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teachers feared that “thunder-thrower”. One day she noticed Sulkhan Nasidze, Revaz Gabichvadze, Filipe Ghlonti, Gia
that a girl (who after graduating for many years sparkled Kancheli, Revaz Laghidze – in music; Elguja Amashukeli,
on the Tbilisi ballet stage and today is one of the leading Merab Berdzenishvili, Revaz Tarkhan-Mouravi, Tengiz
teachers in the School) had a cross. The woman threatened Mirzashvili, Giorgi and Irakli Ochiauri, Dimitri Eristavi, Zurab
her with the severest punishment. Fortunately, Vakhtang Nizharadze – in painting, fine arts and sculpture. This is a
Chabukiani interfered, put the cross around his neck and short list of those figures of art, who did not abandon their
asked that woman not to call the girl’s parents to School. He ideals. The time of unprecedented experiments started in the
turned the case into fun and the girl kept the cross for a long Georgian ballet as well. Changes became urgent, along with
time as the most precious relic. bringing new forces to the School and theater too, but not
In the period of Vakhtang Chabukiani’s work (1940- in the form that was done then. Three new choreographers
1972) the School graduates were: N. Arobelidze, L. appeared on the creative arena – Giorgi Aleksidze, Aleksi
Mitaishvili, R. Maghalashvili, I. Jandieri, L. Nadareishvili, V. Chichinadze, Revaz Tsulukidze. Zurab Kikaleishvili started
Abashidze, R. Abashidze, L. Chkhikvishvili, N. Makhateli, choreographic activity. Their creative work clearly expressed
T. Sanadze, Z. Amonashvili, M. Makharadze, G. Kukuladze, aspiration towards forming psychological portraits of heroes
S. Tereshenko, N. Godziashvili, A. Poghosov, R. Svirina, M. only through the method of dance, to overcome firmly
Aleksidze, O. Beridze, L. Bakhtadze, V. Perkun, T. Beridze, established heroic, elevated ballet tradition, to bring to the
P. Chkhikvishvili, Ts. Balanchivadze. In our opinion, this list stage not a general character of Socialist country builder
is endless and we beg pardon if we have missed anyone (which still was in less degree in the Georgian ballet), but
unintentionally. The School graduates danced leading a concrete hero – with his pains, problems, sentiments, to
parts not only in classical, but also in the ballets staged by form a new ballet theater with its own style, manner, forms.
Vakhtang Chabukiani and Giorgi Aleksidze. Just in Chabukiani’s period was educated that generation of
Starting from the 1960s, the so-called “Ottepel” ballet dancers, which so successfully realized the ideas of
(“warming”) period starts in the Soviet Union. Stalin recently the young choreographers. The team of educated, thinking
died, the Soviet Union Communist Party XX congress was and virtuoso dancers was established in the Choreographic
held and the crimes committed in the period of “Stalin’s Cult” School. They danced in “Hamlet”, “Demon”, “Orpheus and
were disclosed and condemned. The new generation of the Eurydice”, “Chacon”, “Orestes”, “Seraphita”. However, a
Soviet Art believed it possible to really describe the reality question arises – why it was necessary that unprecedented
realistically and not by the method of the “Socialist Realism”. persecution, the dirtiest accusations, merciless insults
However, they seemed to be mistaken. The “Warming” soon expressed towards Vakhtang Chabukiani. Commissions
was replaced by “Cooling”. But it turned out to be difficult were sent from Moscow to him for inspection of his teaching
to force those, who have already tasted easy breath of and creative activity. First it was Kasian Goleizovski, who
freedom, go back. Leaders of a new type were outlined then worked in ballet and adjacent fields. It was well-known
in all the field of the Georgian culture – Otar and Tamaz that he disliked Chabukiani, opposed Chabukiani’s creative
Chiladze, Archil Sulakauri, Guram Rcheulishvili, Guram work. It was quite strange that to inspect the holder of all
Asatiani, Guram Dochanashvili, Anna Kalandadze, Mukhran the Soviet orders and prizes was sent the most talented,
54 Machavariani, Chabua Amirejibi, Jansugh Charkviani, different from all and intelligent person, who was a dissident
Murman Lebanidze – in literature; Sulkhan Tsintsadze, and because of this had no title of the People’s Artist (the