Making Most of a Lost Opportunity : Ballet: Askold Makarov was already in town when the Leningrad State Ballet had to cancel its show, so he’s staying on to offer his dance expertise.

Just because the Leningrad State Ballet had to cancel its May 12 show here doesn’t mean Soviet dance won’t leave some imprint.

“We were very disappointed,” said Maxine Mahon of the California Ballet. “Eight Russian dancers were going to work with us, and it was a terrible blow to us artistically when it all fell through. It was all I could do to keep from hitting rock bottom, but I realized I had better salvage something from it. You can’t dwell on disappointment. We’re professionals. We have to make something positive.

The saving grace came in the person of Askold Makarov, artistic director of the Leningrad-based ballet troupe.

Because Makarov was already in San Diego by the time the decision to ditch the concert was made, Mahon asked him to stay on and teach the local dancers some Soviet repertory works. (A copyright conflict over the “Jakobson Choreographic Miniatures,” the centerpiece of the performance, caused the cancellation.)

“He agreed to teach us ‘La Bayadere’ (‘Kingdom of the Shades’), and the pas de trois from ‘Swan Lake’--the Kirov version,” she noted, “as well as (variations from) ‘Humpback Horse,’ a ballet based on a very old Russian folk tale.

“We won’t be getting any of the Jakobson pieces, of course,” said Mahon, “but to have ‘Bayadere’ in your repertory is an important legacy.”

Mahon conceded, however, that it may be some time before the grass-roots organization can put a proper “Bayadere” on stage, because of its difficulty.

“Our leads (Denise Dabrowski, Karen Evans, and Sylvia Poolos) are very good, but the 16 corps dancers are not experienced enough. They need time to work on it.”

Last Saturday afternoon, with the temperature at the studio soaring above the 90-degree mark, Makarov and the dancers were doing just that. The Soviet director conducted a grueling teaching session, while a videotaped version of the Petipa masterpiece (danced by the celebrated Kirov dancers) accompanied the class to coax the overworked dancers on to greater heights.

“Up, up, up,” the Soviet director shouted, using one of the few words of English he has picked up during his stay. “Brava Denise,” he told Dabrowski, when she managed a magnificent combination.

Wearing a business suit and tie despite melt-down temperatures, Makarov used mimed gestures to communicate his corrections. Then, shedding the coat and tie, he joined the ensemble to demonstrate the moves, humming the music for emphasis.

“I don’t understand a word he’s saying,” said Mahon, while Makarov delivered an animated speech. “But as a director, I see the same mistakes, so I can figure out what he’s telling them. He doesn’t need an interpreter when he’s teaching, most of the time, because we all use French terms.”

“Good,” Makarov boomed, over and over, as the rehearsal heated up. By then, Dabrowski, the troupe’s reigning ballerina, was looking haggard from heat and exhaustion. Nevertheless, she continued to push herself at Makarov’s urging, even when the others took a brief break.

“They’re really improving,” Makarov said through his translator. The Soviet artist was disappointed about the canceled performance in San Diego and the need to leave his own dancers behind for a month. (They will hook up in New York later in May to begin a tour of some major East Coast cities.) But Makarov is right at home with the San Diego dancers. “They are very perceptive,” he said.

The 65-year-old director danced principal roles at the prestigious Kirov for 30 years before moving on to the Leningrad State Ballet to become Jakobson’s “godchild.” The Soviet choreographer created “Spartacus” for Makarov, and entrusted the company to him because (as Makarov’s Soviet translator explained), “Makarov is not a choreographer, and (Jakobson) knew he wouldn’t change anything.”

Poolos, one of three dancers learning the lead roles from the master, acknowledged that “it’s been a lot of hard work working with Mr. Makarov. He works very fast.”

Evans echoed those sentiments, adding, “The work is very challenging. It’s really great to learn ‘Le Bayadere,’ and the pas de trois from ‘Swan Lake.’ All we’ve ever done was the second act of ‘Swan Lake.’ ”

“If the performance hadn’t been canceled,” Dabrowski said, “we never would have gotten this chance to work with Mr. Makarov. He would have been spending time with his own company. It would have been great to learn from his dancers and to work together with them, but this has its advantages. This choreography is so different from what we’ve been doing.”

Makarov will leave his videotapes behind as a permanent record. But even more important to the company is the mental notes the company’s ballet mistress and resident registeur takes while assisting the director from the sidelines.

“Judy (Sharp) knows every movement,” Mahon said. “She remembers what the choreographer wanted, and she’ll help coach the dancers when Makarov is gone.”

“I danced ‘Bayadere’ with the San Diego Ballet years ago,” Sharp recalled. “It’s been so long, I didn’t remember it, but it’s been fun for me to rehearse with Mr. Makarov. And it’s a great experience for the girls to learn it.”

The dancers will have an opportunity to demonstrate some of what they are learning Sunday when Makarov gives a choreography demonstration and master class at the studio. A reception with the artist will follow the 3:45 p.m. demonstration, which is open to the public.

“As dancers, you always have to expect disappointments,” Mahon said. “You never know when an injury will take you out of action. You’ve got to make something good come out of everything. And we’ll be seeing the benefits of this residency for many years to come.”