Letters

April 12, 2005
Dear Oleg and Mireille,
I send you all my best wishes and congratulations for the 40th Anniversary of the Briansky Saratoga Ballet Center. You have created such a highly respected summer program at Skidmore College by your dedication, professionalism and artistic vision. It is a unique opportunity to young dancers to work with exceptional teachers such as yourselves and the Guest teachers that you invite each year. Your erudition, impeccable taste, charming personalities, aristocratic natures and gentleness undoubtedly provide an atmosphere of learning and inspiration for the students. This experience can be invaluable to them as they begin their careers. You have a profound understanding of our art form, which I think is guiding light for these young dancers.
— Natalia Makarova

Bravos and Cheers to My Beloved and Legendary Best Friends! You both represent the Best of all the French Italian Russian and American Schools! But that is not all — your knowledge and talent is given selflessly, your devotion, respect for all who work with you, your intelligence is welded to your big Hearts!!! That is the true achievement, so rare, the real treasure.
Thanks forever,
Violette Verdy

Congratulations Oleg & Mireille on the 40th anniversary of the Briansky Saratoga Ballet Center. Thank you for creating a haven where aspiring young dancers can be nurtured and enriched. Your love of dance is evident in the high quality of the teaching at BSBC, and your dedication to the craft is an inspiration to all in the dance world. I tip my hat to you!
Misha Baryshnikov

On the occasion of your 40th Anniversary, all of us at the George Balanchine Trust congratulate you on the extraordinary success of the Briansky Saratoga Ballet. Our sincere wish is that your wonderful organization continues to execute the high standards of Classical Dance that you taught throughout the past 40 years.  It has been such a personal pleasure for me to have known you both, and worked with you both for so many years. This friendship goes beyond the 40 years of Saratoga, and covers many years of memories and joy. You have both accomplished so much and have quietly given our world understanding of our esthetic and love of our art. Dance is fragile, and therefore must be cared for by those who love the art. Both you have committed your lives to this wonderful art and profession.
— Barbara Horgan, the Balanchine Trust

It is a great honor to salute Oleg Briansky & Mireille Briane as they celebrate 40 years at Skidmore College. I have enormous admiration for Mireille and Oleg, both of whom bring such exceptional grace and dedication to everything they do. It is little wonder that, with their talents, their commitment and their supreme professionalism they were able to transform a small ballet school in a small college town into an academy of international repute. It is a remarkable achievement, but one that is hardly surprising from these two extraordinary people. They have inspired generations of young dancers. The ballet world is greater because of their contribution to it and I am thrilled to offer them both my sincerest congratulations on a job well done!
— Peter Martins, Ballet Master in Chief - New York City Ballet

(Oleg) …You were splendid in all the principal classic roles (no one who saw you in the “Don Quixote pas de deux” with Dame Sonia Arova could forget your panache and bravura) and I particularly cherish you in the premieres of Harald Lander’s “Napoli” and the lead role of Misgir in Vladimir Bourmeister’s “The Snowmaiden” ….Some 40 years ago when both of us emigrated to the U.S. here I came to admire you, along with your wife Mireille, as a teacher and balletmaster, creator of one of the country’s best known and best regarded ballet summer school, and also a noted authority on all aspects of Russian ballet.
— Clive Barnes, Dance Critic

My first professional job was in Roland Petit’s company, “Les Ballets des Champs-Elysses”. I was 16 years old. Oleg Briansky joined the company as soloist on our tours of Europe. He was young, gifted, and very well trained. He quickly took over the parts danced by Roland Petit when Roland left the company. Mireille Briane was a steady member of our troupe.
Since then, Briansky & Briane have created a most comprehensive program of ballet training in the USA. I am extremely impressed by the richness of the BSBC program at Skidmore College. I offer my warmest congratulations to Oleg & Mireille for 40 years dedicated to the formation of young ballet dancers.
— Leslie Caron, Dancer & Actress

My summer in Saratoga at the Briansky program brings me some of my fondest memories. I believe I was thirteen years old, the first time I went to a summer school and it helped shape my passion for ballet. I still think of the film we were shown “The Children of Theatre Street”. It was entrancing and highly motivating to see the dedication of these young future professionals. In you and Mireille I found that dedication. I still consider my training at BSBC to be some of the best, I have received. I believe your camp creates a wonderful atmosphere that fosters artistic growth and offers a unique opportunity for young dancers to immerse themselves in the incredible world that is dance. I thank you both for lovely memories and lasting lessons.
— Katita Waldo, Principal Dancer – San Francisco Ballet

Mireille and Oleg, your unwavering commitment and dedication has been a guiding light for generations of young ballet students. Thank you for helping to direct my course and sharing your knowledge and passion for this beautiful art form. Congratulations on 40 wonderful years of inspiration and nurturing the joy of Dance!
— Marianne Tcherkassky, Principal Dancer – Ameican Ballet Theatre; Ballet Mistress –Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre

I studied with the Briansky’s in the early 70’s and their insight and knowledge of ballet and dance continues to resonate.
Congratulations on forty glorious years.
— Robert Besserer, Dancer & Actor

There are some things that can not be explained, but I will try. This is my third year at the BSBC. As a housemother I have a first hand account of the experience your child/student will recieve here.

Oleg Briansky and Mireille Briane are two extraordinary individuals who do not simply teach ballet, they live it. Every moment is filled with some experiece centered on the beautiful art of ballet. From the moment one arrives on the picturesque campus of Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, to the moment they find themselves in front of a mirror In one of the spacious dance studios in the company of legendary ballet dancers and concert pianists, the experience is rare to say the least. During the first week we have a "meet the teacher" session where the students are invited to sit and be among the most caring and knowledgeable staff anywhere. As we sit and listen to the years of experience and the wisdom being past on I wonder to myself and I try to capture every word in my notebook if the students realize just how lucky they are to be sitting in that auditorium. I find myself feeling sad at first thinking they don't yet understand but someday they will look back and understand the magnitude of the legends that they have been given the privilege to study with. As Oleg Briansky stands up and tells the students that he could do "nothing else" he had to dance. He says "The Passion of Ballet and music is what has carried me through my life." He was driven and says that Mastering a movement, your body is transcended. He tells the students that our bodies are our Instruments and we have to respect our bodies and our teachers and ourselves. He tells them it is not what you do but the Quality in which you do it. Do simple things well and pay attention to simple things.

The Feeling of mastering the body and experiencing the wonderful joy of the art of ballet. He tells the students we give you the tools and you must have energy and take all we give you and improve. He tells of a time when he carries the ballerina around the stage to protect her from the sun in the "Snow Maiden" - so she would not melt. When he spoke of this ballet his eyes filled with tears and it was almost as if he was back on that very stage holding up the ballerina and savoring every moment. He brought us right along with him, I felt as though I could see the ballet as if I was sitting in the audience. It is a moment that I will cherish always. Hopefully one day the students will realize how lucky they are to be here. One day I think they will realize it. It may be in a single moment of their life when they think back to this one extraordinary evening where we were given a small glimpse of a life that very few have lead- We were let in on some wonderful advice and were honored to see a bit deeper inside these wonderful and talented individuals who are the Briansky Saratoga Ballet School.

Just this morning I was observing a class taught by the incredible Madame Briane. She is ballet. She notices everything and misses nothing. She says that the little movements are the beauty of the movement she says move your foot as if you are caressing your dog or your cat. To watch this extraordinary woman teach, I cannot describe; her lifetime of experience is invaluable.

If you would like to be a part of this enchanting experience, auditions will be held In the beginning of 2007. I know you will enjoy every moment of your time here just as I have. We look forward to seeing you.
—Carolyn Lyons, Housemother

I feel so privileged to have had the experience of attending the Briansky Saratoga Ballet Center. I have been to other summer programs and after three years in a row here, all I can say is that there is something special that keeps drawing me back. Maybe it is the close personal attention in the classes, the many wonderful and truly talented teachers you have the privilege of working with, or the fact that each year a group of extraordinary staff members gather to once again educate young talented dancers and keep the tradition of ballet alive.

Even though you may be far away from home, you can’t help but feel part of a huge family here. Every year there is an amazing staff, complete with incredible directors, teachers, house mothers and counselors to look after you and help with anything. The BSBC, at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY draws dancers from all around the world, from France, Japan, Brazil, Switzerland and more. You have the opportunity to meet many interesting people. The teachers and staff, with extensive backgrounds, truly care about educating and helping the students. 

From the moment you check in, you are absorbed in dance. It is an intensive program, but the memories, friends, and lessons you learn here will last a lifetime. However, the program is intensive in a good way. Students dance for about five hours a day and at night there are varied lectures or films pertaining to dance. Then, there is the experience of seeing the New York City ballet perform at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. All these activities after class give you the inspiration to improve even more. The campus in upstate New York is absolutely beautiful and very convenient in the way that everything, the dorms where you stay, the cafeteria, the dance studios, is right on campus within walking distance. They even allow us the use of there spacious dance studios for classes. There is never a dull moment during the day, from the Briansky Olympics to the spectacular Talent Show to Lake George every Sunday.

The Brianskys are incredible people, sometimes it is hard to believe that you are in their presence and when you are here you truly feel part of a legacy and something much bigger than just one person. The opportunity to come here is once in a lifetime and I give the camp my highest recommendation.
—Marissa Lyons, age 16, Palm Harbor. Florida

My name is Jennifer Harden. I was a student of yours at Saratoga for two years back in the late 80’s..Mireille Briane also was a guest teacher at the Kansas City Ballet where I studied for 14 years. She was one of my favorite teacher and I learned great discipline from her. I have so many memories from those two summers that I would not trade for any amount of money.

Your school is a great place for dancers to come. I learned a lot and enjoyed a lot there.
The teaching I received from those summers, I can never replace and I never would have received that anywhere else. The New York City Ballet is the best in the US. And to see them perform was incredible. To have them come guest teach was even better.  I treasure those memories and thank you for them!
—Jennifer Harden, Member of the Kansas City Ballet 2006