Inside the ballet world with VICTOR CAIXETA, principal Het National Ballet,

It was evident from the beginning that I would interview Victor, not only because he was my first and closest friend in Mariinsky, but above all because he is such an amazing artist with a power of character that I have rarely seen.

He is someone who will do everything to achieve his dream; he is smart, willing to constantly push beyond the limits, and has an explosive presence and sharp honesty.

He has a fire and a passion that very few have, and for these reasons, you can't miss Victor. When he stands on stage, he will give himself fully to you.

His energy and power of transformation are contagious, and I am very happy to know him.

Principal in HET NATIONAL BALLET, he currently lives in Amsterdam but is often invited to dance all over the world.

It's time to meet him and discover his art, so let's start.

1.How did you start ballet in Brazil, and when did you know that you wanted to become a professional ?
I started ballet when I was almost 12 years old, it was never a wish of mine. My first ballet teacher literally crossed paths with me and told me that she thought I had a big future in the ballet world, even without knowing my physical abilities. After my first class, I knew that ballet was something I wanted to do because you can never be good enough, and I have always loved that challenge.

2. How was for you the school years ? Did you enjoy them? Were they difficult, stressful, or ?
In Brazil, my academic school was not related to the ballet school, which made it very hard and tiring. They would often not understand why I had to give so much of myself to an extracurricular activity outside of school, or why I’d always come to school tired. But as soon as I went to a professional ballet school in Canada and eventually to the school where I graduated in Berlin, that completely changed. I always found it fascinating that all those students had the same purpose, that also made the competition and challenges higher, and as I said before, I’ve always been driven by challenges. So the answer is yes, they were difficult and stressful, but I’d do it all again if necessary.
3.What does it feel like now that your dream has come true ? You have been promoted to principal, which is the highest grade you can reach in a ballet company.
I have been working my whole life for this moment, and when it came, I thought, "What’s now? But then I remember what my dearest teacher, Gennady Naumovich Selyutsky, once told me: that my career would only start when I’d have that title, and what I do with this title is only up to me. So I guess now I’m in a much deeper search for inspiration to put into my dancing, to connect within myself, and to bring the best out of me onto the stage.
4.What are your next steps ? Do you have dreams of ballets that you haven't danced yet ? Or maybe for a theater ?
My dreams are endless, there’s never too much one can do in this life. I dream of dancing in all the big theater houses in this world to a versatile repertoire. To work on choreographies by names such as John Cranko and Sir Kennedy McMillan and work with choreographers who are still creating. I think for me, the most important thing in my career is to exchange with a choreographer.
5.How could you describe your years working at the Mariinsky Theater, and what are the main differences between then and now at the Het National Ballet ?
Those were the best preparations for having the career of my dreams. I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to have learned so much from this sacred theater. But I believe if life brought me where I am today, there’s something greater for me in the future.
I’d say the main difference is the appreciation dancers had in every single theater in Russia, not just Mariinsky. You cannot find that anywhere else.
And the coaching at Mariinsky or any other big theater in Russia is very specific and special.
On the other hand, here I have more freedom to be myself on stage, and maybe not having such a strong bond with my teacher, if I happen to have a bad performance, I won’t feel like I disappointed someone, only myself.

6.What are your keys to success ?
Many successful people don’t like to consider themselves successful. I know I achieved so many great things at such a young age, and what led me to where I am today is the passion that lives within me.
I believe that until the day that the young boy who loves challenges lives in me, success also will.
7.What is the most incredible experience or ballet evening you have had on stage ? Why ?
I had a few special experiences, two of them at the Mariinsky. The first one was in my debut as Romeo—this was a role I dreamed of my whole life, and the whole preparation and experience were just surreal. Having my mom in the audience also made it very special. The second one was my debut as Solor in La Bayadère at the Mariinsky in St. Petersburg (I have done that role before in Vladivostok), but the historical stage in the Mariinsky felt so special that it was the moment I felt the change from a “talent rising star” to an actual dancer with principal dancer attitude. And lastly, I would like to mention my debut in Swan Lake here in Amsterdam, which was the night I was promoted to principal dancer at the end of the show.
8.What is this place called "the stage" for you? How do you feel when you dance ?
For me, the stage is the same feeling when I am home, back in Brazil, with my family. The stage for me is like my religion, it’s the moment where I connect with a higher power, a feeling that I cannot put into words.
9.Do you enjoy the rehearsal process ?
I've started appreciating the rehearsal process much more since I moved to Amsterdam. I felt like in Mariinsky we were always rushing things, with all of those shows in one month, we couldn’t spend so much time working on only one thing. It was like I couldn't really concentrate on only one role at a time. Here, where I am now, we have weeks of preparation before going into stage rehearsals and only then performing.
Somehow, I now feel a lot more confident on stage.
10 Which advises would you give to young future dancers ?
I think what makes a dancer nowadays successful is their ability to put a lot of themselves into their dance. Of course, ballet follows a strict tradition, and there’s beauty in this, but someone who buys tickets to see a show wants to see more than perfect steps and choreography, they want to leave home with impressions that the artist made them feel, and often they want different impressions from different artists. So my advice here is, don’t be afraid to be your honest self on stage; think outside the box and labels; you’ll always touch the right people this way.