VALENTINA NIKOLAENKO: «ONE SHOULDN’T BE A GRAY TEACHER»

Abstract

The author talks with Valentina Nikolaenko, professor of the Acting Department at The Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute, about the specifics of the Vakhtangov school and the pedagogical experience she gained at her alma mater, where she studied at two departments – acting and directing, and then became a teacher and head of five courses. Valentina Nikolaenko shares her thoughts on the nature of acting, theatre education, and pedagogical techniques. The story is based on her memories about the outstanding masters of the Shchukin theatre school – Y.V. Katin-Yartsev, D.A Andreeva, B.E. Zakhava, M.S. Belenky, V.A. Galperin, B.I. Brodsky, V.P. Poglazov, A.V. Briskindova, G.A. Zagyanskaya and others. A cross-cutting theme is the thought of the complexity of the of an actor, which requires a full and conscious immersion in the profession.