Arts: The rebirth of the Bolshoi; It's been a turbulent decade for Russia's finest. But with a new artistic director at the helm, the company has finally landed on its feet.(Features) From: The Independent (London, England) | Date: July 22, 2004 | COPYRIGHT 2004 Independent Newspapers (UK) Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

Byline: Zoe Anderson

"I want to protect and develop the Bolshoi's unique style," says Alexei Ratmansky, the new director of the great Moscow company. "And I want as many new productions as possible." The Bolshoi Ballet is in Covent Garden for three weeks, its first full season here for five years. It has been a time of drastic upheaval for the company.

Since the end of the Soviet Union, the Bolshoi has been seeking a new identity. The Soviet-era Bolshoi was shaped by the director-choreographer Yuri Grigorovich, who ran the company for 30 years. Since Grigorovich left, in ...