The Ballet Gala, an evening of ballet with B.Tuvshinbat, just known as Tuvshin worldwide, a leading dancer with the New Jersey Ballet (NJB) will be held on February 16 at the State Opera and Ballet Theater. Tuvshin, who trained at the Kiev Choreographic Academy between 1979 and 1987, began his career as a ballet dancer at the theater. He was also a principal dancer with the Hungarian State Ballet, and the Ochi International Ballet in Japan before joining NJB in 1997.

The dancer’s childhood dream was not to become a ballet dancer. His grandmother really introduced him to Ballet. “When I was a child, children of my age were playing football outside.  One day, my grandmother heard a commercial on the radio about the Music and Dance School which was taking examinations from children interested the art. She led me to the school where I took examinations of three rounds.” His grandmother then said to his parents that she already took care of things. “She did it for me because my parents were busy with their jobs,” said the dancer. After a few days, someone called his house and said that Tuvshin was selected to the school. However, his parents were not happy with the news. “They really did not want me to become a ballet dancer,” said Tuvshin.

He owed his talent and flexibility to his mother, Dorjdulam, who was a contortionist in her young age and became a doctor, later joining his father, who is one of the most respected doctors in the country. Tuvshin had a golden opportunity to study in Kiev. “We went to Kiev where another twelve were studying.” It was the hardest times for small Tuvshin. “Even though all of us were having dinner or lunch together we missed our homes. The first two years were the hardest for me. I did not understand ballet. I had no idea what I was doing.” Tuvshin was thinking about leaving the ballet. “When I was back in Mongolia during summer holidays, I expressed my thoughts to leave the ballet.” But his father did not accept him. “He told me I must experience all these sufferings and pursue classical art since I began from my early childhood saying that it was nothing. He kept saying to me, “If a man will be brave, there will be nothing for him to go through”.” Thanks to the encouragement and a little bit of “pressure” from his father, Tuvshin could not leave, and now he is thankful to his father. He learned all the necessary things there from basic techniques and dances of many countries, to being patient and gaining endurance.

After graduation, Tuvshin was invited to work at a Ukrainian ballet theater. “But I had no rights to stay there because I studied there by the contract between our two countries. I really needed to work in my homeland at least for two or three years,” he remembered.

This happened again in 1989 when he was performing in Japan where the Japanese side suggested him to work too. During all those years of socialism, he was allowed to work in a capitalist country. Again, he could not accept. However, in 1991, due to the Democratic Revolution, he had the opportunity to work abroad, becoming the first-ever Mongolian ballet dancer to do so.

When he came back with the red diploma from Kiev, Tuvshin was taken on at the State Opera and Ballet Theater. “The first year I was a supporting dancer. My first supporting role was a horse herder in the Uchirtai Gurvan Tolgoi or Three Dramatic Characters.”

A year later, in 1988, Tuvshin made his debut in Gisele, with then State Honored Artist Gerelchimeg. Since then, he played all the leading roles of the theater until 1997 when he left to go to the New Jersey Ballet. These nine years of his career was a glittering decade for him, experiencing performance day to day. He was awarded Soyoliin Terguunii Ajiltan (the State Merited Artist) in 1995 by the government.

1997 saw an extremely different side of his life. The dancer took an examination at the American theater and was accepted after performing some numbers with one of the company’s leading dancers. “They knew and also said that I was a very experienced dancer.” So they made a one year contract with him which was extended again and again. Although he has dedicated his entire life to the ballet, there are still several numbers he has not performed yet.

Last year he performed Swan Lake on February 14 here. “From that performance I got so emotional and was so encouraged,” he shared. This year he feels happiness with his family during the traditional holiday Tsagaan Sar. He is very glad to come back here for a while in the year of the mouse. Since Mongolians say that a person sees his destiny in the year of mouse even though he is a non-religious person.

His most memorable moment was in a Japanese theater that had 4,700 seats. “All the audience applauded like one person that seemed to me like it was raining,” remembered Tuvshin. Even though the art of ballet began many decades ago, the development of Mongolian ballet can be compared to the other Asian countries like Japan. “It is true that the peak period was in the 70’s and 80’s.” One interesting thing he shared is that at first, people in western countries, are very surprised and ask how Mongolians dance ballet in a ger. He understands this is their difference in thinking.

He now dreams of performing along with other dancers like Lkhagvasuren. “It is not too easy because they are busy when I am free or they are free while I am busy.” All the experiences of these years will be shown on February 16 through his choreographed performance in the first part. The Gala evening on February 16 will open the new season of the theater after the Mongolian New Year. The gala evening is dedicated to the 45th anniversary of the theater and will see two parts. Tuvshin will play the first part along with young dancers. He will perform pieces of classical works like Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty.

The UB Post

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