Lena Kolyadenko is a person who does not require an introduction, her works will tell louder than any words about her. She created performances for all the top Ukrainian and CIS pop artists, including Tina Karol, Jamala, Natalia Mogilevskaya, Loboda, Laima Vaikule and others, directed the most popular TV shows and even was a judge in Dancing with the Stars. However, her greatest pride remains the 15-year-old Freedom Ballet. Then Lena divorced Dmitry Kolyadenko, and the entire composition of their common brainchild of the Art Classic ballet remained with Dima. This turn of events was only an impetus for Lena to start all over again and create her own ballet, which eventually became the best in Ukraine, in demand and known outside the country.

Freedom Ballet will celebrate its 15th anniversary with a grand concert on November 14 in the capital's Palace of Ukraine with the participation of TOP artists and a guest star - the incomparable Laima Vaikule.

15 years ago, I ended up with a broken trough. It was, of course, a shame that all the dancers stayed with Dima Kolyadenko. But, by that time, I was already mentally prepared for the sudden departure of people from a creative family. Before that, there were situations when three people left the ballet at the same time. And at that time we had only seven of them! The first such stories were perceived very painfully, with valerian and motherwort. But with experience, over the years, I have formed a different attitude to such episodes of our creative life.

I am sure that there should be people around who need what we do, like air!

Only then is it possible to truly get the buzz from work. Each person has the right to choose his own path. Now I thank fate that everything turned out this way and I managed to start my story from scratch.

With this “trough” of mine, I just came to the director of the then Hollywood club and said that I was ready for any job. At that time, the club was headed by Lesya Savenko. She offered me to organize my own ballet on the basis of the concert hall, which after the reconstruction was called Freedom. I agreed, and we immediately announced the casting.

They assembled a team of 12 people and suffered a temporary setback. Since the club was under reconstruction, at one point, the money for its construction ran out, everything froze, and we lived for almost a year in anticipation of a miracle, work and a brighter future. But at the same time they did not leave the rehearsal class. I don’t know how we managed to save everything: after all, the dancers had to eat, pay for the rent of apartments, and the club gave us ridiculous salaries, just so that we would not run away. But I think it was an important fact in the development of ballet. Then, probably, the seed was born that it would be for a long time.

For the first time we took the stage with the concert program of Mariyka Burmaka on November 2, 2002. An invitation to cooperate came from my old contacts. They just called me, and I said: “I have a new ballet!” And they trusted me.

I will never forget the day we first took the stage.

Then, the Freedom Concert Hall finally opened and we started working, however, only for one year. It turned out not to be profitable for them to maintain the ballet, and they dismissed us. This is the second important point. A circumstance that brought us even closer together. The only thing I asked the management is to leave us the name - Freedom Ballet.

To touch the souls of the audience in the hall is our main mission on stage. During all 15 years of the existence of the ballet, we have been learning how to make the audience trust us, open up and become our friend. This is not an easy process. But this is what interests us. Everything we create is tested by us.

We ourselves should care about what we do. All states that we experience on stage must be real.

Each performer needs an individual approach. I can't help but remember the artist El Kravchuk. He is an example of absolute plasticine, with which you can create anything. Andrey is not afraid of any experiments. With Natasha Mogilevskaya, we have created more than one program. This is also an example of absolute trust. You need to stand on your head - she will get up, you need to hang in the air without insurance and sing - please. This year we discovered Zlata Ognevich. It's nice to see a workaholic in your rehearsal class. From morning to night, she rehearsed with us her show "My Story". And we managed to emphasize her dancing abilities.

But, there are artists like Jamala, whom it is better not to break and not try to impose a plastic language.

In preparation for one large-scale competition, we tried to learn dance synchronization with her. It was evident that it was hard for her, and the number looked inharmonious. Therefore, we came up with a different formula - we just emphasized her performance and learned a couple of Jamala's signature moves.

I am an absolute amateur in choreography. A native of the amateur. I haven’t staged any productions for ten years now, and they still attribute it to me. In my team there are two wonderful, dear and talented choreographers - Nazar Didyk and Kostya Gordienko. And I, so to speak, the inspirer. Together we develop ideas, images, costumes, we are looking for musical material. But, it’s so usual that I am the artistic director of the ballet, and therefore the last word is mine.

I am inspired by many things - life itself and people. For example, I specially flew to Norway for the performance of "Swan Lake" by Alexander Ekman. This is an incredible, amazing artist-choreographer of our time. His performance inspired me for a long time and for many things.

In general, it is very important in our profession to be observant and open. And also bold!

Cinema, fashion, theater, even the street - all this helps a lot to create something of your own. You immediately think: “Oh, it would be nice to try!” or "Oh, that's an interesting topic!"

Now I dream of staging a performance to classical music. A very long time ago, at school age, one film impressed me. I've seen it at the cinema ten times. And this childhood impression will soon result in a musical performance.

One of the brightest recent impressions is a trip to Sri Lanka. For several years I dreamed of seeing whales. Finally, circumstances came together, and I ended up near the ocean. The dream came true! I will never forget this. I watched the ritual - from the fountain in the distance to the whale's tail close before entering the depth. But most of all I was struck by the moment when we got very close to the whale and heard it breathing. My hair stood on end. It was unforgettable!

Most often I combine vacation with tours. Just recently we performed in Jurmala, however, it was not very possible to relax. They brought three of their premieres to the Rendezvous with Laima Vaikule festival. It was exciting.

Now we are preparing a concert for the 15th anniversary of Freedom Ballet. On November 14, at the Palace of Ukraine, we will show a dance and musical performance, in which all ballet dancers, as well as artist friends will take part: Laima Vaikule, Vera Brezhneva, Natalia Mogilevskaya, Irina Bilyk, Max Barskikh, Alekseev, Zlata Ognevich, Kadnay, Freedom Jazz , Olya Polyakova. This will be the first time on such a large scale, on a grand scale.

Elena Kolyadenko- Ukrainian choreographer, artistic director of the ballet Freedom, producer and director of dance shows for concerts of musical stars of the first magnitude.

Biography

Elena was born into a choreographic family on May 4, 1973 in Belarus. Almost immediately, the parents moved to Ukraine, to the Sumy region. Elena spent the first twenty years of her life in the city of Sumy. All her childhood was filled with impressions of the stage behind the scenes, she loved to dance at home, just for herself and in amateur performances at school. It is not known for what reasons, but very decisively, my mother redirected Elena to the musical environment. Lena Kolyadenko successfully studied at a music school and a regional college.

To consolidate the knowledge gained in practice, Elena went to work at the Shchukin Musical Drama and Comedy Theater. On the stage of this theater, in her free time, the first composition of the Art-Classic dance ballet was formed, where she met her first husband, Dmitry Kolyadenko.

First successes

In 2000, Lena submitted her production to the competition. It was the Festival of the modern movement, held at the international level - "Dance of the 21st century". She won in the "Discovery of the Year" nomination.

In 2001, she received the title of "Best Show of the Year" at the Tavria Games music festival.

In 2002, there was a break with her husband Dmitry. Two creative people disagreed not easy, but with dignity. True, now Elena was left without a team. The entire main team went to Dmitry.

Ballet Freedom

In order not to plunge into the abyss of black depression, Lena began looking for a job where she could apply both her experience and her creative vision. The search led to the Hollywood Club, which was in the process of becoming Freedom. This responded so much to her personal inner response that she asked to be an art director there and began to work, work, work ... The Freedom ballet troupe was small at first and worked for a small fee, perfecting the technique and coherence of the group. After working at the club for two years, they went into free swimming. At the request of Elena, the name of the ballet remained the same.

In 2004, together with her ballet group, she presented a production of Improvisation to the Music of Sting. The event attracted the interest of viewers and caused some resonance among critics. In the first Ukrainian version of the show, "Factory" worked with the participants as a choreographer and stage director.

She judged the performances of the contestants on the show "Dancing with the Stars".

Elena was the choreographer for Svetlana Loboda's Eurovision act.

Plans

Elena Kolyadenko never rests on her laurels, there are many plans in her head. In the near future - producing young performers, creating a television program in the dance direction.

Personal life

• The first husband is Ukrainian choreographer Dmitry Kolyadenko.
• Son - Philip Kolyadenko.

fifteen years in Ukrainian show business. Producer, founder and artistic director of Freedom-ballet. Her team successfully works with leading artists from Ukraine, Russia, the USA and Europe. The creator of several dance performances and the dance musical "Pa", which became a successful start for artists: Vlad Yama, Alena Shoptenko, Jamala. Choreographer for Zarkana at Cirque du Soleil. Director of the leading TV shows of Ukraine: "Factory Zirok 2-3-4" "Factory Superfinal", "Voice of the Country-1"

Akulina Kurochkina , 16 September 2010 at 20:24 1

Why did Dmitry Kadnay refuse Eurovision?

Having refused to participate in the qualifying casting of the Eurovision-2011 contest, the jury member of which was one of its producers - the director of the NTCU musical programs technical department - Vlad Baginsky, the "star of the third magnitude" of the New Channel project "Factory. Superfinal" Dmitry Kadnay made a choice in favor of famous choreographer Elena Kolyadenko (her second producer).

Today, domestic showbiz is not conceivable. Her name is synonymous with bright non-standard and outrageous shows, of which she has staged a huge number over a decade and a half. The coolest artists resort to her services, even Tina Karol in the hands of this director turns from a star diva into a sweetheart, because she knows that everything that Kolyadenko comes up with for her will be remembered for a long time.

And Lena also has her own innermost - her enchanting team FREEDOM BALLET, which celebrates its 15th anniversary this fall. On this occasion, on November 14, on the stage of the Palace "Ukraine" he will present a unique musical and dance performance with the participation of stars of the first magnitude. And, knowing Kolyadenko, everyone is looking forward to something enchanting.

- Elena, it's brave to celebrate the anniversary of FREEDOM BALLET on the main stage of the country. How did you decide on this?

The idea belongs to Oleg Bodnarchuk (a well-known director of the show. - Auth.), for which he thank you so much! He unexpectedly made me happy and shook me emotionally, pointing to a high bar! I had no idea to celebrate our birthday with the ballet in such a significant place as the Palace "Ukraine". But he had such support and faith that it would work out that I, of course, gave the go-ahead. And we, together with FREEDOM BALLET, dived into preparation with pleasure.

And who are the stars?

- Laima Vaikule will perform at your anniversary. You are friends?

Yes. I appreciate our friendship with Laima. We have known her for many years. Probably 10 years.

Sometime at the beginning of our creative way we dreamed of working with this artist, and then we crossed paths with her at the Star Factory, which I directed. Since then we have been cooperating. For several years in a row she has been inviting ballet to her festival in Jurmala "Rendezvous with Laima Vaikule". And everyone tells us that FREEDOM BALLET is the highlight of this festival.

Laima Vaikule is a stage master who feels very precisely what elements her show should consist of. Everything is important for her - partnership, manner, dance, turn of the head, costume ... In the rehearsal room, Lyme is very demanding, first of all, to herself. Even when we impose our plastique, our movements, she chooses from all this what is characteristic of herself. She will never look stupid, she is natural and glows with what she does. Every moment of communication with her is a master class.

- And who else from the stars will be in the concert?

Vera Brezhneva, Irina Bilyk, Olya Polyakova, Max Barskikh - with these artists we will make big global productions. ALEKSEEV danced with us this season, and he is doing well. And there will also be their own numbers and several premieres. Of course, fragments from our performance "Closet".

- Natalya Mogilevskaya is also on the poster.

Natasha Mogilevskaya, of course! We went through so much with her that, in principle, I consider her my artist. With her, we will perform the best number that we have created for her concert tour. And, yes, we have another big, unexpected star in our show, who has a lot of fans in Ukraine - millions. This is a big surprise.

- Really Oleg Vinnik?

Ha ha ha! No, I won't say...

"We sometimes turn into very untalented people"

How do you come up with new ideas. Do you watch some western shows or grab your cockroaches to come up with a new one?

Of course, we watch both shows and performances. Fashion is here. I don't know, it somehow wraps everything up. But the most important thing is the music. We sometimes turn into very untalented people if the musical composition itself does not give us anything for creativity. Therefore, we always have the most important process - the choice of music. I can sit for days, go through a bunch of music until I find what I need. As soon as it becomes figurative in my head, I immediately take note of it, bring it to the hall, show my choreographers Nazar Didyk and Kostya Gordienko.

- Admit it, you put a lot of pressure on your artists? There are legends about your difficult character.

These are only legends, although maybe not ... Perhaps I am sometimes somewhat straightforward, not delicate, so to speak, but people who have been with me for a long time understand that this is only good. But this is all about the profession.

- Do you often have to fire dancers for some faults and do you have a contract with them?

Not a single dancer has been fired in 15 years. Because if I press, it does not mean that I am going to fire him, it means that I believe in this person and I know that next time he will do everything right.

And there are no contracts, they don't exist. The principle of our work with each other is only amicable - we do one thing, and we like it.

- You have such perfect choreography that it seems that you rehearse for days on end.

Yes, FREEDOM BALLET artists rehearse every day. When we have big projects, we can work for five or six hours in the gym. And so the norm is 2-3 hours a day. One day we have a day off - Sunday and plus the tour.

- You have so much sex in ballet - where does it come from?

And I'm just recruiting sexy ones - that's the point!

BY THE WAY

"As a producer she made her debut with Jamala, but she was still weak"

- At one time you were the producer of Jamala. Are you still talking to her now? Congratulated her on her victory at Eurovision, on her marriage?

The last time I congratulated you on your marriage. All is well - we intersect and communicate.

- And who was the initiator of the breakup?

I don't remember anymore, to be honest. It was hard. After the victory on the "New Wave" we could not cope with the surging sudden flow of information, active concert activity and other important details. Then disputes began about what language we sing in: English, Ukrainian, Russian ... Discords began - from creative to organizational, and we could not stand this tension. After all, I made my debut with Jamala as a producer, I was still weak.

VERY PERSONAL

"Dima Kolyadenko forbade our dancers to work with me"

- 15 years ago you divorced Dima Kolyadenko and almost all the dancers of your then joint team left with him. Why? Did you consider it a betrayal? Did any of your former colleagues then ask you to join the new team?

I left not alone, but with Nazar Didyk, and it is a blessing that Nazar is still there. Yes, it was a shame, because we agreed with Dima that if they call him about the ballet, then he will work with our ballet, and if they call me, then they will work with me. I thought we'd share until life's uncertainty was gone. But Dima forbade the dancers to work with me, he said: if someone goes to work, then "head ax". And then I sat down at the broken trough and decided to start everything from scratch.

- You are not offended by Dima?

To be honest, he was then stronger and more experienced, he himself then danced, and was more confident in himself as a creative unit. And, accordingly, people felt it. And I was more of a kitchen person, I expressed myself less, and therefore I was weaker. And this parting gave me the ground to prove to myself that I, too, can do something.

Then Dima and I began to communicate and be friends again. Sometimes we cooperate.

- And you and Dima Kolyadenko grew up a talented son, Philip. You are now the producer of the band KADNAY, of which he is a member. How difficult is it to produce your own son?

Of course, there are always disputes on creative topics. But I realized that the more freedom you give them, the more interesting they create their very individual music. Better not to get involved in the creative process. Somewhere you can give advice, but you need to loosen the reins a little so that people find themselves in everything. I did just that, and things went much better for us. In general, they made the first album almost on their own, then we went to Eurovision, and, I see, there are more and more fans, and people very respectful of me perceive and praise their music, and now they are making various proposals to us.

WAS A BUSINESS

Who kissed Oleg Vinnik

- I worked with Vinnik, but so far only in acting scenes - on New Year's lights and other TV holidays. He copes, and he is very open - he performs any task: go here, go here, sit down, kiss. He even kissed, yes. True, he was offended that he had to kiss the dancer. Says, "Maybe my backup singer?"

Given that the backing vocalist is rumored to be his wife, that's not fair.

But nothing, Oleg still kissed the dancer, completed the task of the director.

In 1993 she organized her first variety dance group Art-Classic Ballet.

In 2000, Lena Kolyadenko presented her productions at the international festival of the modern movement "Dance of the 21st Century" - the ballet received the "Discovery of the Year" nomination.

In 2001, the nomination "Best Show of the Year" at the international music festival "Tavria Games".

In 2002 the FREEDOM ballet was organized. Elena Kolyadenko - artistic and creative director, choreographer and organizer of the ballet "FREEDOM".

2004 - the play "Improvisations to the Music of Sting" was presented to the audience, which had a great resonance and success.

An integral part of the work is cooperation with many pop singers, staging and participation in television projects and video works.

Elena was a judge on the TV show "Dancing with the Stars".

Best of the day

In the First Ukrainian "Star Factory" Elena Kolyadenko acted as a choreography teacher and a talented stage dance director. In "Star Factory -2" as a director of concerts.

Elena Kolyadenko was the choreographer of Svetlana Loboda's performance at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009.

She was married to Dmitry Kolyadenko and has a son, Phillip.