Apollonian Mode of Ballet Criticism and Theory of Akim Volynsky

The purpose of the article is to reveal the essence of Apollonian in ballet criticism and the theory of Akim Volynsky. Methodology. This scientific study was conducted based on the analysis of the historiography of the problem, primary sources (critical articles by Volynsky and his theoretical work “Book of Jubilation”), application of chronological and culturological approaches, comparison of the Dionysian-Apollonian concept of the ancient Greeks and approaches to its interpretation Volynsky. Scientific novelty. The Apollonian intentions of ballet criticism and the theory of Akim Volynsky were analyzed for the first time. Conclusions. The formation of the ideological and aesthetic foundations of A. Volynsky’s ballet criticism and theory was significantly influenced by F. Nietzsche with the idea of the Apollonian and Dionysian dichotomy and the idea of a superhuman. A. Volynsky connected the birth of a new person at the beginning of the twentieth century with the path from the Dionysian – chaotic, Bacchic, material, permissive, to the Apollonian – strong-willed, intelligent, self-sufficient, spiritual, ideal. A. Volynsky considered the culture of Ancient Greece to be the basis of philosophical and historical comprehension of the genesis and development of classical dance, although the worldview of the ancient Greeks was determined by two modes of being – Chaos and Cosmos; their thinking was distinguished by internal contradiction as a combination of two principles: the irrational-spontaneous (Dionysian) and rationally harmonious (Apollonian). For Volynsky, classical dance is the embodiment of ideal beauty, a continuation of the ancient sacred dance tradition. In his critical articles, he encourages the search for a sacred beginning in contemporary ballet performances. We assume that developing the theory of classical dance, Akim Volynsky proceeded from the cosmogonic concept of the ancient Greek philosopher Empedocles, who attached special importance to the elements of fire and earth. According to Volynsky, the spirit represents fire (jump), and the body – the earth (parterre movements).