Tatiana’s Act 1 Solo, Onegin - Sat 2 Aug 2025

Suitable for Advanced adult ballet students and pre-professional dancers

Date: Saturday 2 August 2025

Location: Acosta Dance Foundation, Building 40, 1 Artillery Square, Royal Arsenal, SE18 6BH (5 min walk from Woolwich station on the Elizabeth line)

Time: 1.30 - 4pm

Level: Designed for Advanced level adult ballet students or pre-professional dancers

Price: £40

What is the variation about:

Join us for an immersive masterclass exploring one of the most emotionally layered solos in the classical ballet repertoire—Tatiana’s Act I variation from John Cranko’s Onegin. Set to Tchaikovsky’s evocative score, this variation reveals the inner world of a young woman experiencing the rush of first love. The choreography is a powerful portrait of romantic yearning and vulnerability. This scene depicts the moment where Tatiana pours her heart into a letter to Onegin, caught between her hope and fear.

What makes Tatiana so fascinating to explore is that her inner world is rich with emotional contradiction. Her openness and longing are interwoven with insecurity, fear of rejection, and the overwhelm of exposing her heart. The choreography embodies this inner conflict with striking nuance. It begins with lyrical, flowing movements—soft port de bras and tender gestures that express her desire. Her movements seem guided by breath and thought, as if she's writing her emotions into the air. As the variation progresses, moments of stillness and hesitation interrupt the flow, revealing doubt and emotional turmoil. In the final moments, the choreography becomes more urgent and expansive—her steps reach further, her expression becomes more desperate—culminating in a dramatic outpouring of emotion. For a better idea of how her character is interpreted, we recommend watching various dancers in the role. You can start by watching ballerina Nicoletta Manni HERE - notice how the subtle moments of hesitation, fluid musicality and facial gestures really bring Tatiana to life.

What to expect:

We will begins with a quick barre, before learning and refining the variation. We will offer plenty of time for exploration of the movements, finding little touches that make the solo our own. We will leave time for (optional) performances at the end. This solo depicts a simultaneously hopeful and fearful moment - something which is probably emotionally relatable to us all. But it is precisely this that makes Tatiana’s character so deeply moving to watch and portray. It is technically demanding and versatile, but the scene is defined by it’s raw emotion, expressive acting and musical sensitivity. If you love this ballet as much as we do - we welcome you to join us for this special masterclass!

Meet your teacher

Tori is our resident Variations and Pointe teacher, an accomplished dancer and experienced teacher. She brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her lessons. Her dance journey began with the RAD syllabus, achieving distinctions up to Advanced 2, she furthered her training through the affiliate program with the Australian Ballet. Tori continued her professional development at the Houston Ballet Academy, where she trained in the Pre-Professional Division and performed with the company in children’s outreach programs and Nutcracker productions. She later trained at the Queensland College of Dance,

Tori has also collaborated with world-renowned choreographers, including Graeme Murphy OA, performing his solo work Baroness. Alongside her performance background, she has extensive teaching and choreographic experience, having worked with the Lisa Clark Dance Centre in Canberra. Her expertise spans Ballet, Contemporary, and Jazz, and she holds a Diploma of Dance and Elite Performance. She has worked with students of all ages, from young children to pre-professionals and adults. In addition to group classes, she also has extensive experience with private coaching and choreography for competitions.