«Kniga likovaniy» by A. L. Volynsky as a result of his reflections on the classical dance’s nature

The article presents an analysis of the “Kniga likovaniy” by A. L. Volynsky, one of the 20th century’s largest ballet critics, who devoted more than 300 articles to the art of dance, published in the St. Petersburg periodicals of 1911–1925. “Kniga likovaniy” is a philosophical treatise on classical dance, which contains the author's reflections on the connection between ballet and ancient Greek dances, as well as on the essence of ballet steps. Volynsky’ s fundamental work studied in the article was the result of many years of research in the field of ballet art and reflects the main ideas of the author's concept of classical dance. Volynsky developed and improved his future theory of ballet dance for almost 24 years. The key tenets of his theory were outlined in his first article "The Sacrament of Dance", published in the newspaper “Birzhevye Vedomosti” in September 11, 1917. The methodology of the study of the "Kniga likovaniy" was based on historical, biographical, analytical and comparative methods. The critic's unique style, as well as his scientific and philosophical approach to the study of the classical dance’s basics, make Volynsky's “Kniga likovaniy” a unique phenomenon in the field of ballet theory, giving space for reflection to both practicing ballet dancers, teachers, and historians, theorists and philosophers of dance. For modern ballet studies and ballet pedagogy, the "Kniga likovaniy" is also of applied importance, since the vivid metaphors formulated by Volynsky on the topic of classical dance allow the reader to fully imagine the movements of the exersis, and students to better master the exercises during choreography classes.

ballet, classical dance, ancient Greek art, A. L. Volynsky, Kniga likovaniy, philosophy of dance, theory of ballet dance, ballet criticism, Ancient Greece, treatise on dance