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Russian Ballerina Bounces Back
Aired December 03, 2003 - 15:24 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: It took some fancy footwork to get Anastasia Volochkova back in the Bolshoi spotlight. I'm sure I didn't say that name correctly. My apologies. But the 110-pound beauty who was fired for being fat still fears she's on shaky ground.
CNN's Diana Magnay (ph) has that report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DIANA MAGNAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Suedes of fur hiding a figure at the center of a ballet battle. One legal victory later and prima ballerina Anastasia Volochkova is heading back to the Bolshoi, three months after she was sacked for being too big.
ANASTASIA VOLOCHKOVA, BALLERINA (through translator): I don't know what will happen and what awaits me behind these doors.
MAGNAY: At 50 kilograms, or 110 pounds, Volochkova was deemed too beefy for any self-respecting dance partner to lift. It's taken government intervention to get her back on stage, though Russia's Minister of Culture has made clear, her days as a leading lady may be over.
VOLOCHKOVA (through translator): The Russian minister of culture has already assigned me the role of fourth swan. But, you know, I am ready for everything. I have held up long enough, and with dignity, I think.
MAGNAY: A healthy dose of prima donna pride and tears of emotion to be back where she belongs. But after an hour inside, Volochkova says she's sure the fight isn't over.
VOLOCHKOVA (through translator): They are already looking for reasons to fire me again, without even seeing me, like absence from work, etcetera. But I was ready for that. For me, there's nothing more dear to me than ballet and being behind these walls.
MAGNAY: One ballerina determined to see many more curtain calls.
Diana Magnay, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 3, 2003 - 15:24 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: It took some fancy footwork to get Anastasia Volochkova back in the Bolshoi spotlight. I'm sure I didn't say that name correctly. My apologies. But the 110-pound beauty who was fired for being fat still fears she's on shaky ground.
CNN's Diana Magnay (ph) has that report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DIANA MAGNAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Suedes of fur hiding a figure at the center of a ballet battle. One legal victory later and prima ballerina Anastasia Volochkova is heading back to the Bolshoi, three months after she was sacked for being too big.
ANASTASIA VOLOCHKOVA, BALLERINA (through translator): I don't know what will happen and what awaits me behind these doors.
MAGNAY: At 50 kilograms, or 110 pounds, Volochkova was deemed too beefy for any self-respecting dance partner to lift. It's taken government intervention to get her back on stage, though Russia's Minister of Culture has made clear, her days as a leading lady may be over.
VOLOCHKOVA (through translator): The Russian minister of culture has already assigned me the role of fourth swan. But, you know, I am ready for everything. I have held up long enough, and with dignity, I think.
MAGNAY: A healthy dose of prima donna pride and tears of emotion to be back where she belongs. But after an hour inside, Volochkova says she's sure the fight isn't over.
VOLOCHKOVA (through translator): They are already looking for reasons to fire me again, without even seeing me, like absence from work, etcetera. But I was ready for that. For me, there's nothing more dear to me than ballet and being behind these walls.
MAGNAY: One ballerina determined to see many more curtain calls.
Diana Magnay, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
