For Nikola Hadjitanev danse was a little bit late love and a consciously chosen path

Nikola Hadjitanev’s whole family is tightly connected with art. His father is an artist. His mother has been working long years in the cinema. His aunt is a fiddler, leader of the second violin sector. His both grandfathers were opera singers. One of his cousins is a ballerina from the class of Masha Ilieva. She suggested to his mother Nikola to go in for an examination at the Ballet school and he enrolled there as a fourth-class student. With his classmates, they formed quite a strong male group. Before that he hadn’t seen ballet spectacles. Around his cousins, he was in contact with this art, but he didn’t plan to deal with it. With the years, however, he was falling more and more in love with ballet and he decided that this was his path. Quite logically followed the graduation from the majors Ballet Directing and Ballet Pedagogy at the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts in Plovdiv and second university education – “Art Management”, there again.

The boy of that time is already at the age of thirty-three and is a premier soloist (he dances the lead roles) of the Sofia Opera – 14 years already. Actually, he was entrusted the greater part of them still since his joining the ballet company of the Opera. His appearances, however, are not only in Bulgaria. With his partner Marta Petkova, they have guest-performances abroad, at that quite often. They were guests at the Kremlin Ballet. They have performed the lead roles in the production “Le corsaire” not somewhere else, but at the Bolshoi Theatre. They had guest-performances in the USA, Japan, Germany and Italy.

As his greatest achievements he points the reaching of the final at the Varna International Ballet Competition (together with other colleagues of his). He was not awarded, but he considers his participation in the prestigious dance competition for quite a big achievement, because there was a strong competition. Quite a lot of the other finalists are well-known, successful ballet dancers now. He won also a distinction for partner – again at this festival, the Big Prize at the Anastas Petrov Competition, first place for classic ballet and second place for modern ballet – in Italy, the Golden Feather Award – of the listeners of Classic FM Radio. He was awarded a lot of honorary diplomas and scholarships. He is happy that someone appreciates his work. It is good people to be stimulated, and this is one of the ways.

Among his “big” roles (with the whole conventionality of the expression) is John from “Zorba the Greek”. He has performed it in Bulgaria (almost in the whole country), as well as abroad. The audience likes him. He has also impersonated Basil in “Don Quixote”, Solor in “La Bayadère”. Besides successful, these characters are among the favourites of Nikola Hadjitanev himself. He likes very much José from “Carmen” and Armand from “La Dame aux Camélias” too. Yet never he had the opportunity to perform the lead male role in “Romeo and Juliet”. He hopes the spectacle to be revived and then to receive this chance. He would like to dance also Eugene Onegin, because of the choreography of the world-known John Cranco, whose spectacle he has seen. It is very difficult, however, for one man to be universal – to be able to perform many styles. But Nikola Hadjitanev has danced modern ballet too. He is striving to recreate every role with its characteristic movements and plastic. He considers that the artist must approach the character as close as possible, to do his best. One savage, for example, is quite different from the prince as behaviour and hence – as recreating on the part of the dancer.

On the other hand, but again connected with the work – the ballet dancers from the company of the Sofia Opera are very close with each other. They are like a big family. They spend a lot of time together. Outside of Sofia too, the colleagues welcome them very warmly. It pleases him to be on the stage – he is working, he is feeling well with everybody. With Marta Petkova – the diamond in this community – they are partners since a long time. They have travelled and worked a lot together. Yasen Valchanov has been his coach for long years. He has given him a lot, he has supported him in his professional development and growth. From the stage directors, he has been working the best with Petar Lukanov – choreographer of “The Goat Horn” and of many other ballet spectacles. Curious for him would be the artistic meeting with Paul Whitefoot – he has seen his spectacles in the Internet, with William Forsythe – a very good contemporary choreographer, with Jiří Kylián ... Beyond this – at the moment he is preparing premieres – “Tango” and “Swan Lake”.

To us – spectators, readers, listeners – the artistic professions may seem easy, not very serious, because some people think that artists work, but at the same time they amuse themselves. This, however, is not at all so. Nikola Hadjitanev doesn’t have much time for rest. In the summer there are guest-performances. He takes part at the Dilyana Nikiforova Ballet Academy in the village of Marian. In principle, he is a man, who likes to be engaged. He recreates at the sea, if he has the luck to find some ten free days. It is good to rest – purely physically – the body gets refreshed. But in this profession, it must not be a lot – one gets relaxed, one loses training. The ballet stage is risky – one trauma can put an end to the career. And this is why the dancer must be in condition. And otherwise – like every young person – he relaxes with friends in cafés and restaurants. He doesn’t restrict himself from going out, parties. But he is looking for moderation.

And he is full of ideas for things, which he would like to do in the future. For example, to direct himself towards choreography – to realize a spectacle of his own.

In private aspect, he feels satisfied. And how would be otherwise – he has wonderful parents, a son at the age of eight, who is student at the music school with Trumpet. When they are together, they pay attention to the music instrument, but they also play together, go outside, go to the cinema and to the theatre. In principle, Nikola Hadjitanev doesn’t like to talk about himself. He shares, however, that he is striving to find time for his friends, for his parents. He likes to be alone with himself, to stay at home too.

Few maybe know that he likes to restore different things. Some time ago, he had a motor bike, which he repaired with the help of friends. He doesn’t miss reading too – Kurt Vonnegut, Oskar Wilde ... He watches films – such, which are already not modern, but enrich him emotionally and spiritually, from the old Russian cinema, for example. He is looking for the good in people, he makes his best to be calm, not to become irritated even because of the traffic in Sofia.

This is the life and artistic path of Nikola Hadjitanev so far. His love for ballet art by him came with time, but his path was chosen not by chance, even on the contrary. And it will continue, without any doubt, onwards and upwards. And his talent will develop to higher and higher levels.

https://duma.bg/vlyubeniyat-v-baleta-n234490