Russian phrases

• Добрый день! (dobry den') = Good day!
• Здравствуйте! (zdravstvujte) = Hello!/How do you do?
• Привет! (privyet) = Hi!
• Дорогая (dorogaya) = Dear [insert name]
• Как у вас дела?/ Как ваши дела? (kak u vas de la?/kak vashi de la?) = How are you?
• Как твое здоровье? (kak tvoyo zdorovie?) = How's your health?
• Чем ты сейчас занимаешься? (chem ty seychas zanimaeshysa?) = What are you busy doing?
• Вы очень красивы. (vy ochen' krasivy) = You are very beautiful
• Мне очень понравилась ваша фотография и письмо. (mne ochen' ponravilas vasha photographiya i pis'mo) = I liked your photo and message very much
• Я хотел бы переписываться с вами. (ya khotel by perepisyvat'sya s vami) = I would like to correspond with you
• К сожалению, я пока не говорю по-русски. (k sozhaleniyu, ya poka ne govoryu po russki) = Unfortunately, I cannot yet speak Russian
• Говорите ли вы по-английски? (govorite li vy po angliyski?) = Do you speak English?
• Для меня это весьма необычный способ знакомства. (dlya menya eto ochen' neobychny sposob znakomstva) = For me, it is a very unusual way of meeting people/I do not usually meet people this way
• Мне бы хотелось узнать о тебе побольше. (mne by khotelos uznat o tebe pobolshe) = I would like to know more about you
• Очень рад, что у тебя все хорошо. (ochen rad chto u tebya vyso khorosho) = I am happy you are fine.
• У меня все хорошо. (u menya vsyo khorosho) = I am fine
• У меня все по-прежнему. (u menya vsyo po prezhnemu) = I have no special news
• Поздравляю! (pozdravlyayu!) = Congratulations!
• От всей души поздравляю тебя с ... (ot vsey dushi pozdravlyayu tebya s...) = My sincere greetings with...
• ... днем рождения! (dnyom rozhdeniya!) = ...your birthday!
• ..Новым Годом! (novym godom!) = New Year!
• ...Рождеством! (rozhdestvom!) = Christmas!
• От всей души поздравляю и желаю всего наилучшего! = (ot vsey dushi pozdravlyayu i zhelayu vsego nailuchshego!) = my sincerest greetings and best wishes
• Счастья и здоровья! (schast'ya i zdorov'ya!) = [I wish you] happiness and health
• Успехов! (uspekhov!) = [I wish you] success!
• Удачи и хорошего настроения! (udachi i khoroshego nastroeniya!) = Good luck and keep well!
• Желаю всего хорошего. (zhelayu vsego khoroshego) = I wish you all the best
• Пока все. (poka vsyo) = That's all for the moment
• Пиши (pishi) = Please write back
• Очень жду (ochen'zhdu) = I can't wait
• Жду вашего ответа (zhdu vashego otveta) = I am waiting for your response
• С нетерпением жду ответа! (s neterpeniem zhdu otveta) = I can't wait for your answer
• Пока! (poka!) = Bye!
• До свидания! (do svidaniya!) = See you next time! [Bye]
• Целую (Tseluyu) = I kiss you
• С уважением (s uvazheniem) = Yours faithfully
• С огромным приветом!!! (s ogromnym privetom!!!) = My best wishes [very informal]
• Да (da) = Yes
• Нет (nyet) = No
• Извини (те) (Izvini (te)) = Excuse me
• Пожалуйста (pozhalujsta) = Please/It's a pleasure/You're welcome
• Спасибо (spasiba) = Thank you
• Вчера (vchera) = Yesterday
• Сегодня (svedonya) = Today

Mikhail Baryshnikov

A wonderful video of Mischa Baryshnikov dancing the principal part of Albecht's variation, Act II of Giselle, 1977. Poise, control, technical brilliance in abundance. It's no wonder male ballet dancers are hot and that he gets an uprurious reception.



Amazing amateur filmed video of Baryshnikov taking a ballet class during the Festival Internacional, Habana, Cuba, 2007. Great insight into how the great dancer trains and works in private and how he instructs those following in his footsteps (excuse the pun). Like Picasso giving an Art Foundation class in a town hall.



From the great 1985 film, White Nights, Mischa Baryshnikov dances to Vladimir Vysotsky's famous folk song Fastidious Horses. Amazing combination of classical ballet and modernism dance. Just perfectly mixed to create one of the most amazing dances ever! The film is perfect too, with a cast including Helen Mirren, Gregory Hines and Isabella Rossellini. Also, fact fans, Helen Mirren met her husband, the director Taylor Hackford on this film.



And finally, Mischa dances a male variation of the Coppelia.

The Genius of Rimsky-Korsakov

Portrait of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov by Ilya Repin. 1893.

Portrait of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov by Valentin Serov. 1898.