Mongolia’s First Siegfried

Ballet dancers E.Oyun and E.Oyunbat took the leading roles when Swan Lake ballet was first staged in Mongolia in 1975. E.Oyunbat, former dancing partner to the famous E. Oyun, was distinguished as the Best Artist by the Ministry of Culture in 1975, 1988. A graduate of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, Oyunbat worked in the Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet for over 20 years and was honored with the title of “Honored Artist” in 2012. Below is an interview with the famous ballet dancer.

-You became “Honored Actor” rather late in your career. Why weren’t you awarded this title before?

- Actually, I’ve been nominated for awards several times since 1973. After I graduated from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in Leningrad in 1972, I played the lead role in Chuluun’s “Uran Khas” ballet with E.Oyun. This ballet had three acts and was Mongolia’s first classical national work. Previous ballets, such as “Nuuriin Domog” (Myth of the Lake), “Naiz Zaluu” (Boyfriend), and “Khoshuu Naadam” had one act. After I had played in “Uran Khas,” both Oyun and I were nominated for “Honored Actor.” In that case, it was E.Oyun who won Honored Actor. In 1975, we played the lead roles in Swan Lake and at that time E.Oyun was nominated for the People’s Artist award while I was also nominated for Honored Artist. E.Oyun won the award for People’s Artist while I did not.

-Do you regret not being rewarded while you were young?

-I don’t regret it, but sometimes I think if I had been awarded this title earlier; it would have been pretty great. But I believe artists should’ve be awarded at such a young age. There are many amazing older artists who haven’t received any award. And that is really a pity.

-Ballet dancers were so popular during that time. Did you receive any letters from fans?

-I received many letters such as: “Congratulations. I want to meet you. Have you married yet?” People used to crowd outside the theatre after Swan Lake ballet. Sometimes I had to sneak away through ticketing door.

-I heard that you kept dancing even when your toes were injured. Didn’t your injury affect your success?

- At the time, I didn’t know that my big toe had been dislocated. It really hurt because my toe joint had ankylosis (stiffness of the joint). So I had thought about quitting dance, because a ballet dancer’s toe takes on a lot of strain. It was really hard to dance and do rehearsals when my toe was so injured. However, I kept on dancing through it and strove to do so because I loved my work so much.

- The National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet had over 70 ballet dancers then. At that time, one ballet was presented in two or three sets and there were many talented dancers. It is said that Oyun was especially extraordinary among them. But it‘s pity that the youth nowadays youth don’t know much about that time. Please, tell us about your first partner ballerina: E.Oyun.

- We had enrolled in ballet school together. Our teachers always made us partner as dancers in the school concert and art events while we were studying together. They advised us to partner as soloists together when in Mongolia in order to show others the Leningrad ballet school training style. After graduation, we won a special place in Moscow at the Varna International Ballet competition. I think there’s no one who can play Odette’s role like Oyun did. Her arm moves were admirable. During Moscow’s international competitions in the 2nd round, the greatest ballerina, Maya Plisetskaya, requested for Jamiyandagva to practice with Oyun. The world-famous ballet dancer, Maya Plisetskaya also noticed her remarkable arm moves. It was wonderful for Oyun to be noticed by such famous dancer from out over 140 dancers competing dancers.

-You were partners also with Tuul, Gerelchimeg, Chimgee, Erdenetsetseg, Tsermaa and Sharavdorj. I think it must be difficult for male ballet dancers to have to practice ballet techniques with a taller partner.

- Short ballet dancers have a greater advantage in jumping moves, being speedy and light. But yes, it is hard to dance with a taller dancer. Taller ballerinas are also heavy. According to professional regulations, ballerinas weren’t allowed to be over 50 kg. Oyun was 42kg, Tuul was 41kg, while Tsermaa was 50 kg. If there happened to be no partner who could dance with the taller and heavier ballerinas, our teacher Jamiyandagva always said “Oyunbat! Dance with her, you’re our ‘tank’.” Once, the lead dancer of the second set of Swan Lake, O.Batsaihan, was ill and teacher Jamiyan said that I should’ve played his role. Gerelchimeg and Chimgee who played both black and white swans were tall ballerinas. I said “I can’t reach their height even if I stand on my tiptoe.” But then our teacher said: “The tickets are already sold, so go and play in his role in any case.” So I performed in this ballet after only one day of rehearsals.

- How long did you dance on the stage of Academic Theatre of Dance and Ballet?

- I was retired after 20-years of dancing. I think the period that Mongolian dancers were qualified to perform in foreign countries was our ‘renaissance.’ The world’s greatest ballets, including Spartacus, The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty were staged during this period.

-Have you performed in your dream role?

- Don Quixote has many challenging techniques and elements. Therefore, audiences love this ballet. I always wanted to play the lead role in Don Quixote. Then I did perform in it, hence I played in my dream role. For ballerinas, Swan Lake is really challenging as a classic work. The techniques required for the white and black swans are very difficult. Ballerina Oyun only did 32 fouettés en tournant. Up to now, no one has performed this ballet movement.

-Really? At that time, Oyun only did this movement, although it is said that every ballerina can do it now.

- Most ballerinas can perform first 16 of these turns without stopping. They then perform the next 16 of them circling round a stage. It is an easier technique.

-Recently, other famous ballet troupes in the world are performing on Mongolia’s stage. Comparing Mongolian ballet dancers with them, it seems even if they’re good at doing jumps and turns, they’re rather poor at acting and showing their role’s facial expressions and emotions.

-Yes, indeed. Ballet dancers should embody the role in their souls. It is a bit bad that even though they can dance very well, but they can’t act. Expressing the soul is very important for making a live performance excel.

-I heard that you can become very furious during rehearsals even if you’re gentle and friendly with everybody generally.

I’ve been working in the Music and Dance College for two years. I received an offer to work here from Director Erdenebat. Since he trusts me, I’m trying my best to teach everything that I have learned. People say I’m so ‘cruel,’ but I think being a ‘dictator’ is needed in the arts. We should demand new ballet dancers for two years. Everybody knows that Teacher Jamiyandagva demanding style of training was very helpful for ballet dancers. Our students are very good. It is the result of conducting a good rehearsal. There’s no need to qualify our dancers abroad, because we can fully qualify our dancers in Mongolia.

- What is your only son’s occupation?

- I got married late. My wife is a teacher. I didn’t want to my son become a ballet dancer. I thought it was better for him to be interested in science and technology.

-What are the differences between audiences in your generation and in the present generation?

-Yu.Tsedenbal started a good program for developing the classical arts. He issued an order for organizations and students to watch the opera and ballet. Through that people understood the classical arts. When I was young, the auditorium was filled with people. Hence, that period was a peak period. Nowadays, people are trying to feel and understand the classical arts. There are some who can feel it. Economic policy is very important for developing classical arts further. If the government doesn’t support us, artists can’t accomplish anything even if they try their best. National development is measured by its classical arts. Mongolia’s best ballet dancers tend to work in other countries’ theatres and the reason is very obvious. Dancers’ salary and perks need to be improved here.

-Ballet dancer’s salaries are indeed very low. How much was your salary when you were dancer?

- Oyun, Tuul, Ganbaatar and I had the highest salary of the first grade. Our salary of 990 MNT was equal to deputy minister’s salary at that time.

- Ballet wasn’t very popular among Mongolians when you started it. How did you become ballet dancer?

- It happened in the summer of 1964 when I was in the 3rd grade. One day, I suddenly decided to come to the School of Dance and Music with my friends. I don’t remember why we went there. Then we found out where the examination for the Leningrad ballet school was being held. I didn’t even know what ballet meant. Then, one man came out and said “What are you doing here?” I happened to say by accident “I’m going to be examined.” I didn’t know that he was Teacher Jav. The Russian teachers then examined me and my friends. They said to me “Come at 10 a.m tomorrow.” After 10 days of examinations, six boys and six girls passed. I said to my parents “I’ll go for ballet school.” They hadn’t no idea what it was and didn’t believe me. Then they came to the School of Dance and Music with me. My father came back home and said to mother “Our son is going to study in Leningrad ballet school for 8 years.” But my mother cried and didn’t want me to go to Russia because I was just a kid. Thus, I became the one of 10 ballet dancers who graduated from the Vaganova Ballet School. At that time, studying in USSR was actually more important than ballet to me. It happened to be everybody’s dream, not only mine.

- So you had no idea about what ballet was at that time. Did you regret doing it and wish you had given up studying there?

- Well, I understood that a ballet dancer was an “actor” in Leningrad. After four years though, I loved my job. I understood that becoming a ballet dancer wasn’t something that everybody can do.

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