми балеринами Мариинки. Да, Мария несомненно хороша и очень перспективна, думаю через год станет примой. Но мне больше нравятся Рената Шакирова и Мария Буланова. В Илюшкиной нет ( мало, не видно) экспрессии, страсти, игры крови. Не вижу ее в роли Кармен, Китри. и даже в Парке. Для Марии И. Жизель, Спящая, Лебединое, она замороженная принцесса. Интересно, как она проявит себя и сможет ли в современном балете. Было бы интересно узнать мнение Изабеллы о Шакировой и Булановой, если она имеет возможность следить за их работой. Очевидный плюс Илюшкиной - рост ( думаю, что она не менее 175 см) в гармонии с пропорциями тела - вот как время изменило подход к росту! Также интересно мнение Изабеллы о балете Легенда о любви - думаю, что в Европе его не танцуют. А Изабелла в роли Мехмене Бану была бы очень хороша, как и в роли Гамзати

After watching a few Raymondas she’s very good but for this role needs more “spice”. It’s very classical what she’s doing but kind of bland for Raymonda. Sylvia Guillem as an example. At least that’s my perspective.

She seems rather short, do you by any chance know her height? it's not listed in her profiles, and there is no wiki page. From a non-technical point of view, she would look even better if she could be a bit taller.

I really tried, but I don't like her, her technique is mainstream, what I have seen from her Giselle debut could be called really weak, no jumping ability whatsoever, and I don't see any passion, presence and expression. She has pretty lines in the upper body though.

Нет. Пустая. Обыкновенная девочка из офиса. Не понимает что и для чего она танцует. Цирк в балете, одним словом. Физические упражнения ее Раймонда. (

Or is it to push some other dancers down? It feels a bit disingenuous unfortunately, as I really enjoyed your presentations so far

Her Raymonda is too soft, there is no life in it.I dont like it at all. Sylvie Guilllem the best for ever.

I don't see why you single her out? I wish her the best, but not very impressive artistiscally or technically, nor emotional expressions, etc. Why are you pushing her in particular?

Should keep shut up, lets us enjoy this BELLISIMA BALLERINA.