Choreographic interpretation of classical Russian Literature, exemplified by B. Eifman's Ballet Theatre ("Idiot" and "Anna Karenina", based on the novels of same name by F. Dostoevsky and L. Tolstoy respectively).

The author takes into consideration problems related to dance being taken as an interpretative medium. The article focuses on B. Eifman's ballet works as indicative of such problems. Being presented are the general outlines of Eifman's choreographic approach as well as the particulars of his staging of Russian literary classics. The analysis provided relies heavily on the overall context of Eifman's creative evolution on the one hand, on the other – on principles rendering dance as a philosophical form of art. The article employs an integrated approach as to focus in Eifman's life-long creative efforts while also analyzing ballets "Idiot" (1980) and "Anna Karenina" (2005) through the lens of culture studies. The author argues, that both of ballets are centred around the vintage points of their respective protagonists to provide the audience with an insight into characters' minds and motifs behind their deeds. The paper concludes with the point, that these pieces of choreography are of a great value as they enable the audience to enrich its understanding of Russian classics. Eifman's ballet pieces work to full psychological and philosophical capacity of what dance is capable of as an art form, which makes Eifman's ballet theatre a one of a kind phenomenon in today's Russian dance culture.

choreographer, theatre, dance, ballet, literary work, novel, symphony, interpretation, performance, symbolism