Zhanna Ayupova was born in Petrozavodsk. In 1984 she graduated from the Leningrad Choreographic School (coached by Ninel Kurgapkina) and was invited to become a member of the Kirov Ballet Company (Mariinsky Theatre). From 1987 Zhanna Aupova appeared as a featured soloist with the company preforming both lyric and dramatic parts. From 2000 to 2013 she had been coaching ballet dancers at the Mikhailovsky Theatre.

From 2013 – First Vice-rector and Artistic Director of the Vaganova Ballet Academy.

Over the course of her dance career Zhanna Ayupova has performed a great number of roles in major classical and neo-classical works. Her most prominent roles include Giselle (Giselle), Princess Aurora (The Sleeping Beauty), Marie (The Nutcracker), Raymonda (Raymonda), Kitri (Don Quixote), Nikiya (La Bayadère), Odette/Odile (Swan Lake), Manon (Manon), Soloist (Theme and Variations), Soloist (Symphony in C), Terpsichore (Apollo), Young Lady (Le Spectre de la Rose) and many others.

Zhanna Ayupova is a prize winner of the Moscow International Ballet Competition (1985).

In 2008 she was honored with the title People's Artist of Russia.

Yulia Kasenkova is an acclaimed teacher at the Vaganova Academy, outstanding because of all her achievements in pedagogic career.

Yulia Kasenkova graduated from Vaganova Ballet Academy, and joined the Mariinsky Ballet Company as a soloist from 1993 to 2014. She received a teaching degree from Vaganova Academy in 2010, and was immediately hired as a coach by Mikhailovsky Theatre. She joined Vaganova Academy in 2013, teaching international trainees, before being promoted in 2014. She has been teaching upper school classes ever since.

Yulia is a brilliant ballet teacher, she received major awards for her work and achieved some great results with her students.
Among her students, whom she graduated from, there are the prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Theatre Alyona Kovaleva, the first soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre Maria Ilyushkina, the soloist of the Boris Eifman Ballet Victoria Mokrousova, the first soloist of the Croatian Folk Theatre Anamaria Markovic and many laureates of international competitions.

Yulia is an amazing, outstanding ballet master and it is such a privilege to have such a gifted teacher in our courses.

Worldwide recognized and one of the best representatives of St. Petersburg ballet culture, educated in the best traditions of academic dance. She´s actual and one of the most acclaimed teachers of Vaganova Academy.

Upon graduating with honors, Galina has completed specialization courses in the class of NATALIA DUDINSKAYA AND IRINA TROFIMOVA at Vaganova Academy.

After she worked as first soloist at the Theatre of Choreographic Miniatures of Leonid Jacobson, an exceptional and principal choreographer of Kirov Theatre (now Mariinsky), in his time. With the company Galina danced around the world with great success.

In 1998 she graduated as a classical ballet teacher in Vaganova Ballet Academy. Since then she has acquired an extensive teaching practice and methodical didactic in ballet.

Currently, she teaches ballet in Vaganova Academy in Saint Petersburg, basically on elementary and intermediate levels. Also, Galina gives Stage Practice classes for children in the Mariinsky Theatre.

She has given numerous master classes in Japan, Denmark, Italy and other countries.

More information on: http://vaganovaacademy.ru/academy/structure/kafedri/classica/enikeeva.html

Elizaveta Kokoreva was born in Moscow into a family of the ballet artists. In 2019, graduated from the Moscow State Academy of Choreography (class of Tatiana Galtseva) and joined the Bolshoi Theatre Ballet Company. At the end of 2021-22 season she was promoted to the leading soloist, in 2023 — to the principal dancer.
At first she rehearsed under the supervision of Nadezhda Pavlova. Currently her teacher is Maria Allash.

Her diverse repertoire includes roles in Giselle (Giselle), Romeo and Juliet (Juliet), Spartacus (Phryngia), The Queen of Spades (Lisa), The Nutcracker (Marie), The Sleeping Beauty (Aurora), Jewels (the leading couple) and many others.

Elizaveta was a participant of Russian Masters Ballet camp.
Photo by Damir Yusupov.

In 2011 Ivan Zaytsev joined the ballet company of one of the best theatres of the world - Mikhailovsk, where very soon he became a Principal dancer, his repertoire includes solo and principal roles in La Sylphide, Le Corsaire, Cipollino, Don Quixote, Laurencia, The Flames of Paris, La Fille mal gardée, and Class Concert
as well as productions of Nacho Duato The Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Multiplicity, Forms of Silence and Emptiness, Prelude, Invisible, and White Darkness. Ivan has toured with the Mikhailovsky Ballet Company to Japan, USA, Germany etc.

He start his career from Krasnodar Ballet School in 1997 and while studying he was training at the Yury Grigorovich Ballet Theatre where he performed roles in the ballets Spartacus, Romeo and Juliet, Raymonda, The Golden Age, The Nutcracker, and Cipollino.
In 2002 Ivan graduated from Krasnodar Ballet School and entered the Department of Choreography at St. Petersburg State University for Culture and Arts.
After graduation from the University in 2007, he joined Leonid Jacobson Ballet Theatre in St. Petersburg, where he danced Romeo (Romeo and Juliet), Jose (Passion for Carmen), Siegfried (Swan Lake), Prince (The Nutcracker), Albrecht (Giselle), and Rodin (The Kiss).

After participation in the 11th Moscow International Ballet Competition in 2009, he was invited to join Boris Eifman Ballet Theatre. Ivan´s parties in Eifman Ballet were:

• Basil in Don Quixote, 
• Onegin in Onegin, 
• Vronsky in Anna Karenina, 
• Ekaterina´s son in Russian Hamlet, 
• The Prince,
  
• The Young man & The Joker in Chaikovsky.
  

More information on the website of the Mikhailovsky theatre.

Tatiana graduated from the Vaganova Academy in 1989. Since then her professional ballet career started in the State Opera and Ballet Theatre of Conservatory of St. Petersburg Rimsky-Korsakov.

Since 1990 Tatiana Cherkashina has been the soloist of this theatre. Her work as a ballet dancer and her labor in the cultural scope of the country has been recognized several times by most prestigious national awards from the Ministry of Culture of Russian Federation.
In 2008 she got the official grade of Teacher of Classical Ballet in the Vaganova Academy and has been teaching classical dance for over 10 years.

Tatiana Cherkashina has offered already various master classes of classical ballet in Norway, Israel and Japan.

Her major jobs:
• Soloist – “Classical Syphony” S. Prokofiev
• “Grand pa Classic” F. Ober/ V. Gazovsky
• Ballet dancer – “Petrushka” I. Stravinsky/M- Fokin
• Princess Aurora, princess Florina – “The Sleeping Beaty” P. Chaikovsky / M. Petipa (under reducción of Dolgushin)
• "Opus №45" А. Berg\ G.Contreras
• Ballet dancer – «Dreams» P. Chaikovsky/N. Dolgushin
• Odetta-Odilia – “The Swan Lake” P. Chaikovsky/ L. Ivanov, М. Petipa (under reducción of N. Dolgushin)
• Gisele – “Gisele” А. Аdan / Corrali, G. Perro, М. Petipa
• Fairy Drazhe – “The Nutcracker” P. Chaikovsky/V.Vaionen, L.Ivanov, N. Dolgushin
• "Grand Pa" soloist – "Pajita" L. Minkus / M. Petipa
• Julietta– "Epitafia" Т. Albinoni/N. Dolgushin
• Kitri – "Don Quijote" L. Minkus/A. Gorsky (under reducción of N. Dolgushin)
• Pimpinella – "Pulchinello" I. Stravinsky/K. Chubashev
• "Choreographic Miniatures” L. Yakobson

More information on <a target="_blank" href="http://vaganovaacademy.ru/academy/structure/kafedri/classica/tcherkashina.html"><b><u>Vaganova Academy website</u></b></a>.<br>

Anna was born in Siberia. She started to dance at 5 years old and graduated from the Krasnoyarsk Ballet School in Siberia. 

Anna started her career with the Siberian State ballet (Krasnoyarsk, Russia) as a soloist. Later she became a guest-principal dancer with Mikhailovsky theatre (Saint-Petersburg) and Tatarstan state ballet (Kazan). Since 2012 Anna joined Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre ballet company as a principal dancer. During this period of dancing with Russian ballet companies her repertoire was very diverse. 

At 2015 she joined Dutch National Ballet as a principal dancer. Since that moment Anna became an international guest-principal dancer .She worked with Teatro Colon (Argentina) for “La Bayadere” by Natalia Makarova,  with Semperoper Dresden ballet for “Manon” by K.McMillan. Currently Anna is working with Staatsballet Berlin as a guest.

Anna’s repertoire is very diverse. During her carrier she dances principal roles in almost all well known classical ballets as “Nutcracker” , “Sleeping beauty”, “La Bayadere”, ”Gizelle”, “Copelia”, “La fille mal gardee”, “La Sylphide” , “Snow Maiden”, “Don Quihote”, ”Romeo and Juliette”, “Swan lake” and others. Her repertoire also includes main roles in lots of neoclassical ballets by such a famous choreographers as K.McMillan, J.Robbins, J.Kranko, G.Balanchine, A.Ratmansky, C.Wheeldon , Hans van Manen ,D.Dawson,Y.Grigorovich, Rudi van Danzig ,Ted Brandsen and others. In a different time her partners on stage were Sergei Polunin, Ivan Vasiliev, Leonid Sarafanov and others. 

In a studio legendary Natalia Makarova, Guillaume Graffine, Alexey Ratmansky, Michael Messerer , Patricia Neary, Patricia Ruann , Karl Burnett, Olga Evreinoff, Yukari Saito,Yannick Boquen ,Larissa Lezhnina, Rachel Beaujean and many others helped her to improve her skills of dance. At 2008 and 2010 she won gold medals on International ballets competitions in Krasnoyarsk and Perm. She is a winner of «Dance Open 2018- miss virtuosity» prize in Sankt Petersburg.

Currently Anna is working successfully with Dutch National ballet as a principal dancer and participates lots of  Ballet Galas around the world.

Francesca was born in Bucharest, Romania and began her ballet training at the age of 4, attending the Choreography High school in Bucharest until she was 15 years old. After receiving 2nd place at Youth America Grand Prix, she was invited to study at Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow. Following her two years of study in Russia, at the age of 17 she joined the Romanian National Opera and Ballet for one year while studying for her state exams in Bucharest.
She is currently a Junior Soloist with English National Ballet.

Her repertoire includes:
Clara/Sugar Plum in Wayne Eagling's 'Nutcracker',
3rd Principal Couple in Liam Scarlett' s 'No man's land' ,
First Couple in George Balanchine's 'Theme and Variations',
Kitri in Alexander Gorski's 'Don Quijote' ,
Trio Couple in Alexey Ratmansky's 'Concerto DSCH',
1st couple in Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s ‘Laid in Earth’,
Henriette in Tamara Rojo’s ‘Raymonda’,
Vegas in William Forsythe’s ‘Playlist’.

In 2018 she won the 'Laurence Olivier Award' for 'Outstanding Achievement in Dance' following her performance of 'The Chosen One' in Pina Bausch' s 'Le Sacre du printemps'. She was chosen to be part of Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2019.

Jan Špunda, originally from Ostrava, Czech Republic, is a soloist with Dutch National Ballet, recognized for his elegant technique and expressive artistry. After beginning his professional career with Bayerisches Staatsballett, he joined Dutch National Ballet, where he quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a soloist.

Jan trained at the English National Ballet School on a scholarship and was supported throughout his studies by the Rudolf Nureyev Foundation. His talent was recognized early on, winning third prize at the Tallinn International Ballet Competition in 2014. In 2017, he won third prize and the Outstanding Artistry Award from Dance Europe Magazine at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) in New York.

Jan’s repertoire reflects his wide range, spanning both classical and contemporary works. He has performed principal roles in Nutcracker, Raymonda, Diamonds, Emeralds, Four Schumann Pieces, The Four Temperaments, Blake Works, and Anima Animus. He has worked with some of the most influential choreographers in the ballet world, including William Forsythe, Hans van Manen, John Neumeier, Ted Brandsen, Alexei Ratmansky, David Dawson, Jiří Kylián, Wayne McGregor, and Christopher Wheeldon.

Jan continues to expand his ballet journey, broadening his repertoire and performing at international galas.

Patrik Benák was born in Prague (Czech Republic). He started hip-hop at the age of four and ballet at the age of ten. A year later, he was admitted to the Pražská konzervatoř - Prague's conservatory - where his professional training began.

In 2016 he attended Russian masters ballet camp for the first time. In 2017, he was admitted to the Staatliche Ballettschule Berlin. He was allowed to represent the school in a competition in Riga, where he came in second in two categories.

In 2019, he was admitted to the Vaganova Academy in St. Petersburg. During his training there, Patrik had the opportunity to dance at the historic Mariinsky Theatre, the Mikhailovsky Theatre and the Hermitage Theatre. He also danced major roles in school productions such as the prince in The Nutcracker, a solo in August Bournonville's Le Conservatoire and a friend in Coppelia.

In 2022, Patrik returned to the Staatliche Ballettschule Berlin to complete his training. During the final year of his training, he danced, among other roles, the role of Count Albrecht in Giselle at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin. In 2023, Patrik was accepted into the Junior Company of Dutch National Ballet.

In 1996 she graduated from Vaganova Academy of Ballet as a student of legendary Inna Zubkovskaya. She has been working since then with the Mariinsky Ballet where she dances soloist roles.

In addition, she graduated as teacher from the Vaganova Academy and the last four years she has been giving lessons in this prestigious school to the intermediate levels.

She has performed, among other soloist roles, the Sylph from La Sylphide by August Bournonville, Aurora and Princess Florine from The Sleeping Beauty by Marius Petipa and more neoclassical choreographies such as The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude by William Forsythe.

The Russian newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta praises her versatility by saying that “her feet can command any tempi, emotions and styles”.
In our courses Ms. Ivanova will teach the intermediate levels. We are honored and lucky to be able to work with such a talented and professional teacher.

During more than 25 years she was the main tutor of one of the most important neoclassical dance theatres, in Saint Petersburg.

She graduated from the Vaganova Academy in 1967. And from this time was the first dancer in the Chamber Ballet directed by Gusev, where she danced leading roles in ballets such as Giselle, Don Quijote, Korsar and others. Since the 70´s she was the first dancer in the most prestigious theaters; She was the big star in“Choreographic Miniatures” of Leonid Yakobson, an excellent and very recognized worldwide choreographer. In most ballet encyclopedias she was considered as one of the most virtuous ballerinas of the XX century. She is a big living legend of ballet, and it´s a real honor to have her in our course.

Since the end of her dance career until today, Tatiana has excelled and left an indelible mark as a mentor and tutor of many professional artists, giving them the stamp of ballet stars. Tatiana Sevostianova (Kvasova) worked as the tutor of the prestigious company of the Boris Eifman Dance Academy and is now senior teacher and methodologist at the Eifman Dance Academy.

She has given large number of master classes all over the world: United States , European Union countries, Japan and others.

Among her disciples we can highlight:  Natalia Osipova,Vera Arbuzova, Nina Zmievets, Svetlana Bednenko and other soloists of the big theaters like Eifman Ballet, Mikhailovsky Theatre, Jacobson Ballet Theatre etc.

Dmitry Zagrebin was born in Moscow, Russia, the son of two former Bolshoi Ballet dancers. Following in their footsteps, Dmitry studied at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy before joining the Bolshoi Ballet in 2007.

In 2012, he was named a Soloist at Stanislavsky Ballet in Moscow and in 2015 he joined the Royal Swedish Ballet as a Soloist, before quickly being promoted to the rank of Principal. His repertory includes leading roles in most of the classical ballet repertoire such as Christopher Wheeldon's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Rudolf Nureyev's production of Don Quixote and Marcia Haydée's Sleeping Beauty; Natalia Makatova's Giselle; to name a few.

Dmitry Zagrebin has assembled several competition awards, including gold medals at the International Ballet Competition in Seoul and at the Moscow International Ballet Competition. He was nominated for the Benois de la Dance Award for his performance as Basilio in Nureyev's Don Quixote with Royal Swedish ballet in 2016.

Daniil Potaptsev was born in Saint Petersburg. In 2022, graduated from St. Petersburg Boris Eifman Dance Academy (class of Maxim Prokofiev) and joined the Bolshoi Ballet Company. In the 2022/ 23 season he was promoted to the soloist.
Now Daniil Potaptsev rehearses under the supervision of Vitaly Breusenko.

At the end of 2023 he was promoted to the solois, at the end of 2023/ 24 season — to the first soloist.

In 2011 Ivan Zaytsev joined the ballet company of one of the best theatres of the world - Mikhailovsky, where very soon he became a Principal dancer, his repertoire includes solo and principal roles in La Sylphide, Le Corsaire, Cipollino, Don Quixote, Laurencia, The Flames of Paris, La Fille mal gardée, and Class Concert as well as productions of Nacho Duato The Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Multiplicity, Forms of Silence and Emptiness, Prelude, Invisible, and White Darkness. Ivan has toured with the Mikhailovsky Ballet Company to Japan, USA, Germany etc.

He started his career from Krasnodar Ballet School in 1997 and while studying he was training at the Yury Grigorovich Ballet Theatre where he performed roles in the ballets Spartacus, Romeo and Juliet, Raymonda, The Golden Age, The Nutcracker, and Cipollino.

In 2002 Ivan graduated from Krasnodar Ballet School and entered the Department of Choreography at St. Petersburg State University for Culture and Arts. After graduation from the University in 2007, he joined Leonid Jacobson Ballet Theatre in St. Petersburg, where he danced Romeo (Romeo and Juliet), Jose (Passion for Carmen), Siegfried (Swan Lake), Prince (The Nutcracker), Albrecht (Giselle), and Rodin (The Kiss).

After participation in the 11th Moscow International Ballet Competition in 2009, he was invited to join Boris Eifman Ballet Theatre. Ivan´s parties in Eifman Ballet were Basil (Don Quixote), Onegin (Onegin), Vronsky (Anna Karenina), Ekaterina´s son (Russian Hamlet), The Prince, The Young man & The Joker (Chaikovsky).

In 2018, he debuted as a choreographer in Moscow with the ballet "Daphnis and Chloe" to the music of Maurice Ravel. In 2019, the premiere of the ballet "Alexander Godunov" took place in St. Petersburg. In 2024 - the premiere of the ballet "Illumination" in Sakhalin.

In 2023, he was invited to the Vaganova Academy to the Department of Classical and Duet-Classical Dance as a teacher. 

Diploma of the International Ballet Competition "Arabesque" (2010).

More information on the website of the Mikhailovsky theatre.

Born in Madrid, she trained at the Carmen Amaya Professional Dance Conservatory with Mariví Hinojosa, graduating with honours. 

Valeria Garcia del Castillo received a two-year scholarship to the English National Ballet by Viviana Durante, where she worked with renowned choreographers and teachers such as Zenayda Yanowsky, then she joined the Joffrey Studio Company in Chicago. She completed her training with renowned teachers such as Hervé Ilari, Marlon Dino, Alicia Alcaraz, Antonio Castilla, Marta Ruiz Estrampes, and Lola de Ávila.

She is a finalist and winner in competitions such as the YAGP in Barcelona, ​​Nice, Toulouse, Ribarroja, and Castellón, where she won several scholarships, as well as a silver medal in Nice.

She has performed solo roles such as Gamzatti (Bayadere), Queen of the Dryads (Don Quixote), Raymonda, Paquita, and Esmeralda, sharing the stage with stars such as Polina Semionova and Anna Ol.

In November 2024, she joined the Compañía Nacional de Danza, under the direction of Muriel Romero.

Tomas Sanza was born in the city of Mallorca, Spain. He started his ballet education at the Professional Conservatory of Palma de Mallorca finishing it at the English National Ballet School in London. Tomas is an ex Russian Masters Ballet student of the Alicante summer camp.

First years of his career upon graduation he had been working with the Bucharest National Opera and eventually returned to the homeland, Spain, to work with National Dance Company in Madrid and expansing his repertoire.

Winner of prizes in national and international competitions

AMANDA GOMES

Principal dancer of the Tatar State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre named after M. Dzhalil.

Honoured Artist of the Republic of Tatarstan. Dame of the Order of Rio Branco — the highest honor awarded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil (2024).

Winner of prestigious international ballet competitions, including the 17th International Ballet Competition in Varna (2016), the International Competition for Ballet Artists and Choreographers in Moscow (2017, 2022), and the "Arabesque" International Ballet Competition (2014), among others.

Recipient of the Republic of Tatarstan’s "Tantana" Theatre Award in the category "Best Role in a Musical Performance" (2020).

Winner of the television project "Grand Ballet" on the Rossiya-K TV channel in the category "Best Duo" (with partner Wagner Carvalho, 2018).

Finalist of the "Benois de la Danse" award (2018) and laureate of the international music award "BraVo" (2024).

She graduated from the Bolshoi Theatre School in Brazil. Since 2014, she has been a soloist with the Tatar State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre named after M. Dzhalil.

• Giselle (Giselle, A. Adam)
• Odette/Odile (Swan Lake, P. Tchaikovsky)
• Nikiya, Gamzatti (La Bayadère)
• Aurora, Lilac Fairy (The Sleeping Beauty, P. Tchaikovsky)
• Masha (The Nutcracker, P. Tchaikovsky)
• Juliet (Romeo and Juliet, S. Prokofiev)
• Esmeralda (Esmeralda, C. Pugni / R. Drigo)
• Syuyumbike (Shurale, F. Yarullin)
• Anyuta (Anyuta, music by V. Gavrilin)
• Marina (Zorba the Greek, M. Theodorakis)

...among others.

Svetlana Bednenko became ballet soloist at the Donetsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre when she was only 15 years old and danced leading parties of numerous classical ballets.
At the same time Svetlana took part in numerous international ballet competitions where she used to win leading first prizes.

In 2011 she became soloist of St Petersburg State Academic Eifman Ballet Theatre (her tutor was Tatiana Kvasova).
Svetlana´s repertory in Eifman ballet:
Me - Don Quijote (Kitri),
Russian Hamlet (Imperess Ekaterina II),
Chaikovsky (the wife of Chaikovsky),
Red Giselle (Olga Spesivtseva),
Who is who (Linn),
Onegin online (Olga),
Anna Karenina (Kiti) etc
As part of the ballet company Eifman Ballet Svetlana toured around Europe, Asia, Australia and USA.

From 2013 and up to now Svetlana Bednenko is a soloist of the ballet company of one of the best ballet theatres in the world - the Mikhailovsky Theatre ( St. Petersburg).
She dances leading solo parties in classical ballets such as “The Swan Lake”, “Don Quijote”, “La Bayadère “, “Le Corsaire”, “The Flame of Paris”, “Cipollino”, “The Sleeping Beauty”, “The Nutcracker” , “Romeo and Juliet” and many others

Ksenia Shevtsova graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy and began her career as a soloist at the Stanislavsky Theatre in Moscow. She won the Bolshoi Ballet's Best Ballerina Nomination Project in 2018 and the Soul of Dance Award in 2019. That same year, she was appointed prima ballerina of the Stanislavsky Theatre. In the 2023/24 season, Shevtsova joined the Bayerisches Staatsballett as a First Soloist.

Her repertoire includes iconic roles such as Nikiya and Gamzatti in "La Bayadère," Odette/Odile in "Swan Lake," and Manon in "Manon" by Kenneth MacMillan, among others. She has also performed as Kitri in "Don Quixote," Giselle in "Giselle," and Juliet in "Romeo and Juliet," among others. She has taken on challenging parts in works by choreographers like Roland Petit, Yuri Possokhov, Jiří Kylián, Nacho Duato, and Alexei Ratmansky.

Debuting with the Bayerisches Staatsballett, she has performed in "The Storm" from Tchaikovsky Overtures, "La Bayadère," "Romeo and Juliet," and "Onegin," among others.

Tatiana Melnik graduated from Perm Ballet Academy in 2006. She was principal dancer of Russian ballet theatre V.M. Gordeev (Moscow), first soloist of Stanislavsky theatre (Moscow) and from 2015 Tatiana Melnik is working with Hungarian National Opera (Budapest) as a principal dancer.

Her repertoire includes:
Dantzig/Schayk/Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake – Odette/Odile
Eagling/Solymosi/Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker – Princess Maria
Petipa/Tchaikovsky: The Sleeping Beauty – Princess Aurora
Petipa/Minkus: Don Quixote – Kitri
Petipa/Adam: Giselle – Giselle
Petipa/Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake – Odette/Odile
Ashton/Prokofiev: Cinderella – Cinderella
McMillan/Massenet: Manon – Manon
McMillan/Liszt: Mayerling – Princess Stephanie, Maria Vechera
Vainonen/Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker – Princess Maria
Burmeister/Tchaikovsky: Snow Maiden – Snow Maiden
Petipa/Minkus: La Bayadère – Nikiya
Van Manen/Satie: Trois Gnossiennes, Black cake
Ashton/Hérold: La fille mal gardée – Lisa
Lander/Riisager: Études
Cranko/Tchaikovsky: Onegin – Tatiana
Petipa/Deldevez/Minkus: Paquita – Paquita
Seregi/Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet – Juliet
Kylián/Mozart: Petite Mort

Awards include:
Bronze medal International ballet competition “Arabesque” (Perm), 2012
Silver medal “Moscow ballet competition”, 2013
Best ballerina of Hungary, 2016
Etoile, 2019-2020
The Hungarian gold cross, 2021

Participation in Etoile World Ballet Galas all over the World.

Denis Matvienko was born in 1979 in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. He began his training in classical dance at a very young age at the Kiev State Choreography School, and at the age of 18 he joined the Ukrainian National Ballet as a first figure.

In 2001 he joined the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg as a soloist. In 2003 he returned to the Ukrainian National Ballet and in 2007 he moved back to St. Petersburg to the Mikhailovsky Theatre as a principal dancer. Two years later, in 2009, he returned as principal star to the Mariinsky.

He has been a guest dancer with numerous companies, such as the Bolshoi, the New National Theatre of Japan, the Alla Scala Theatre and the Paris Opera.

During his career he has performed numerous princely roles, but he is a dancer with great versatility, which allows him to excel in neoclassical and contemporary works.

He has won major dance awards, including first place in the Luxembourg ballet competitions in 1997 and Budapest in 1998; the gold medal in Nagoya in 1999; and first place in the Moscow competition in 2005.

From 2011 to 2013 Matvienko was appointed artistic director and principal dancer of the ballet company of the Ukrainian National Opera and since June 2016 he has been artistic director of the ballet company of the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre.

Spanish-Cuban Ricardo Castellanos (born in 1997) began dancing at the age of nine with La Companya Juvenil de Ballet Clàssic de Catalunya in Barcelona before continuing his studies with his father, Rodolfo Castellanos.

He studied at the Royal Ballet School in London and performed in such ballets as Don Quixote, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle and Le Corsaire before joining the Norwegian National Ballet 2 in the autumn of 2016. In 2017, he went on to the main company becoming a principal dancer.

After Ricardo Castellanos' debut in the leading role of Solor in La Bayadère, ClassicalMusic.com wrote the following: «He achieves a weightless height in his leaps, almost seeming to hang in the air, his pirouettes are dead-on and last impossibly long. He conveys the dramatic story with technique and feeling and it is harder to imagine a stronger debut than this.»

He has danced the role of Rothbart in Holmes’ Swan Lake, the Nutcracker Prince in Boyadjiev’s The Nutcracker, the leading male role in Balanchine’s Allegro Brillante and soloist in the 1st movement in Balanchine’s Symphony in C, Prince Albrecht in the 2nd act of Giselle, Romeo in the balcony pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet and Prince Siegfried in a pas de deux from Swan Lake. He has also danced in MacMillan’s Manon and Kylián's One of a Kind.

His repertoire includes:
Albrecht in Giselle
Flames of Paris Pdd in A Night of Dance x 12
Giselle 2. akt - Albrecht in Norwegian National Ballet
Le Corsaire Pdt in A Night of Dance x 12
Onegin in Onegin
Romeo og Julie: Romeo in Lyset på Nasjonalballetten
Solor in La Bayadère
Voluntaries Pas de trois in A Night of Dance x 12
etc.

Currently Luisa María Arias is a freelance dancer, choreographic assistant to Nacho Duato and a part of the Nacho Duato Training Program. Luisa María is frequently invited to create choreographic pieces, master classes and workshops in different national and international schools and actively collaborates with the CaraB Danza Company.

Throughout her career Luisa María Arias has danced in companies such as:
- the National Dance Company;
- Netherlands Dance Theater;
- National Ballet of Nancy et la Lorraine;
- Opera National du Rhin.

She has worked with choreographers such as Nacho Duato, Jiri Kylian, Mats Ek, W. Forsythe, Johan Inger, Ohad Naharin, Paul Lightfoot, Sol Leon, Cristal Pite, Marco Goecke, W. Vandekeibus, Hofesh Shechter, Alexander Ekman and many others.

Polina Semionova was born in Moscow and studied at the Bolshoi Ballet School. At 17 years old, she joined the Berlin State Opera Ballet as a principal dancer. In September 2012 joined American Ballet Theatre as a Principal Dancer.

Her repertoire includes:
Odette-Odile in Swan Lake; Nikiya in La Bayadere; Marie in The Nutcracker; Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty;Swanilda in Coppellia; Kitri in Don Quixote;Giselle, Myrta in Giselle; Tatiana in John Cranko's Onegin; Sieglinde and Brunhilde in Maurice Bejart's Ring um den Ring; Manon in Manon; Juliet in John Cranko's,Sir Kenneth McMillan's, Leonid Lavrovskij's, Nacho Duato's Romeo and Juliet; Scheherazade; Les Sylphides; Carmen in Roland Petit'sCarmen; Sylvia in Sir Frederick Ashton's Sylvia.Principal roles in Jerome Robbins' Afternoon of a Faun; George Balanchine's Ballet Imperial, Apollo (Terpsichore), A Midsummer Night's Dream, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, Diamonds, Theme and Variations, Symphony in C; William Forsythe's The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, Herman Schmermann; John Neuemeyer 's Nutcracker, Midsummer Night's Dream, The Lady of the Camellias, Kylian's Return to the Strange Land.

She has also appeared in works by Nacho Duato, Mauro Bigonzetti, Patrice Bard, Renato Zanella, Uwe Scholz, Alexey Ratmanskij, Twyla Tharp, Anthony Tudor, Christian Spuck...

Semionova has also danced as a guest artist with La Scala, American Ballet Theatre, Bayerische State Opera, Mikhailovskiy Theatre, Semper Opera, English National Ballet, Tokyo Ballet, Vienna State Opera Ballet, Zurich Ballet, Maryinsky Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Opera del Roma ..

Awards include:

• a gold medal at the Moscow International Ballet Competition in 2001,
• First Prize at the Vaganova-Prix Ballet Competition in St. Petersburg ,
• the Junior Prize at the Nagoya International Ballet Competition in 2002;
• Daphne Prize (2004);
• German Critics Choice Award (2005);
• Dancer of the Year (2007);
• Prize of Heinz Spoerli( 2007);
• Prize Benois de la Dance(2014);
• Kammertänzerin (2017);
• Dancer of the Year (2018).

In 2013 she became a professor of Staatliche Ballett Schule in Berlin, Germany.

The Canadian-British dancer James Stout (Calgary) got interested in dance through his parents’ Argentinian tango dance club. From an early age, he helped out as a dance partner at the milongas (dance evenings). He went on to take lessons in ballroom and ballet, among other things. At the age of thirteen, he went to The School of Alberta Ballet – “because they needed boys”.

Later on, James trained with the Goh Ballet Academy in Vancouver; a period of tough, completely Chinese-oriented training that he says formed him. The final year of James’s training was spent at The Royal Ballet School in London.

Partly due to his great admiration for the former star principal Sofiane Sylve, James decided to join Dutch National Ballet in 2007, where he was promoted to soloist in season 2012-2013. Since 2018, James has been a principal with Dutch National Ballet; his promotion came immediately after his performance of the role of Tristan in David Dawson’s Tristan + Isolde. James succeeded in reaching the finals of ballet competitions in Varna, Hong Kong and Beijing.

Aidos Zakan began his training in1997 at Anna Selezneva School in Almaty, Kazachstan, and graduated in 2005 from Vaganova Academy of Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia.

2006-2009 he was a soloist at Musa Dshalil theatre before joining Mikhaylovskiy Theatre, St. Petersburg in 2009. 2010, he became a member of Stanislavski- and Nemirovich-Danchenko theatre, Moscow and in 2013 was engaged as a soloist with Boston Ballet company. His repertoire comprises parts as Siegfried („Swan Lake“), Prince Désiré in „Sleeping Beauty“, Albert in „Giselle“, James in „La Sylphide“ and Basile in „Don Quichotte“.

At the Vaganova Competition 2006 he was awarded with the prizes.

Other awards include Arabesque-2010 in Donetsk, Ukraine, and Korean International ballet competition in 2010 and 2011.

In december 2015, Aidos joined Aalto Ballett Essen as a soloist with group commitments and has performed roles like Karl („The Nutcracker“), Basile („Don Quichotte“) and solistic parts in „Queen“.

Liudmila Konovalova was born in Moscow (Russia). She graduated from Moscow Bolshoi Ballet Academy and joined the Russian State Ballet in 2002. In 2004 she was appointed First Soloist and danced the leading roles. In 2007 she joined the Staatsballett Berlin and was appointed Soloist in 2009. In 2010 she joined the Wiener Staatsballett as a Soloist and was promoted to First Soloist in 2011.

She has appeared as a guest dancer in many European Countries and overseas.
During the season 2013/14 she joined the Ballet de l'Opéra National de Bordeaux, the Slovenské národné divadlo, the Teatro dell ‘Opera di Roma and the Tokyo Ballet as a guest soloist.
In March 2016 (London Coliseum) she had the honor to take part in the Ave Maya Gala in memory of Maya Plisetskaya.
For the ORF DVD production of “Der Nussknacker'' in the choreography of Rudolf Nureyev she danced the main role of Clara.

She has received many awards and honors:
3rd Place in the competition “Young Russian Ballet” in Krasnodar (2004).
Special Price from the Serge Lifar Ballet Competition in Kiev (2006).
2nd Place in the International Ballet Competition KIBC in Seoul.
1st Place in the ÖTR-Contest in Vienna (2007)
1st Place in the Ballet Competition “Premio Roma” (2007).
Premio Capri Danza International (2018).

In June 2019 Liudmila Konovalova was honoured by the Russian Embassy in Vienna for her merits of the cultural relation between Russia and Austria.

Alexei Timofeyev is a Soloist Dancer at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg.

He graduated from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in 2004, in class of Gennady Selyutsky and he joined the Mariinsky Theatre that same year.

His awards include 3rd prize in the VII International Ballet Competition of Seoul. Diploma in the XI International Competition of Ballet Dancers and Choreographers of Moscow and in the XVI International Ballet Festival Rudolf Nureyev.

He has a wide repertoire as a soloist behind his back.

Alexey Popov was born in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova. He graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in 2010 and joined the Mariinsky Ballet the same year.

Popov has toured with the Mariinsky Ballet to Italy, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, the USA and Great Britain.

In 2014 he won the first prize at the Yuri Grigorovich World Youth Ballet International Competition.

He joined the Bayerisches Staatsballett in the 2016/2017 season as first soloist and was promoted to principal in September 2019. There he interpreted many principal roles such as James in La Sylphide, Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, Le Spectre de la Rose or Tchaikovsky-Pas de deux.

In July he will begin a new contract in the Vienna State Ballet as Principal Dancer, where he is being very awaited.

In 1980, Irina Badayeva graduated from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet (teacher T.A. Udalenkova) and was accepted to the Mariinsky Theatre. In 1997, she was awarded the L. Myasin Prize "For the Purity of Classical Dance" (Italy).

In 2001, she graduated with honors from the Vaganova Academy as "teacher-repetiteur" (teachers: I. Trofimova, N. Dudinskaya, N. Goncharova). Since 2007 - classical dance teacher at the Vaganova Academy.

The duet of Irina Badayeva and Feton Miozzi was called the "Porcelain Couple" by Russian and foreign critics.
Performed leading roles in the ballets: Giselle, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Harlequinade, Le Corsaire (Gulnare), La Fille Mal Garde, Coppélia, La Sylphide, Chopiniana (mazurka, 7th waltz). Concert repertoire: Diana and Actaeon, Butterfly, Carnival of Venice, Fairy Doll, Flower Festival in Genzano, The Vigilante Pas de Six, The Dying Swan, Grand Pas Classic to music by Ober, Ciaikovsky Pas de Deux, Sylvia (G. Balanchine), Brilliant Divertissement, Snow Maiden, Pas de Deux to music by Mozart, Pas de Deux to music by Rossini, Pas de Deux to music by Donizetti, Rodin (L. Jacobson), "Old Photograph", "Phantom Ball".

Evgeniya Victory Gonzalez was born in St. Petersburg, Russia.

In 2015 she completed her education at the Royal Swedish Ballet School. During her time at the Ballet School, she has been practicing and appeared several times on stage at the Royal Swedish Opera.

Evgeniya is a former student of Russian Master Ballet Camp.

From 2015 until 2018 she was a dancer at the Mariinsky Theater Ballet Company in St. Petersburg.
From 2018 until 2019 Evgeniya was a member of the Bavarian State Opera Ballet Campany.
In 2019, she became a demi-Soloist of the Czech National Ballet in Prague, where in April 2021 she was made a soloist.

Evgeniya has danced at prestigious ballet galas with the Russian Master Ballet Stars Gala, the Veterans Aid Charity in London and the Ballet Summer Estonia Gala.
In 2014, she received the third prize at the International Nordic Baltic Ballet Competition in Sweden, Falun and the Grand Prix at the Jeune Ballet Mediterranean in France, Grasse.

One of the most outstanding European artists and choreographers, Denis Untila, will be one of the invited artistsfor the Stars Gala.

Denis Untila began his dance career in his homeland, Moldova, and completed his training by graduating from the Vienna Conservatory. He joined the Ballet Kiel in 2001 under the direction of Mario Schröder as a soloist. He performed as a guest dancer in Schröder’s choreography “The Wall” in Essen in 2004. Further guest appearances have taken him to the Moldovan National Opera, and to Salzau, France and Italy (“Europe Dance”), then to the ballet company of the Vienna State Opera, where he performed in “The Nutcracker” and as Oscar in Vladimir Malakhov’s ballet “A Masked Ball”.

Since the autumn of 2006 Denis has been a member of the Aalto Ballet Essen, firstly as a group dancer with solo obligations and then from 2009 as a soloist with group commitments. On the Aalto stage he has danced solo roles as Dmitri (“The Brothers Karamazov“), Valerio (“Leonce and Lena”), Blue Bird (“Sleeping Beauty”), Bécaud (“La vie en rose”), Lillas Pastia (“Carmen/Boléro”), Moritz (“Max and Moritz), as well as further soloist roles in “Homage to Queen” and “Irish Soul”. He has also choreographed “The Soldier’s Tale” (Family Concert), “Game” (“PTAH”) and together with Michelle Yamamoto, “Alice” (“PTAH II”), "Jo“ and "Passacaglia“ ("PTAH III“). In the 2012/2013 season he choreographed his first full-length ballet “Othello” for the Aalto Theatre. Denis Untila is the winner of the Aalto Stage Prize for young artists 2012. After successfully creating „Vibrations“ for Essener Philharmonie, he presents a new choreography in 2018: „Moving Colours“, together with Armen Hakobyan.

Alejandro Virelles is a distinguished Principal Dancer born in Cuba, known for his exceptional  talent and captivating performances. His journey in the world of ballet began at the prestigious National Ballet School of Cuba, where he honed his skills and developed a profound love for the art form.

Throughout his illustrious career, Alejandro has participated in numerous competitions and received esteemed accolades. In 2002, he triumphed at the International Ballet Competition of Ballet Schools in Havana, securing the Gold medal and a Special Prize. In 2004, his exceptional talent earned him the Silver medal at the Varna International Competition, followed by another Gold medal at the International Ballet Competition of Ballet Schools in Havana.

Alejandro's artistic endeavours have taken him to various renowned ballet companies across the globe. He graced the stage as a Principal Dancer with the Cuban National Ballet until 2009, showcasing his remarkable skill and artistry. From 2009 to 2014, he enchanted audiences with his performances as a member of both the Barcelona Ballet and the Boston Ballet. In 2014, Alejandro joined the English National Ballet as a Principal Dancer, leaving a lasting impression with his breathtaking interpretations. In 2017, he became a Principal Dancer at the prestigious Bayerisches Staatsballett, and in 2018, he further enriched his career as a Principal Dancer at the Staatsballett Berlin.

Alejandro's extensive repertoire showcases his versatility and mastery of various ballet classics. Under the guidance of acclaimed choreographers, he has embodied iconic roles such as Siegfried in Marius Petipa's "Swan Lake," Albrecht in Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot's "Giselle," and Prince Desiré in Petipa's "Sleeping Beauty." He has also breathed life into characters like Franz in Ronald Hynd's "Coppélia" and the Prince in Frederick Ashton's "Cinderella." Alejandro's interpretations of George Balanchine's works have mesmerised audiences, including his performances in "Jewels" ("Diamonds" and "Emerald") and Alexei Ratmansky's "La Bayadère" as Solor.

In Berlin, Alejandro has enriched the dance landscape with his artistry. His repertoire with the Staatsballett Berlin includes standout performances in Alexei Ratmansky's "La Bayadère" as Solor, George Balanchine's "Theme and Variations" as part of the "Balanchine | Forsythe | Siegal" program, and the captivating "Diamonds" Pas de deux from Balanchine's "Jewels." He has also portrayed Prince Sigfried in Patrice Bart's rendition of "Swan Lake," Romeo in John Cranko's "Romeo and Juliet," James in August Bournonville's "La Sylphide," and showcased his talent in duets such as George Williamson's "Mesh." Additionally, Alejandro's captivating performances include David Dawson's "Voices" and the compelling title role in John Cranko's "Onegin."

Beyond his accomplishments on stage, Alejandro Virelles has been a cultural ambassador, gracing audiences in Russia, the United States, and South America and Asia (China, Hong Kong and Japan) with his guest performances. His artistic excellence and commitment to his craft have garnered him widespread acclaim, establishing him as a true luminary in the world of ballet.

Alejandro's journey as a Principal Dancer is a testament to his unwavering dedication, extraordinary talent, and profound passion for ballet. With each performance, he continues to inspire and captivate audiences worldwide, leaving an indelible mark on the art form he holds dear.

Yolanda Correa was born in Cuba and studied in the Vocational School of Art Holguín and in the Cuban State Ballet School Havana.

Before coming to Oslo, she danced with the Cuban National Ballet, where she was given the highest accolade of primera bailarina.  She was also the Principal Dancer of the StaatsBallett Berlin. Then Yolanda came to Oslo and became a Principal Dancer with the Norwegian National Ballet.

She has received several awards:
1999 Winner of the “International Meeting of Ballet Academies”
2010 “Grand Prix Giuliana Penzi”
2012 “Premio Positano”: best female newcomer
2014 “Wilhelmsen Holding ASA Company Award for Opera and Ballet”
2014 Nomination “Benois de la Danse” as best female dancer

She has also been guest artist in many international companies: Royal Swedish Ballet Stockholm, Ballet of Teatro di San Carlo Napoli, The Kremlin Ballet Moscow, Ballet of Kazan, Compañía Nacional de Danza Madrid.

Her vast classical and contemporary repertoire includes among others:
Snow Queen and the Sugar Plum Fairy. Dina Bjørn’s Nutcracker
Odette-Odile. Alicia Alonso’s Swan Lake
Kitri. Alicia Alonso’s Don Quixote
Aurora. Cynthia Harvey’s Sleeping Beauty
Tatiana. Cranko’s Onegin
Giselle. Alicia Alonso’s Giselle
Juliet. Cranko’s Romeo & Juliet
Cinderella. Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella
Medora. Grigorovich’s  L’Corsaire
Esmeralda. Grigorovich’s L’Esmeralde
Duato’s Multiplicity
Tiger Lily
Stepping Stones
Tetley’s Voluntaries

Maria Khoreva is one of the greatest promises of the ballet world in many years. Graduated in 2018 at the Vaganova Academy with the class of the famous professor Lyudmila Kovaleva, Khoreva joined the Mariinsky Ballet Theatre that same year.

In October 2018, she danced the lead role in Paquita, something extremely unusual for such a recent graduate, and at the end of the month she was promoted from Dance Corps to First Soloist, a rank just one step below the main dancer.


More information is on the website of the Mariinsky theatre.

Direct disciple of N.I. Kovmira, who is the most valued professor of male technique in the middle and advanced levels in classical dance.

Andrey Yermolenkov was born on 06.02.1969 in Leningrad. He graduated from Vaganova Academy in 1987. In 1987-1989 he worked at the Maly Theater of Opera and Ballet (Mikhailovsky Theatre). 

Since 1989 he worked as a soloist in the Ballet Theatre under the direction of Eifman. 

During his career he performed all the current repertoire. In 2007 he graduated from the Pedagogical Faculty of Vaganova Academy as a teacher and tutor. Since 2006 he has been teaching classical dance in the middle and advanced levels in Vaganova Academy in Saint Petersburg.

Bakhtiar was born in the city of Saryozeke, Almaty region. He graduated from the Almaty Choreographic School named after A.V. Seleznev (2003-2011). From 2011 to 2013 - soloist of Astana Opera and Ballet Theatre. Since 2013 he had been a soloist of State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre named after Abay. Since 2015 he has been the principal soloist of Astana Opera.

Awards:
Prize-winner at the VII International Competition of Choreographic Schools of Siberia (Novosibirsk, 2008);
Diploma of the International KIBC Contest (South Korea, 2009);
Prize-winner at the International Contest of Ballet Artists "Arrow" (2010);
The holder of the scholarship of the First President of RK NA. Nazarbayev (2010-2011);
Laureate of the 1st prize of the International Festival of Creative Youth "Shabyt" (2012);
The winner of the II Prize of the International Ballet Competition "Grand Prix of Siberia" (Krasnoyarsk, 2014);
Grand Prix of the V International Ballet Competition in Istanbul (Turkey, July 8, 2016);
Laureate of the 1st Prize of the XIII International Dance Contest in Seoul (South Korea, August 10, 2016);
Grand Prix of the III International Ballet Competition in Astana (September 16, 2016);
Grand Prix of the International Competition of Ballet Dancers VKIBC (New York, USA, 2017);
Prize-winner at the XIII International Competition of Ballet and Choreographers in Moscow (Russia, 2017).

Repertoire:
Spartacus (Spartak A. Khachaturyan)
Benvolio ("Romeo and Juliet" by S. Prokofiev)
The Jester ("The Swan Lake" by P. Tchaikovsky)
Syrym ("Karagoz" G. Zhubanova)
Nutcracker-Prince (The Nutcracker by P. Tchaikovsky)
Nurali ("The Fountain of Bakhchisarai" by B. Asafyev)
Solor (La Bayadère by L. Minkus)
Quasimodo (Notre Dame de Paris)
Basil (Don Quixote by L. Minkus)
Lesko ("Manon" to the music of J. Massenet)

Born in Vladivostok, he studied at the Dnepropetrovsk Ballet School in Ukraine and later at the Belarus State Ballet School in Minsk, graduating in 2006. While still a student, Vasiliev danced Basilio in Don Quixote and Ali in Le Corsaire with the Belarus National Ballet. In 2006, he was invited to join the Bolshoi Ballet as a soloist, making his debut with the Company, at the age of 17, as Basilio in Don Quixote. He was promoted to principal dancer in 2010.

In 2011, he joined the Mikhailovsky Ballet as a principal dancer. Vasiliev’s repertoire with the Mikhailovsky includes principal roles in Don Quixote, Giselle, ou Les Wilis, The Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, La Fille mal gardée, Swan Lake, La Bayadère, Laurencia, La Sylphide, The Flames of Paris, Le Corsaire, Spartacus, and his own ballets.

In 2012–2013, Ivan Vasiliev was a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre. In 2015, he made his debut as a choreographer with his Ballet no. 1. In 2016, he staged the one-act ballets Morphine, Blind Affair, and Bolero and the full-length ballet A Christmas Carol which are included in the repertoire of the Mikhailovsky Theatre. In May 2016, Vasiliev’s ballet Love is All Around premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow and in February 2017 – at the Mikhailovsky Theatre.

He has been recognized for his artistic excellence at the international ballet competitions in Varna, Moscow, and Perm. He is also the winner of the Triumph Youth Prize, British Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards, and the Benois de la Danse Award. In 2014, he was awarded the title of Honored Artist of Russia.

Born in Uruguay, Nelson López Garlo began his music studies at an early age, later discovering his passion for classical dance.

In 2004 he entered the SODRE National Dance School where he graduated, complementing his studies in Buenos Aires. Later he became a member of the Joven Ballet de Uruguay company.

In 2009 he entered the Sodre Dance Corps with the second best qualification of all alumni. Next year Nelson López joined the Argentine company Ballet Concierto de Iñaki Urlezaga, giving performances in Argentina and in various parts of the world.
In 2011 he returned to his country, Uruguay, to join the Ballet Nacional del Sodre as a dance group under the direction of Julio Bocca.

In 2019 Nelson López ventured into stage and costume design, playing this role for the dance company Telón Arriba, a resident of the Solis Theater. A year later he joined the German company Deutsche Oper am Rhein as a soloist under the direction of the choreographer Demis Volpi, where he remains to this day.

Nelson López has covered both the classical and contemporary repertoire, participating in works by Balanchine, John Cranko, Jirí Kylián, Nacho Duato, Boris Eiffman, Twyla Tharp, Sharon Eyal, Roland Petit, among others, performing roles in the dance troupe as well as soloist and major.

Born in Leningrad. Graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in 1998.

Joined the Mariinsky Ballet сompany the same year. Her repertoire included La Sylphide (Nancy, Sylphs), La Bayadère (Manu, Bayadères, Trio of Shades), The Sleeping Beauty (Carefree Fairy, Playfulness Fairy, Little Red Riding Hood), Swan Lake (Cygnets, Neapolitan Dance), Raymonda (Grand pas, variation), Le Corsaire (Trio of Odalisques), Don Quixote (Amour) etc.

Prize-winner at the International Vaganova-Prix Competition (2nd prize, St Petersburg, 1998).

Since 2019 she has been a coach with the Mariinsky Ballet, working with Vaganova Ballet Academy students engaged in the theatre’s performances.

Alexey graduated from the Perm State Choreographic School in 1985 (class of V.N. Tolstukhin).

After that he entered the Gorky Opera and Ballet Theater named after Alexander Pushkin. He danced all the solo ballet repertoire of the theater.
He was invited to Leningrad, to the International Foundation of Leonid Yakobson - the Maly Ballet of the Mariinsky Theatre. There Alexey danced leading parts in classical ballets and solo parts of the concert repertoire of the troupe led by O.M. Vinogradov.

In the late 90's he entered the Academy of Russian Ballet named after A.Ya.Vaganova at the Pedagogical Faculty (class of V.V. Rumyantseva). Throughout the training he taught in classes and rehearsed parts for concerts.

After graduating from the Academy he worked as a choreographer at the SABT Theatre and the Academy of the theatre in South Africa. Upon his return to Russia, he began teaching at the ARB in the Department of Classical and Duet-Classical Dance.

PARTIES: Pas de Trois (Swan Lake), Spartacus, Crassus (Spartacus), Albert (Giselle), Harlequin (Harlequinade).

Victoria Omelnitskaya graduated from the Vaganova Academy in 1999 (class of E. V. Evteeva).

From the same year, Victoria has been in the Mariinsky Theatre company. Her repertoire included solo and leading parts in such performances as The Fountain of Bakhchisarai (Maria), Don Quixote (Street Dancer), Giselle (Myrtha), Prodigal Son (Siren), George Balanchine's Rubies, etc.

From 2009 to 2016, Victoria was part of the Mikhailovsky Theater company and performed solo parts in the performances: La Bayadère (Gamzatti), Corsaire (Medora), Sleeping Beauty (Princess Florine, Diamond Fairy), Raymonda (Henrietta); and also performed Sleeping Beauty (Lilac Fairy), Nunc Dimittis, Prelude (choreography of Nacho Duato).

Victoria Omelnitskaya got Masters degree as a teacher and got her postgraduate studies at the Vaganova Academy.

Since 2019, Victoria has been teaching at the Vaganova Academy such disciplines as "Ballet Heritage and Repertoire", "Methodology of Teaching Acting" and classical dance.

Formed by Ludmila Safronova, one of the last students of Agrippina Vaganova, Anna Podlesnaya has graduated summa cum laude as ballerina and after as a teacher at the Vaganova Academy.

She worked with legendary teachers such as Alla Shelest, Alla Osipenko, Lyudmila Kunakova and Ninel Petrova, Lyudila Safronova.

Anna Podlesnaya represents the St. Petersburg´s school in its purest form, even to receive the epithet “Vaganova’s granddaughter.” After an acclaimed career as a Principal Dancer, she became an outstanding teacher. Her excellence as Teacher is shown in details such as the correct position of hands and feet, she combines attention to detail with great sympathy and sensitivity when working with children.

For more than 7 years she has worked in the Boris Eifman Dance Academy and Anna Podlesnaya is a permanent RMB faculty teacher.

Born in Rome. In 1990 Fethon Miozzi graduated from the The National Dance Academy in Rome and, having received a state scholarship, interned the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in St. Petersburg (teacher: Yuri Umrikhin). Upon completion of his internship, he was accepted to the Mariinsky Theatre (1991).

Since 2008 he's been working as a classical dance teacher at the Vaganova Academy.

He took part in prestigious festivals and gala concerts in the USA, Argentina, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, South Africa, Finland, Hungary, China, Turkey, Estonia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Greece, Cyprus, Switzerland, Israel, Great Britain, Brazil, Czech Republic, Costa Rica, Mexico, Norway, Sweden.
Awards:

• 1993 - L. Myasin Prize ("Rising Star of Ballet").
• 1997 - Danza Si magazine award ("For acting and physical data").
• 1998 - Danza e Danza magazine award ("Best Italian dancer of the year").
• 2005 - Ballet Oscar award (Italy).

In his repertoire:
Kolen - "La fille mal gardee", Prince - "The Nutcracker", Basilio - "Don Quixote", Prince Desire - "Sleeping Beauty", Lanquedem - "Le Corsaire", Count Albert - "Giselle", James - "La Sylphide", Franz - "Coppelia", Prince Siegfried - "Swan Lake", Golden Slave - "Scheherazade", Youth - "Chopiniana", Romeo - "Romeo and Juliet", "Mazurka", "Rodin", "Jewish wedding", "Vestris" by L. Yakobson "Phantom Ball", "Venice Carnival", "Butterfly", "Flower Festival in Genzano", "Grand pas Classic to the music of F. Auber", "The Doll Fairy", "Harlequinade", "The Canteen Girl" and others.

Elena Kukseva is a highly respected ballet master who holds a teaching certificate from the prestigious Vaganova Ballet Academy, in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Mrs. Kukseva received her early professional ballet training and experience from the Perm State Choreographic Academy. In 1986, upon graduation from Perm she accepted a position in the Nijzgorod Ballet Theatre where she had the opportunity to demonstrate her technical brilliance and theatrical mastery by performing many leading roles in classical ballets, such as "Gisele", Spanish Dance in "Swan Lake", Gypsy in "Don Quichote". In 1991 she transitioned to the Small Mariinsky Ballet Company in Leningrad to dance under the direction of Leonid Yakobson.

Mrs. Kukseva toured nationally and internationally performing such recognizable works as 9 Tangos and Bach, Wedding Cortege, Arlekinade, Roden's Sculptures and Pas-de-trois Rossini.

She currently lives and works in St. Petersburg, Russia. Since 2014, Elena is a regular guest of Russian Masters Ballet, teaching at holiday Workshops and Winter Intensives, helping RMB students achieve new heights in ballet training, in line with world requirements.

Elena has been teaching at the Boris Eifman Academy of Dance since 2018

Ilya Novoseltsev was born on October 31, 1965 in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). From 1975 to 1983 he studied at the Leningrad Academic Art School named after Agrippina Vaganova (now the Vaganova Academy) in the class of the teacher Lev Ivanov.

In 1986 Ilya Novoseltsev became a soloist of the Udmurt Opera and Ballet Theatre. Since 1985 he was a soloist of the Chelyabinsk Opera and Ballet Theatre named after Mikhail Glinka. From 1987 to 1993 he worked at the Eifman Ballet Company. From 1993 to 2005 he worked at the Mikhailovsky Theater. In 2002, he got the degree at the Vaganova Academy as a teacher. Since 2004, he's been a teacher of classical dance at the Vaganova Academy.

Winner of “The Best Teacher of Complementary Education" award by the city hall of St. Petersburg (2012)
Winner of the Educational Achievements Competition (2012)

Svetlana Efimova was born in Leningrad in 1966. She graduated from the Vaganova Academy (Professor A. I. Trofimova, 1984).
During 1990 - 1992 she was a soloist of the theatre "Russky Ballet" in St. Petersburg. Then for a year she developed her career as a ballet dancer at the Symphony State Capella of St. Petersburg under the leadership of Georgy Aleksidze. Until 1998 Svetlana danced in the Maliy Ballet of the Mariinsky Theatre and then until 2008 she worked at the Ballet Theatre of Konstantin Tachkin in St. Petersburg.

The repertoire of Svetlana includes among others: ballet "Paquita" (Grand Pas, variation), "Les Sylphides" (Eleventh Waltz), "Fairy Doll" (Pas de trois), "Giselle" (Vilisa, friends), "The Nutcracker" (Waltz of the snowflakes, pink Waltz), "Swan lake" (Pas de trois, the Hungarian dance, little swans), "La Vivandière" (Pas de six). As a performer she worked with choreographers: Oleg Vinogradov, Giorgy Aleksidse, Dmitry Bryantsev.

She graduated from the Faculty of Education of the Vaganova Ballet Academy (2010). Since 2008 Svetlana has been a teacher and tutor of the School of Classical Ballet where she has acquired an extensive pedagogical practice as well as vast experience in teaching methods.

Ballet dancer and teacher.

Born in Kiev. From the age of 5, she began to study at the Deryugins' Gymnastics School in Kiev.

At the age of 10 she entered the Kiev Choreography School. Danced solo parts in the ballet "Theme with Variations" staged by V. Kovtun, The great classical pas from the ballet "Paquita", Pas de six from the ballet "Markitanka", Naina from the opera "Ruslan and Lyudmila", "Revived frescoes" from the ballet " Humpbacked Horse ", pas de deux from the ballet" The Venetian Carnival "," Classical pas de deux "by D. Balanchine.

After graduation, she came to St. Petersburg. From 1995 to 2010 she worked at the Academic Ballet Theater of Boris Eifman.

She took part in all theater performances (Russian Hamlet, Giselle (girlfriends), Pinocchio (Fox Alice, Red Giselle, Tchaikovsky, Requiem, My Jerusalem, Don Juan And Moliere "," Karamazov "," Seagull "," Anna Karenina "...).

In 2010-2011 she worked at the Helen Prokopieva DanceTheater "The Fortress Ballet". Danced in the performances "Attempt of tenderness", "Wait for an Angel", "Singing in July".

Marianna participated in the theatrical project "Lessons of Tango and Love" in which the People's Artist of the USSR Alisa Freindlikh, Varvara Vladimirova and the Dance Theater "The Fortress Ballet" took part. Producer and choreographer of the play is Elena Prokopyeva.

She graduated from the Russian Ballet Academy of  Vaganova specializing in "Pedagogy of the ballet".

She taught classical dance at the St. Petersburg Music Hall Theater. From 2011 to the present she is a teacher of choreography at the Academy of figure skating. She also teaches classical dance lessons at the DAR Dance Academy.

Kirill Radev is a renowned ballet dancer and choreographer whose works combine classical tradition and contemporary dance style. He graduated as an artist from the Vaganova Academy, then graduated from the choreography department and the musical composition and orchestral styles department of the Moscow State Academy of Choreography.

Upon graduation from the Academy, he became a leading soloist of the Imperial Russian Ballet, and from 2007 to 2013 he worked as a soloist and choreographer in the Spanish Corella Ballet under the direction of Angel Corella. From 2010 to 2012, he was a choreographer at the Barcelona Ballet, where he created such ballet performances as Facing the Light, Sombras ajenas and Suspended in Time in collaboration with A. Corella and R. Dakker.

Kirill Radev has won several prestigious international competitions. He is the winner of the Grand Prix at the VII International Ballet Competition in Luxembourg, the first prize and the audience award at the Context - Diana Vishneva choreographers' competition (2019), and a laureate of the Dance Symphony XXI International Competition (2021). In 2021, he was nominated for the XXIIII Premis de la Critica de les Arts Escèniques award in Barcelona for best choreography and for the Golden Mask national theater award for the ballet Pilgrim.

His major works include the ballet Three Poems (2014, Ballet Moscow), Metamorphosis based on the story by F. Kafka (2017, New Ballet), the opera Oedipus Rex (2017, Alexandrinsky Theatre), as well as the plastic performance Ballad for a Madman (2019, KoRPo Dance Project), dedicated to the life and work of Vaslav Nijinsky.

In 2022, he created the one-act ballet Singularity for the Context. Diana Vishneva festival, and in 2023 - Lacrimae. In August 2024, the premiere of the two-act ballet Blind Forgiveness took place at the Astana Ballet Theatre with the participation of Julian Mackay. In 2025, he staged the one-act ballet Bolero for the Ballet Moscow Theatre.

The founder of the international platform KoRPo Dance Project, Kirill Radev actively conducts master classes in contemporary dance, collaborating with theatres and educational institutions around the world. His works are distinguished by the depth of artistic conception and the author's, plastic language of movement.

In 1991, graduated with honors from Vaganova Ballet Academy of Leningrad class of Natalia Dudinskaya and Konstantin Sergeev.
In 2005, graduated with honors from Vaganova Ballet Academy as a ballet tutor and choreography teacher.
In 2009, finished the post-graduate study of Vaganova Ballet Academy.
In 2015 Candidate of Sciences (PhD).
In 2012 Awarded the diploma of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.


1991 - 2012 - a ballet dancer at Mariinsky Theatre.

Since 2003 teaching character and historical dance at Vaganova Ballet Academy
Author of the book “Waltz. History and school of dance” and some articles on choreog-raphy.

Xander was born in England, and studied at there at the Royal Ballet School. After the School he joined The Royal Ballet Company, in August 2005. Here Xander's repertoire included: 'The Sleeping Beauty' (Lilac Fairy Cavalier), 'The Nutcracker' (Arabian Dance, Waltz of the Flowers), 'Swan Lake' (Cadets, Mazurka), 'La Fille Mal Gardee' (Colas' Friends), 'Les Patineurs' (Brown Boys), McGregor's 'Dido and Aeneas' and Fenton's 'Song Without Words' and 'Seacastles'. Xander created roles in Wheeldon's 'DGV: danse a grand vitesse', Tuckett's 'The Seven Deadly Sins' and Fenton's 'Monument'. He also choreographed for The Royal Ballet's 'Draftworks' program.

In 2009, Xander was invited to join The Mariinsky Ballet by its ballet director Yuri Fateyev and joined the company in January 2010 aged 23 as its first and only British dancer. His repertoire includes: Prince Siegfried (Swan Lake), Count Albrecht (Giselle), Prince Desiré (The Sleeping Beauty), Romeo (Romeo & Juliet), The Nutcracker Prince (The Nutcracker ch. Vainonen), Vronsky (Anna Karenina ch. Ratmansky), Jean de Brienne (Raymonda), Male Principal (Le Parc), Vaslav (The Fountain of Bakhchiserai), Andrés (Paquita), The Golden Slave (Scheherazade), The Poet (Chopiniana/Les Sylphides), John the Baptist (Salome ch. Faski), Ashton's Sylvia (Aminta) and Marguerite & Armand (Armand), Balanchine ballets including Apollo, Jewels (Emeralds & Diamonds), Serenade (Waltz, Elegy) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Demetrius), Hans Van Manen's 'Adagio Hammerklavier' & 'Variations For Two Couples', Millepied's 'Without' & 'La nuit s'achève' and McGregor's 'Infra'. His repertoire as a guest artist also includes Gauthier's 'Ballet 101', 'Le Spectre de la Rose', and Ashton's 'The Dream' (Oberon).

Xander has toured with the Mariinsky Ballet to Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Oman, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, the UK, and the USA, and has been a guest artist with English National Ballet, The Kremlin Ballet, The Ballet Company of the Opera National Bucharest, The Stanislavsky Ballet and has also performed with 'Roberto Bolle and Friends'.

Xander was the recipient of the Taglioni Award in the category “Best Young Male Dancer” (Berlin, 2014), the recipient of the Léonide Massine Prize in the category “Emerging Talent on the International Scene" (Positano, Italy, 2014) and won the UK Critics' Circle National Dance Awards 'Outstanding Male Performance (Classical)' category for 'Apollo' 2014.

Ekaterina Osmolkina was born in Kishinev (Moldova). Graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy (class of Professor Inna Zubkovskaya). Joined the Mariinsky Ballet in 1999. The dancer of the perfect dance and acting gift for more then 20 years touches hearts of the Mariinsky Theatre viewers.

She is the first soloist and much more:
Honoured Artist of Russia.
Prize-winner at the Vaganova-prix competition (St Petersburg, 1998).
Prize-winner at the International Ballet Competition (Seoul, 2004).
Recipient of the Golden Sophit, St Petersburg´s highest theatre prize (2006).
During the Stars of the White Nights festival in 2008 she appeared in the gala concert Great Ballerinas of the Mariinsky Theatre.

Ekaterina Osmolkina danced all leading roles of the repertoire as Giselle, Kitri, the Sylph, Odette-Odile, princess Aurora, Masha, Raymonda, Juliet, Cinderella and many others. She danced beautiful duets with Farukh Ruzimatov, Carlos Acosta, Andrian Fadeev, Marcelo Gomez, and many others virtuoso artists.

“She has long deserved the title of genius. Her mastery has been honed to the degree that it is not just powerful, but meaningful too”, - critics say about Ekaterina Osmolkina.

Ekaterina Osmolkina will conduct masterclasses in Burgas, Bulgaria at Summer intensive course in August.

Yolanda Correa was born in Cuba and studied in the Vocational School of Art Holguín and in the Cuban State Ballet School Havana.

Before coming to Oslo, she danced with the Cuban National Ballet, where she was given the highest accolade of primera bailarina.  She was also the Principal Dancer of the StaatsBallett Berlin. Then Yolanda came to Oslo and became a Principal Dancer with the Norwegian National Ballet.

She has received several awards:
1999 Winner of the “International Meeting of Ballet Academies”
2010 “Grand Prix Giuliana Penzi”
2012 “Premio Positano”: best female newcomer
2014 “Wilhelmsen Holding ASA Company Award for Opera and Ballet”
2014 Nomination “Benois de la Danse” as best female dancer

She has also been guest artist in many international companies: Royal Swedish Ballet Stockholm, Ballet of Teatro di San Carlo Napoli, The Kremlin Ballet Moscow, Ballet of Kazan, Compañía Nacional de Danza Madrid.

Her vast classical and contemporary repertoire includes among others:
Snow Queen and the Sugar Plum Fairy. Dina Bjørn’s Nutcracker
Odette-Odile. Alicia Alonso’s Swan Lake
Kitri. Alicia Alonso’s Don Quixote
Aurora. Cynthia Harvey’s Sleeping Beauty
Tatiana. Cranko’s Onegin
Giselle. Alicia Alonso’s Giselle
Juliet. Cranko’s Romeo & Juliet
Cinderella. Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella
Medora. Grigorovich’s  L’Corsaire
Esmeralda. Grigorovich’s L’Esmeralde
Duato’s Multiplicity
Tiger Lily
Stepping Stones
Tetley’s Voluntaries

Alexander Omar graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in 2004 and the same year he joined the Mikhailovsky Ballet Company.
He was also an acting teacher of the Vaganova Academy.

Alexander Omar's repertoire included the roles of Tybalt (Romeo and Juliet, chor. by Nikolay Boyarchikov; chor. by Oleg Vinogradov), Spartacus, Crix and centurions (Spartacus, chor. by George Kovtun), Moor’s Friend (The Moor’s Pavane, chor. by Jose Limon), Gringoire (Esmeralda), solo in the Indian dance (La Bayadère), the role of Fairy Carabosse (The Sleeping Beauty, rev. by Nikolay Boyarchikov), Mr Drosselmeyer, Abdurrahman and solo role in panaderos (Raymonda), Rose waltz and Spanish dance (The Nutcracker, chor. by Nikolay Boyarchikov), Ali and Isaac Lanquedem (Le Corsaire, rev. by Farukh Ruzimatov).

Born in Moscow. In 2006, she graduated from the Moscow Ballet Academy, and joined the Bolshoi Ballet Company. She rehearsed with Tatiana Golikova. Now she is rehearsing with Nina Semizorova.

In repertoire:

• Phrygia, sweetheart to Spartacus (Grigorovich’s Spartacus);
• Anastasia (Grigorovich’s Ivan the Terrible);
• Myrtha, the Queen of Wilis (Vladimir Vasiliev’s Giselle);
• Giselle (Grigorovich’s Giselle);
• Olga (John Cranko’s Onegin);
• Princess Shireen (Grigorovich’s A Legend of Love);
• Sylphide (Johan Kobborg’s La Sylphide);
• Bella (Yuri Possokhov’s A Hero of Our Time);
• Marie (Grigorovich’s Nutcracker)
  

And many others

More information on the page of the Bolshoi theatre.

Mikhail Sivakov graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in 1998, in the class of Konstantin Shatilov, and the same year he joined the Mikhailovsky Theatre.

He performed the roles of James (La Sylphide), Ahmet and Ali (Le Corsaire, rev. by Pyotr Gusev), Phoebus (Esmeralda), Solor (La Bayadère), Jean de Brien (Raymonda), Blue Bird and Fleur de Pois’s Cavalier (The Sleeping Beauty), Basilio and Espada (Don Quixote), Mikado (Princess of the Moon, or The Tale of Taketori, chor. by Nikolay Boyarchikov), Spartacus (Spartacus, chor. by Georgy Kovtun), Rose Waltz (The Nutcracker).
Now his repertoire includes roles in Swan Lake, Giselle, ou Les Wilis, The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, Laurencia, Cipollino, Without Words, Nunc Dimittis.

The South Korean dancer Young Gyu Choi started dancing at the age of eight on his mother’s initiative. “I wasn’t immediately enthusiastic, but after a few lessons I stopped thinking about it and just went”, he says. At the age of ten, he was admitted to the ballet course at the Sun Hwa Arts School in Korea, and in 2006 he continued his training at the Tanz Akademie in Zurich, Switzerland.

Young danced with the Korean National Ballet and Universal Ballet Korea, both in Seoul. He entered the Dutch National Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2011. In 2013, he was promoted no less than twice: first to coryphée and later in the year to soloist. He then danced leading roles in Don Quixote and Cinderella, among others. On the first of January 2016, immediately after his debut as the prince in The Nutcracker and The Mouse King, he was promoted to principal.

Young also frequently performs as a guest principal dancer with leading international companies.

Young has received several awards.
2017, Alexandra Radius Award.
2010, Boston International Competition, 1st.
2010, Ballet Competition (Varna, Bulgaria), 1st.
2007, Youth America Grand Prix (New York City, United States), 1st.

Polina Semionova was born in Moscow and studied at the Bolshoi Ballet School. At 17 years old, she joined the Berlin State Opera Ballet as a principal dancer. In September 2012 joined American Ballet Theatre as a Principal Dancer.

Her repertoire includes:
Odette-Odile in Swan Lake; Nikiya in La Bayadere; Marie in The Nutcracker; Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty;Swanilda in Coppellia; Kitri in Don Quixote;Giselle, Myrta in Giselle; Tatiana in John Cranko's Onegin; Sieglinde and Brunhilde in Maurice Bejart's Ring um den Ring; Manon in Manon; Juliet in John Cranko's,Sir Kenneth McMillan's, Leonid Lavrovskij's, Nacho Duato's Romeo and Juliet; Scheherazade; Les Sylphides; Carmen in Roland Petit'sCarmen; Sylvia in Sir Frederick Ashton's Sylvia and many others.

She has also appeared in works by Nacho Duato, Mauro Bigonzetti, Patrice Bard, Renato Zanella, Uwe Scholz, Alexey Ratmanskij, Twyla Tharp, Anthony Tudor, Christian Spuck...

Semionova has also danced as a guest artist with La Scala, American Ballet Theatre, Bayerische State Opera, Mikhailovskiy Theatre, Semper Opera, English National Ballet, Tokyo Ballet, Vienna State Opera Ballet, Zurich Ballet, Maryinsky Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Opera del Roma ..

Awards include:
a gold medal at the Moscow International Ballet Competition in 2001,
First Prize at the Vaganova-Prix Ballet Competition in St. Petersburg ,
the Junior Prize at the Nagoya International Ballet Competition in 2002;
Daphne Prize (2004);
German Critics Choice Award (2005);
Dancer of the Year (2007);
Prize of Heinz Spoerli( 2007);
Prize Benois de la Dance(2014);
Kammertänzerin (2017);
Dancer of the Year (2018).

In 2013 she became a professor of Staatliche Ballett Schule in Berlin, Germany.

Born in Madrid. He began his training at the age of eleven at the Carmina Ocaña and Pablo Savoye Ballet School.

While studying intensive courses at Russian Masters Ballet in 2016, he was noticed and accepted into the famous Vaganova Ballet Academy. In September 2016 he moved to St. Petersburg and after graduating two years later from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in the class of Alexei Iliyn, he joined the corps de ballet of the Mariinsky Theatre Ballet Company under the direction of Yuri Fateev.

In the repertoire of this company he performed in ballets such as Giselle, Don Quixote, The Corsair, Raymonda, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty, as well as in Anna Karenina (Alexei Ratmansky), Cinderella (Alexei Ratmansky), The Little Humpbacked Horse (Alexei Ratmansky), Firebird (Michel Fokine), Leningrad´s Symphony (Igor Belsky), Legend of Love (Yuri Grigorovich), Shurale (Leonid Yakobson), The Fountain of Bakhchisarai (Rostislav Zakharov), The Bronze Horseman (Rostislav Zakharov, Yuri Smekalov).

He has also performed semi-solo and solo roles in Sylvia (Frederick Ashton), The Sylphide (August Bournonville), Bayadère (Marius Petipa), Scheherezade (Michel Fokine), Carmen Suite (Alberto Alonso), Le Sacre du Printemps (Vaslav Nijinsky), Romeo and Juliet (Leonid Lavrovsky), Le Parc (Angelin Preljocaj), Spartacus (Leonid Yakobson), The Stone Flower (Yuri Grigorovich) and The Nutcracker (Vasili Vainonen and Chemiakin).

In September 2022 he joined the Compañía Nacional de danza, under the artistic direction of Joaquín de Luz.

Leonid Sarafanov is one of the biggest stars of the moment. Globally acclaimed by the public and critics.

He has received numerous international awards of first level such as the BENOIS AWARD (known as the Oscar of Dance), First Prize in the Moscow International Competition, First Prize in the International Competition of Paris, prize in Rudolf Nureyev International Competition in Budapest and many others.

In 2000 Leonid graduated from Kiev State Academy of Choreography and entered as a soloist the National Ballet of Ukraine. After that he began his work at the Mikhailovsky Theater where he is currently the principal star.

Larissa Lezhnina was born on March 17, 1969 in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), Russia.
She graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in Leningrad in 1987 and joined the Kirov Ballet (now the Mariinsky Ballet).

In 1990 she became a First Soloist. In 1994 she left the Mariinsky and joined the Dutch National Ballet as a principal.
In 2006, she was awarded the Alexandra Radius Prize, and she received the Merit Award from Dansersfonds ’79 in 2010.

In 2012, Larissa played an important role in the documentary De Balletmeesters, in which film maker Sonia Herman Dolz closely followed Larissa’s partner, ballet master Guillaume Graffin, and the head of the artistic staff, Rachel Beaujean.

Her repertoire includes Cinderella (Ashton), Giselle (version by Wright), Nutcracker and Mouseking (Eagling and Van Schayk), Onegin (Cranko), Romeo and Juliet (Van Dantzig), The Sleeping Beauty (version by Wright), La Sylphide (version by Bjørn) and Swan Lake (version by Van Dantzig). Larissa retired in June 2014.

The experience of having a teacher like Larisa is unparalleled: our students will have that privilege this year. We welcome Larisa to Russian Masters Ballet.

Currently, she is the main tutor of the Dutch National Ballet.

Larissa Lezhnina was born on March 17, 1969 in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), Russia.
She graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in Leningrad in 1987 and joined the Kirov Ballet (now the Mariinsky Ballet).

In 1990 she became a First Soloist. In 1994 she left the Mariinsky and joined the Dutch National Ballet as a principal.
In 2006, she was awarded the Alexandra Radius Prize, and she received the Merit Award from Dansersfonds ’79 in 2010.

In 2012, Larissa played an important role in the documentary De Balletmeesters, in which film maker Sonia Herman Dolz closely followed Larissa’s partner, ballet master Guillaume Graffin, and the head of the artistic staff, Rachel Beaujean.

Her repertoire includes Cinderella (Ashton), Giselle (version by Wright), Nutcracker and Mouseking (Eagling and Van Schayk), Onegin (Cranko), Romeo and Juliet (Van Dantzig), The Sleeping Beauty (version by Wright), La Sylphide (version by Bjørn) and Swan Lake (version by Van Dantzig). Larissa retired in June 2014.

The experience of having a teacher like Larisa is unparalleled: our students will have that privilege this year. We welcome Larisa to Russian Masters Ballet.

Currently, she is the main tutor of the Dutch National Ballet.

In 2011 Ivan Zaytsev joined the ballet company of one of the best theatres of the world - Mikhailovsk, where very soon he became a Principal dancer, his repertoire includes solo and principal roles in La Sylphide, Le Corsaire, Cipollino, Don Quixote, Laurencia, The Flames of Paris, La Fille mal gardée, and Class Concert
as well as productions of Nacho Duato The Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Multiplicity, Forms of Silence and Emptiness, Prelude, Invisible, and White Darkness. Ivan has toured with the Mikhailovsky Ballet Company to Japan, USA, Germany etc.

He start his career from Krasnodar Ballet School in 1997 and while studying he was training at the Yury Grigorovich Ballet Theatre where he performed roles in the ballets Spartacus, Romeo and Juliet, Raymonda, The Golden Age, The Nutcracker, and Cipollino.
In 2002 Ivan graduated from Krasnodar Ballet School and entered the Department of Choreography at St. Petersburg State University for Culture and Arts.
After graduation from the University in 2007, he joined Leonid Jacobson Ballet Theatre in St. Petersburg, where he danced Romeo (Romeo and Juliet), Jose (Passion for Carmen), Siegfried (Swan Lake), Prince (The Nutcracker), Albrecht (Giselle), and Rodin (The Kiss).

After participation in the 11th Moscow International Ballet Competition in 2009, he was invited to join Boris Eifman Ballet Theatre. Ivan´s parties in Eifman Ballet were:

• Basil in Don Quixote, 
• Onegin in Onegin, 
• Vronsky in Anna Karenina, 
• Ekaterina´s son in Russian Hamlet, 
• The Prince,
  
• The Young man & The Joker in Chaikovsky.
  

More information on the website of the Mikhailovsky theatre.

Margarita Kullik is the tutor of the prestigious and old company of the Mariinsky Theatre, where she stands out as one of the best in the world in her profession.

She graduated in 1981 at the Vaganova Academy with the legendary Natalia Dudinskaia and Irina Trofimova as her teachers. She immediately entered the Mariinsky Ballet, where she quickly rose to the position of a principal star. Kullik premiered numerous roles for this prestigious company such as La Fille Mal Gardée (choreography by Oleg Vinogradov) and Cinderella (choreography by Alexei Ratmanski). As the first dancer she assumed the lead roles in Don Quixote, Cinderella, Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, The Sylphide, The Corsair, Romeo and Juliet, among many others, and toured different countries. Among her awards it stands out the prize of the International Ballet Competition of Varna (Bulgaria) in 1983.

Since 2013 Margarita Kullik has been a tutor at the Mariinsky Ballet and her remarkable work is palpable in the excellence of her pupils (such as Renata Shakirova and Kim Kimin), and has elevated her to the top and enshrined as a legend.

Svetlana Bednenko became ballet soloist at the Donetsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre when she was only 15 years old and danced leading parties of numerous classical ballets.
At the same time Svetlana took part in numerous international ballet competitions where she used to win leading first prizes.

In 2011 she became soloist of St Petersburg State Academic Eifman Ballet Theatre (her tutor was Tatiana Kvasova).
Svetlana´s repertory in Eifman ballet:
Me - Don Quijote (Kitri),
Russian Hamlet (Imperess Ekaterina II),
Chaikovsky (the wife of Chaikovsky),
Red Giselle (Olga Spesivtseva),
Who is who (Linn),
Onegin online (Olga),
Anna Karenina (Kiti) etc
As part of the ballet company Eifman Ballet Svetlana toured around Europe, Asia, Australia and USA.

From 2013 and up to now Svetlana Bednenko is a soloist of the ballet company of one of the best ballet theatres in the world - the Mikhailovsky Theatre ( St. Petersburg).
She dances leading solo parties in classical ballets such as “The Swan Lake”, “Don Quijote”, “La Bayadère “, “Le Corsaire”, “The Flame of Paris”, “Cipollino”, “The Sleeping Beauty”, “The Nutcracker” , “Romeo and Juliet” and many others

Slava Tutukin is a real star of classical, neoclassical and contemporary ballet who at same time manages some of the most impotant ballet companies and projects of Germany.

Slava Tutukin is a coach, director, and arts manager who previously had an international career as a principal dancer and guest artist with several major companies. After retiring from the stage, he served as Dance Company Manager at the Upper Austrian State Theatre, as well as General Manager and Deputy Artistic Director of Ballett Dortmund and the NRW Junior Ballet Company. He has also curated and produced numerous international projects, galas, and productions across Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Splashes of his CV:
Considered one of the most talented young dances of present century, has worked as a soloist in the best ballet companies in the world (including The Mikhailovsky Theatre), even making the leap to the big screen in the tv most important Germany;
He has given numerous master classes throughout the world with overwhelming success.
Slava won the prestigious “Farukh Ruzimatov” prize in 2007;
and Rieti prize in Italy in 2009.

Due to her spectacular curriculum and teaching experience Polina is the best representative of professional ballet environment to transmit Character Dance.

Polina is also a tutor and lecturer in Vaganova Academy in Saint Petersburg, as well as character dance soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre, considered one of the leading ballet theaters.

Her work in our intensiveы marked a turning point in our students. This discipline is vital and crucial for a ballet artist. It has its origin and development in Russia but in Europe unfortunately there are not many well formed specialists. Dance character usually marks a fundamental difference between one dancer and another, and can even decide their fate.

During the Russian Masters courses Polina teaches Character Dance to all professional groups.

Some notes about her professional activity:
Polina was born in St. Petersburg. In 1994 she graduated from the Vaganova Academy in the class of NATALIA DUDINSKAYA y ALISA STROGOYA, prominent legends in the history of ballet.

More information on Vaganova Academy website.

“A tall, and with noble elongated lines, she perfectly embodies the modern type of the Petersburg ballerina - elegant and aristocratic.” - Ballet Magazine.

Sofya Gumerova graduated from the Vaganova Academy an an artist in 1995. The same year she entered the company of the Mariinsky Theater, becoming a ballet soloist in 2016. Sofya also graduated from the faculty of ballet staging of the St. Petersburg State Conservatory of Rimsky-Korsakov as a tutor-choreographer.

In 2010 Sofya received the title of honored Artist of Russia.

Sofia’s repertoire includes more than 30 roles, including the beloved Giselle (Giselle, Manna, Mirta), Swan Lake (Odette - Odile, large swans), La Bayadere (Nikia, Grand pas, trio of shadows), Corsair (Medora, a trio of odalisks), La Sylphide (La Sylphide), the Sleeping Beauty (Princess Aurora, Candide Fairy, Princess Florine), Raymonda (Raymonda, Clemance, Grand pas), Don Quixote (Kitri, Street Dancer, Queen of the Dryads), Michel Fokine’s ballets The Dying Swan, Chopiniana, and many many others!

Repertoire also includes:
Ondine (Queen of the Sea); choreography by Pierre Lacotte,
Reverence; choreography by David Dawson,
the duet from the ballet The Ghostly Ball; choreography by Dmitry Bryantsev,
Goya-Divertissement (Duchess of Alba); choreography by José Antonio,
Like an Old Organ Grinder; choreography by Alexei Miroshnichenko,
Pas de quatre (Carlotta Grisi, Lucile Grahn); choreography by Anton Dolin
and Euphoria; choreography by Nikita Dmitrievsky.

Sofya Gumerova has been working as a guest teacher for foreign students at the Vaganova Academy. Now she gives classes at the St. Petersburg State Conservatory of Rimsky-Korsakov of classical heritage and the art of being a tutor as well as acting classes at the Eifman Academy. In addition, Sofya conducts master classes all over the world.

Yan Omelnitsky was born in St. Petersburg.
He graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy (B. A. performing department, ballet dancer; teachers: Boris Bregvadze, Alisa Strogaya) in 2004 continuing his education in the Russian Academy of State Service at the President of RF (B. A. managment department). In 2025 he also graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy as a teacher (M. A. pedagogical department; teachers: Maria Gribanova, Natalia Tarasova, Natalia Yananis).

During his career Yan Omelnitsky was a ballet dancer at the Konstantin Tachkin’s St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre and St. Petersburg State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre named after M. P. Mussorgsky — Mikhailovsky Theatre for more than 7 years. Now he is a teacher of the Vaganova Ballet Academy.

His repertoire at the Mikhailovsky Theatre and Konstantin Tachkin’s Theatre included:
«Sleeping Beauty»: Prince Desire, Blue Bird;
«Esmeralda»: Gringoire;
«Swan Lake»: Spanish dance, Polish dance;
«Laurencia»: Friends of Frondoso;
«Nutcracker»: Harlequin, Chinese dance;
«Genzano Flower Festival»: Pas de deux;
«Don Quixote»: Toreador, Gypsy dance.

Laureate of the International Ballet Competition (Italy)

Asiya Lukmanova graduated in Rudolf Nureyev Choreographic School in 2002. Graduated summa cum laude in Vaganova Ballet Academy.

She became a soloist dancer in the Saint-Petersburg Ballet Theatre K.Tachkin.

At the age of 17 years old she danced her first soloist part: Kitri, in “Don Quijote”. At 25 years old she became a Promotor in one of the biggest music festivals of Spain nowadays, with more than 30,000 attendants: Electromar festival.

Nowadays she drives her best ever project: Russian Masters Ballet. She wants to expand all over the globe the best classical ballet traditions and with fair prices to broke limits and help students to improve and become the best.

In 1986 he graduated from the Saratov Choreographic Conservatory in the class of GENNADY ALBERT, who was a direct disciple with Rudolf Nureyev, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Alla Osipenko of mythical Alexander Pushkin, considered a legend among teachers of classical ballet..

During his soloist career he worked at the Theatre of Boris Eifman, Gorki Theatre, Theatre K.Tachkin and others. He participated in productions of famous Mariinsky Theatre choreographers, among others worked with Ignatev and Ganibalova.

Graduated with honours from the Vaganova Academy as a teacher in the class of LUDMILA SAFRONOVA, who confirmed that it is one of the great hopes and best Vaganova methodists.

For more than 7 years he has worked in the Boris Eifman Dance Academy and Dmitry Shevtsov is a permanent RMB faculty teacher.

Angelina Aleksandrova was born in 1965 in Izhevsk.

In 1984, she graduated from the Perm State Choreographic College as ballet dancer. From 1984 to 2012 she was a ballet soloist, and from 1991 to 1998 she was a soloist of  the Mariinsky Theater.
In 2008, Angelina Aleksandrova graduated from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, as teacher-choreographer and worked from 2012 to 2015 as a ballet tutor at the Rostov State Musical Theater.

Since 2019 and to the present days, Angelina Aleksandrova has been a classical dance teacher at the Boris Eifman Dance Academy.

She had several tours around the USA, England, Australia, South Africa, Germany and other countries and has been invited to South Korea to conduct master classes.

She has the historical privilege to be the daughter and disciple of the great Tatiana Sevastianova. Graduated with honors at the Vaganova Academy, as an artist and teacher in ballet class of Udalenkova.

After her soloist career in various ballet companies, she became supervisor and teacher of great Russian ballet companies, including the prestigious Ballet L. Yakobson.

She was a guest soloist in the ballet company of the Leningrad Conservatory named after Rimskiy-Korsakov.

In 1993 she was invited to the ballet company of Prague as soloist.
From 1995-1998 she was a soloist of the State Theatre in Brno.
Since 1998, soloist in the company .L.Yakobson.
She participated in tours around Russia and the world.

A new teacher joins Russian Masters’ Faculty. We welcome Natalya Lazebnikova.

Natalya Lazebnikova was born in 1980 in Kyiv, Ukraine. She first studied at the Kremer School of Rhythmic Gymnastics. In 1990, she entered the Kiev State Choreographic School, in the class of Putilina T.N. and was also a student of Marina Semenova.

In 1994 she became a diploma winner of the Prix de Lausanne competition, after which she was invited to study by Marika Bezobrazova, director of the Academie de danse Princess Grace (Monaco), where she studied according to the methods of Asaf Messerer.

In 1997, she graduated as a part-time student from the Kiev State Choreographic School with a red diploma.

While still a student of the 2nd year of the school, she danced leading roles at the National Opera of Ukraine. After a successful tour in Europe, she was recognized by the media as the best Juliet. At the age of 21, she received the status of principal dancer.

Since 2004, Natalia has been actively invited on tours by theaters and concert agencies. She took part in the Rudolf Nureyev festival (Kazan), and “Le Gala des Etoiles du XXIe siecle” (Paris). Guest dancer at the Lithuanian National Theatre, Belgrade Theatre, Kazan Theatre… her repertoire includes more than 20 performances of classical and modern choreography.

In 2009, she became an Honored Artist of Ukraine.

Since 2012, Natalia has been successfully combining artistic activities with tutoring. In 2020, she became Master of Choreographic Sciences.

She is also an official teacher of PBT (Progressing Ballet Technique) and founder of a professional choreographic training center in Kyiv since 2021.  
Natalia's students study at famous schools in the world: Munich, Brussels, the Vaganova Academy, the Boris Eifman Academy.

We are very happy to have Natalya Lazebnikova among us this year too.

Anton Waldbauer was born in a small city in Russia and began his studies at the Gymnasium of Arts.

After participating in the prestigious competition Prize de Lausanne, he received an invitation to continue his studies at the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet. He graduated from the Academy with honors in 2003.
Then he entered the Department of Modern Dance at the Higher School of Arts (Frankfurt, Germany) and at the end, of course, joined the European Ballet (London).

In 2004, he accepted an invitation to the role of lead soloist in the State Opera and Ballet Theatre of the Komi Republic (Russian Federation) where for two seasons he has been playing the leading parts in the classical repertoire and participating in new Theatre productions.

In 2006, she took part in the 10th Anniversary Ballet Competition in Moscow, where she won a diploma for the best choreography, with his debut work “6 Seconds”. In the same year, he returned to Europe and began to dance with the prestigious Netherlands Dance Theater. Where Anton became the first Russian artist in the 50th history of the troupe.

In 2009 he joined the Kullberg Ballet (Stockholm, Sweden).
And in 2010 he returned to Holland to the main troupe of the Netherlands Dance Theatre. Where, over the years of his work, Anton had collaborated with many prestigious choreographers, such as Jiri Kylian, Ohad Naharin, Paul Lightfoot, Johan Inger, Wim Vandekeybus, Crystal Pite, Sharon Eyal, Sasha Waltz, and many others.

In 2013, at the invitation of Johannes Oman, he became the first soloist and the main artist in all-new productions of the Royal Swedish Ballet.
In 2014, he acted as a guest artist at the Nobel Gala.
In 2016, he received the Pina Bausch Prize and collaborates with Familie Flöz, a troupe of physical theater from Berlin.

Since 2012, Anton has been actively engaged in teaching modern dance, improvisation, and choreography. He is currently a guest teacher at many prestigious centers/schools throughout Europe.
Anton is also actively engaged in his productions and his choreographic works were presented in the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Russia, France, and Spain. His first short film, 33 Questions, was presented at the Stockholm Dance Festival.

One of the most outstanding European artists and choreographers, Denis Untila, will give classes of Contemporary Dance to the students of RMBC. A unique opportunity to learn from the best.

Denis Untila began his dance career in his homeland, Moldova, and completed his training by graduating from the Vienna Conservatory. He joined the Ballet Kiel in 2001 under the direction of Mario Schröder as a soloist. He performed as a guest dancer in Schröder’s choreography “The Wall” in Essen in 2004. Further guest appearances have taken him to the Moldovan National Opera, and to Salzau, France and Italy (“Europe Dance”), then to the ballet company of the Vienna State Opera, where he performed in “The Nutcracker” and as Oscar in Vladimir Malakhov’s ballet “A Masked Ball”.

Since the autumn of 2006 Denis has been a member of the Aalto Ballet Essen, firstly as a group dancer with solo obligations and then from 2009 as a soloist with group commitments. On the Aalto stage he has danced solo roles as Dmitri (“The Brothers Karamazov“), Valerio (“Leonce and Lena”), Blue Bird (“Sleeping Beauty”), Bécaud (“La vie en rose”), Lillas Pastia (“Carmen/Boléro”), Moritz (“Max and Moritz), as well as further soloist roles in “Homage to Queen” and “Irish Soul”. He has also choreographed “The Soldier’s Tale” (Family Concert), “Game” (“PTAH”) and together with Michelle Yamamoto, “Alice” (“PTAH II”), "Jo“ and "Passacaglia“ ("PTAH III“). In the 2012/2013 season he choreographed his first full-length ballet “Othello” for the Aalto Theatre. Denis Untila is the winner of the Aalto Stage Prize for young artists 2012. After successfully creating „Vibrations“ for Essener Philharmonie, he presents a new choreography in 2018: „Moving Colours“, together with Armen Hakobyan.

Dancer and teacher with extensive experience.

Olga graduated Perm Professional Ballet School, Russia in 1993.

After that she immediately joined The Opera and Ballet Theatre of Perm as a dancer, ascending to the category of soloist. With the company Pavlova danced the great ballets of the classical repertoire.

To pursue her teaching career, graduated Bolshoi Theatre Academy as a Classical Dance teacher.

Finally, she moved to Spain to focus fully on her pedagogical role, teaching at the Artis Reus School and all RMB programs.

Daria Vergizova - choreographer and teacher

In 2015 she graduated from the St. Petersburg State Conservatory. N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, specialty "choreographer-director".
In 2018 she defended her master's degree in ballet master-stage at the Vaganova Academy of Russian.

Currently:
Member of the Union of Theater Workers of the Russian Federation.
Choreographer and artistic director of "Ballet. Theater "since 2018.
Artistic director of the children's dance center “Ballet. Theatre. Kids "from 2020.
Guest teacher and choreographer of Japan Vaganova Ballet Association.

Creative work as a choreographer:
- in the Hermitage Theater: operas: "Aleko", music. S. Rachmaninoff; "Iolanta", music P. I. Tchaikovsky; ballet "Blue Bird", music. Lera Finkelstein, School of Classical Ballet. N.A. Dolgushina;
- at the Alexandrinsky Theatre (New Stage, St. Petersburg), performances: "PING-PONG", music. Lera Finkelstein; "Songs of Ri", music. Angelica Habibova;
- at the Theater of the Conservatory (St. Petersburg): "Wardrobe", a choreographic performance; "Shot" one-act performance, within the framework of the "Dance without Borders" festival;
- theatrical venue "Residence" (St. Petersburg), performances: "Poplars and the Wind", music. V. Finkelstein; "Silence", music. I.S.Bach, Artem Petaykin;
- in the children's theater of ballet "Nutcracker" (Yekaterinburg): ballet "Little Prince", music. Lera Finkelstein;
- choreographer of the opening ceremony of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in 2014, 2015, 2016;
- 2022 performance “INFANTA” - participant of several international festivals;
- 2024 performance “PETRUSHKA”, theatre of the Eifman Dance Academy
and others.

Laureate and participant of numerous competitions and festivals, including:
2013 - International competition of choreographers "Riga Spring" (Riga, Latvia)
2014 - International competition of ballet dancers and choreographers named after I. E. Maximova "Arabesque - 2014" (Perm)
2014 - youth festival of choreography "Runway" (St. Petersburg)
2018 - youth theater festival "InterseasonFest", opening of the festival with the play "Poplars and Wind"
2018 - International Festival "Christmas Parade", St. Petersburg. The play "Poplars and the Wind" won in the nomination "Best Plastic Performance"
2019 - international festival of non-state plastic theaters "Couranta", St. Petersburg. The play "Ping Pong" won the nomination "Best Adult Performance".
2020 - international festival Istanbul Fringe Festival, performance "Songs of Ri" (Turkey, Istanbul)
2021 - international festival "Christmas Parade", St. Petersburg. The play "Songs of Ri" won in the nomination "Best Plastic Performance".
2021 - Belaya Vezha International Theater Festival, Brest. Performances "Songs of Ri", "PING - PONG".
2022 - international festival of modern dance Open Look (St. Petersburg).
2022 - international theatre festival ARTMIRGATION (Kazan).

Staging of dance numbers and miniatures for children's groups and professional artists St. Petersburg, Leningrad Region, Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk Region, Perm Region, Ufa, Penza, Ulan-Ude, Japan, China.

Instagram: @daria.verg
Vkontakte: https://vk.com/darverg
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/dasha.vergizova

Mr. Dmitry Pykhachov will conduct character and acting classes during RMB Summer course in St. Petersburg 2025.

A soloist of character and acting roles in the Mariinsky theatre, Mr. Dmitry Pykhachov will be giving character and acting classes for students of the RMB Summer course in St. Petersburg.

Born in Leningrad Dmitry Pykhachov graduated from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in 1995 (class of Professor Gennady Selyutsky) and joined the Mariinsky Ballet in 1995.
He's a prize-winner at the Vaganova-prix competition (1995).

Some of the roles from his vast repertoire at the Mariinsky Theatre:
- La Sylphide (James, Gurn, Youths, Madge); choreography by August Bournonville, revised version by Elsa-Marianne von Rosen,
- Giselle (Hans, the Duke, Classical Duet, Armour-Bearer); choreography by Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot and Marius Petipa,
- La Bayadère (Toloragva, Dugmanta, Grand pas); choreography by Marius Petipa, revised version by Vladimir Ponomarev and Vakhtang Chabukiani,
- La Fille du Pharaon (The Nubian King); choreography by Marius Petipa reconstructed by Toni Candeloro,
- Swan Lake (Friends of the Prince, Spanish Dance, Mazurka, Neapolitan Dance); choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, revised version by Konstantin Sergeyev,
- Raymonda (Abderakhman, Mazurka, Béranger, Grand pas); choreography by Marius Petipa, revised version by Konstantin Sergeyev,
- The Sleeping Beauty (Aurora’s Suitors, the Bluebird, Carabosse the Wicked Fairy, Carabosse); choreography by Marius Petipa, revised version by Konstantin Sergeyev,
- The Sleeping Beauty (Prince Fleur de Pois, Prince Chéri, Carabosse); choreography by Marius Petipa, reconstruction of the 1890 production by Sergei Vikharev,
- Don Quixote (Gamache); choreography by Alexander Gorsky after Marius Petipa,
etc.

Currently Dmitry Pykhachov is a teacher at the Vaganova Academy and rehears the following parts with his students:
Romeo and Juliet (harlequin and four harlequin), La Bayadère (Magedaveya), The Legend of Love (harlequin and five harlequin, people of the second and third acts), Sleeping Beauty, Petrushka, The Wedding, Raymonda (Saracen dance, panaderos), Anyuta, Copelia, Walpurgis Night, Don Quixote (Gamache, gypsy solo dance), The Young Lady and the Hooligan, Giselle (Hans), The Corsair (Birbanto).

Aleksandra Lebedeva has been recommended specifically by the Vaganova Academy to teach the character dance for our students. Currently Alexandra Lebedeva works as a character dance teacher at the Boris Eifman Dance Academy.

Graduated from the Vaganova Academy as artist and teacher, she works in the Mariinsky Theatre as a dancer since 1997. Since 2018 she also conducts rehearsals of the students from the Vaganova Academy from time to time.

She acquired a lot of experience working the historical repertoire on the Mariinsky Theatre stage. She performed as a soloist in “The Fountain of Bakhchisarai'' (Krakowiak), "The Swan Lake'' (mazurka) “Don Quixote'' (Gipsy), “The Nutcracker'' (Lady) and "Polovtsian dances'' and she has also danced every kind of historical dances such as quadrilles, minuets, sarabandes, polonaises and other kind of dances highly used in classical repertoire.

During the course of character dance, students may study and get familiar with the following dances from the Mariinsky Theatre: the Minuet from “Rigoletto”, the Quadrille from “The Queen of swords” and the Polonaise from “Eugene Onegin”, among other pieces and apart from the theoretical material following the methodology of the Vaganova Academy.

Dali Ni is a graduate of the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, with a rich international training background that also includes the Vienna State Opera Ballet School and the Pôle National Supérieur de Danse Rosella Hightower in Cannes.

After performing professionally with the Shanghai Ballet, she turned her focus toward education and creative projects. She is currently developing a specialized program focused on dance science, integrating anatomy, injury prevention, and rehabilitation techniques, aiming to raise awareness of scientific approaches to training and promote educational outreach within the dance community.
As the founder of Taglioniii Culture and Art, Dali is dedicated to fostering cross-disciplinary artistic exchange and supporting young talent through innovative cultural initiatives.

Fluent in Chinese, English, French, Russian, and German, she brings a rich multicultural perspective, thoughtfully bridging Eastern and Western ballet traditions in her work.
Dali currently serves as the China Manager of Russian Masters Ballet.

Eleonora Adeeva-Chernysheva graduated from the Nureyev Choreographic School. As a student, she danced in the ballets of Yu.N. Grigorovich.

After graduating from college, she was invited to join the SPBT troupe, where she prepared roles with famous ballerinas Alla Osipenko and Svetlana Efremova. She danced all the main parts (Odette-Odile from Swan Lake, Nikiya from Bayadère, Paquita from Paquita, Sereni Fairy from The Sleeping Beauty, Snow Queen from The Nutcracker.) Laureate of international competitions.

In 2009 she graduated from the St. Petersburg State Unitary Enterprise - Faculty of Choreography, received the qualification of a teacher of classical dance. Successfully held master classes in Hungary, Austria, Latvia, Mauritius. Her students have been awarded the highest awards in international competitions.

Roman Petukhov graduated the Perm Choreography School in 1993. Same year he was recruited to work at the Mikhailovsky Theater as a ballet dancer where he still works.

In 2011 he graduated Vaganova Ballet Academy in the direction of "Ballet Pedagogy”. It includes the study of teaching methods of "classical", "duet-classical", "historical" and "folk-character" dance. Completed advanced training in teaching character dance in 2020.

He is a teacher of character dance at the Eifman Academy and a tutor at the Mikhailovsky Theater. Rehearsing the parts: Spartak and Crix “Spartacus”, Espada “Don Quixote”, Pas d'esclave “Corsair”, Police “Cipollino”, Medj “Sylphide”, etc.

Takes part in all tours of the Mikhailovsky Theater: Japan, USA, Spain, Italy, Austria, Finland, Turkey, England, Canada, Germany.

His repertoire included roles in the productions: The Little Humpbacked Horse, La Fille mal gardée, Giselle, Harlequinade, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Faust, La Bayadère, Cinderella, or The Crystal Shoes, The Princess of the Moon, La Fille mal gardée, Raymonda , Romeo and Juliet, La Bayadère, Le Corsaire, among others.

Participated in the projects Dance Open, Classics at Dvortsovaya. Held a cadet ball "To the Glory of the Fatherland" in St. Petersburg

Kristina Chernova is a graduate of the Astrakhan College of Culture and the Herzen University, Faculty of Music, Theatre and Choreography, in the departments of Choreography and Pedagogy. 

Kristina Chernova is a choreographer and director of the theatre department of the Elena Obraztsova International Academy of Music. She has collaborated with such theatres as the Baltic House, the BDT and the Mikhailovsky Theatre. She is a guest choreographer of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet and the Ilze Liepa Russian National Ballet School.

Kristina Chernova is a winner of Russian and international competitions in choreography, the winner of a scholarship in the New York "Synthesis Dance" Company. Winner of three prizes and a bronze medal in the "Choreographers" category at the International Youth Ballet Competition "Grand Prix of Hopes" in Moscow (2024) and second prize and a silver medal at the E. Maximova "ARABESQUE" Ballet Competition (2024).

Her recent achievements:
2024 - Astrakhan, the concert performance "My Tchaikovsky", director of the dramatic duet on the theme "Tchaikovsky and Von Meck" (Tchaikovsky - Mikhailovsky Theater principal Ivan Zaitsev; Von Meck - Kristina Chernova);
2024 - winner of the Creative Workshop of the People's Artist of Russia Ilze Liepa "Russian Ballet Forever" festival;
2024 - 2nd prize, silver medal in the "Choreographers" category; ARABESQUE 2024 / Perm;
2024 - 3rd prize, bronze medal in the nomination "Choreographers" in the International Youth Ballet Competition "Grand Prix of Hopes", Moscow;
2024 - Russian National Ballet School of Ilze Liepa, invited choreographer - director of the children's performance "Sleeping Beauty" (several parts);
2023 - director of the New Year's show (choreographic block, several parts) "Christmas Cards" (GazpromArena, St. Petersburg);
2023 - Russian National Ballet School of Ilze Liepa, invited choreographer - director of the children's performance "Chipallino" (separate parts);
2023 – Mikhailovsky Theatre, assistant choreographer, performance “Bright Stream”.

Marina Nikolaeva was born in 1986 in Leningrad.
In 2005, she graduated from the Performance Faculty of the Vaganova Ballet Academy (teachers: I. A. Sitnikova, A. M. Stroghaya, A. S. Khamzin, A. A. Stepin).
Since the same year, she has been a member of the Mikhailovsky Theatre ballet company.
Over the years, she has performed solo, corps de ballet, and character roles in classical productions, and has also danced in ballets by Nacho Duato.
In 2010 and 2018, she participated in the Dance Open festival.
She has toured internationally with the Mikhailovsky Theatre and other ballet companies.
In 2016, she graduated from the Pedagogical Faculty of the Vaganova Academy (Bachelor’s degree with honors),
and in 2023 she earned a Master’s degree in Ballet Pedagogy.
Since 2022, she has been teaching folk-stage and historical-social dance at the Boris Eifman Dance Academy.

Education

1991-1999 Kazan Choreographic School, specialty ballet dancer

2000-2005 Kazan State University of Culture and Arts, specialty teacher-choreographer

2006-2011 St. Petersburg State Conservatory, Department of Directing Musical Theater, specialty "Art of Choreographer", class of prof. Polubentseva A.M.

2012 Postgraduate study at the Vaganova Ballet Academy (specialty theory and methods of professional education).

Pedagogical experience

2013 - Russian State Pedagogical University named after Herzen, senior lecturer of the Department of Choreographic Art, (mastery of the choreographer, modern jazz dance.)

2016-2017 - teacher of classical dance of the senior classes GBOU Secondary School No 654 with in-depth study of subjects of the artistic and aesthetic cycle "Choreography", St. Petersburg

2013-2014 - a practical Pilates course for high school students in the framework of the scientific research of Vaganova Ballet Academy

2011-2012 - St. Petersburg School of Arts No 19, teacher-choreographer.

2013-2016 - teacher-choreographer of the children's studio at the Music Hall Theater, St. Petersburg.

2017- B. Eifman Academy of Dance, Pilates gymnastics teacher, teacher-choreographer.

Many years of experience in academic theaters in Kazan, Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Repertoire:

Swan Lake - Pas de Trois / Big Swans / Spanish Dance;

Giselle - Myrtha;

Sleeping Beauty - Diamond Fairy Variation / Stones Variation / Courage Fairy Variation

Nutcracker - Spanish dance, two snowflakes, oriental dance.

Don Quixote - Gypsy dance / Mercedes / Gitan dance (solo) / Insert variations Grand Pas / Corsair - Trio of odalisques / Palestinian dance (solo)

La Bayadere - Hindu dance / Jampe (deuce) / Trio (Shadows)

Shurale - Fire Witch

One Thousand and One Nights - Marjana

Peer-Gynt- Heavenly Trio / Oze / Girlfriends

The Legend of Yusuf - Braid Dance (solo)

Coppelia - Swanilda's Friends

Futile Perversion - Girlfriends

Numerous educational programs, including:

2017 Monika Koch (Austria) - a practice of expressive - expressive movement based on the developments and experience of Rudolf Laban. European Dance Theater.

2016- Raza Hamadi (France) - jazz mix

2015- Salim Goulus (USA) - contemporary jazz

2014 workshop Anton Waldbauer (Royal Swedish Ballet) Contemporary Dance

2013 workshop Richard Alston (Great Brinain, London) - Modern Dance

2013 workshop Stefan Zheromski (NDT Netherlands) - Contemporary Dance

2012 Institute of Professional Jazz Education in Moscow:

etc.

Development of work programs for ballet pedagogy:

"Workshop on the formation of dance improvisation skills for choreographers"

"Adapted Pilates Method for Dancers". The goal is to develop physical data, correct posture and prevent the development of microtraumatic disease in dancers.

Yury started vocational ballet training at the age of 10 when he was accepted to world famous Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow, Russia.

After graduating, he was invited to dance as principal dancer for St. Petersburg State Academic Ballet Theatre. With the company he performed at Mariinsky Theatre, Bolshoi Theatre and many others, touring internationally for 15 years. He also worked as the choreographer and ballet master for the Temma Ballet School in Osaka, Japan.

He moved to the UK to become Artistic Director of Swansea Ballet Russe as well as performing Principal roles. Yury is also Guest Choreographer and Ballet Master for Cork City Ballet where he has created many classical ballet repertoires including Swan Lake, Giselle, Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty for the company.

He is also Guest Teacher for Matthew Bourne’s New Adventure Dance Company, Russian Icons Gala, English National Ballet School and many other schools & companies in Japan, Ireland & UK.

He is married to Prima ballerina Chika Temma, with whom he runs the very successful Bristol Russian Ballet School and the Bristol Russian Youth Ballet Company, where he is the Artistic Director.

It is our honor to receive him in our Vaganova Academy Official Summer Intensives.

Anna was born in Siberia. She started to dance at 5 years old and graduated from the Krasnoyarsk Ballet School in Siberia.

Anna started her career with the Siberian State ballet (Krasnoyarsk, Russia) as a soloist. Later she became a guest-principal dancer with Mikhailovsky theatre (Saint-Petersburg) and Tatarstan state ballet (Kazan). Since 2012 Anna joined Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre ballet company as a principal dancer. During this period of dancing with Russian ballet companies her repertoire was very diverse.

At 2015 she joined Dutch National Ballet as a principal dancer. Since that moment Anna became an international guest-principal dancer .She worked with Teatro Colon (Argentina) for “La Bayadere” by Natalia Makarova,  with Semperoper Dresden ballet for “Manon” by K.McMillan. Currently Anna is working with Staatsballet Berlin as a guest.

Anna’s repertoire is very diverse. During her carrier she dances principal roles in almost all well known classical ballets as “Nutcracker” , “Sleeping beauty”, “La Bayadere”, ”Gizelle”, “Copelia”, “La fille mal gardee”, “La Sylphide” , “Snow Maiden”, “Don Quihote”, ”Romeo and Juliette”, “Swan lake” and others. Her repertoire also includes main roles in lots of neoclassical ballets by such a famous choreographers as K.McMillan, J.Robbins, J.Kranko, G.Balanchine, A.Ratmansky, C.Wheeldon , Hans van Manen ,D.Dawson,Y.Grigorovich, Rudi van Danzig ,Ted Brandsen and others. In a different time her partners on stage were Sergei Polunin, Ivan Vasiliev, Leonid Sarafanov and others.

In a studio legendary Natalia Makarova, Guillaume Graffine, Alexey Ratmansky, Michael Messerer , Patricia Neary, Patricia Ruann , Karl Burnett, Olga Evreinoff, Yukari Saito,Yannick Boquen ,Larissa Lezhnina, Rachel Beaujean and many others helped her to improve her skills of dance. At 2008 and 2010 she won gold medals on International ballets competitions in Krasnoyarsk and Perm. She is a winner of «Dance Open 2018- miss virtuosity» prize in Sankt Petersburg.

Currently Anna is working successfully with Dutch National ballet as a principal dancer and participates lots of  Ballet Galas around the world.

Beautiful, light and very technique dancer Veronika Markova in 2010 graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy and in 2012 joined the Mikhailovsky Ballet Company. Her repertoire includes solo, corps de ballet and character roles in the ballets Giselle, ou Les Wilis, Swan Lake, La Bayadère, Don Quixote, La Sylphide, Coppélia, Le Corsaire, Laurencia, The Flames of Paris, Cipollino, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Prelude, and others.

In 2020 Veronika graduated from the FPA (Association of Fitness Professionals in Moscow) as nutritionist (nutrition specialist) and started to provide individual consultations, master classes, webinars, and seminars in person and remotely. She is mainly working with ballet dancers, children of different ages and adult artists. Veronica patiently helps to plan the diet wisely, enjoy food, lose weight and solve related problems.

Passionate about his work, Sergei Laletin, being a dancer at St Petersburg theatre “Russian ballet”, graduated from the Vaganova Academy as a ballet critic and later became Associate Professor of the Department of Ballet Master Education at the Vaganova Academy.

He is a teacher at Boris Eifman Ballet Academy and Lecturer at the St. Petersburg Institute.

Senior researcher at the St. Petersburg State Museum of Theatre and Musical Art and Chairman of the Youth Association of the Council on Ballet and Choreography of the St. Petersburg Branch of the Union of Theatre Workers of the Russian Federation.

Author-compiler of the album series "Legends of Russian Ballet". Author of articles in the magazines "Ballet", "Stage", "Ballet ad libitum", "PRO Dance", scientific collections and newsletters.

At the age of six, Aida Gómez began her dance studies mastering Spanish Dance and Classical Ballet.

From thirteen years she began working professionally in the company “Los Goyescos” and was admitted to the National Classical Ballet School under the direction of Víctor Ullate. In 1982, at the age of fourteen, she joined the Spanish National Ballet as a soloist becoming principal dancer at 1985.

During her career Aida Gómez performed multiple times on the most important European and American stages including Mariinsky and Bolshoi Theatres well as the Royal Albert Hall in London and Radio City in New York with famous Spanish pieces like “ Zarabanda”, “El Fandango del Candil”, the pas de deux “Puerta de Tierra” and “El Sombrero de Tres Picos”, etc.

In 1997, she was called to collaborate and teach with Maurice Bejart and his Rudra school as well as the Lausanne company. In January 1998, she became the youngest Artistic Director in the history of the National Ballet of Spain.

In 2001, Aída Gómez created her own company and dedicated her time to the production of such performances as “Salomé". “Sueños”, “Duende”, “Carmen”, “Permíteme bailarte”, “La Revoltosa”, etc. The show “Salomé" received the award for “Best Artistic Contribution” at the Montreal International Film Festival and the Goya Award for Best Song.

During her career Aída gave master classes in Spain and other countries all over the globe. She also directed several Galas and festivals contributing a lot to the Spanish dance scene. In 2023 she began a new project with Nacho Duato as a teacher and choreographer.

Below we list her Awards and Honors:
1997 Max Award for Best Dancer, SGAE Foundation.
2000 Silver Medal from the Fine Arts Theater of Mexico.
2004 National Dance Award (Interpretation), Ministry of Culture.
2005 Glamour Magazine Award. Woman of the Year for her professional career.
2006 Silver Slipper. City of Almeria and Indanza.
2007 Chivas Telón Award. Best performer.
2008 Culture Award, Community of Madrid.
2008 APDE Award. Association of Spanish Dance Teachers.
2009 Juan Bravo Theater Award (Segovia).
2010 La Barraca Award. Menéndez Pelayo International University.
2012 Rojas Award. Rojas Theater (Toledo).
2012 Spring Award. Chicote Club (Madrid).
2013 Actúa Award. AISGE Foundation.
2015 Grand Cross of the Order of May 2. Community of Madrid.
2017 Gold Medal for Merit in Work. Ministry of Employment and Social Security.

Luisa María Arias is currently a choreographic assistant to Nacho Duato, a teacher of the Nacho Duato Training Program and a freelance dancer. Luisa María is frequently invited to create choreographic pieces, master classes and workshops in different national and international schools and actively collaborates with the CaraB Danza Company.

Throughout her career Luisa María Arias has danced in companies such as:
- the National Dance Company;
- Netherlands Dance Theater;
- National Ballet of Nancy et la Lorraine;
- Opera National du Rhin.

She has worked with choreographers such as Nacho Duato, Jiri Kylian, Mats Ek, W. Forsythe, Johan Inger, Ohad Naharin, Paul Lightfoot, Sol Leon, Cristal Pite, Marco Goecke, W. Vandekeibus, Hofesh Shechter, Alexander Ekman and many others.

She is a director of the "Nutrition, Health and More" clinic and also director and presenter of the television program "Salud y Más".

Raquel graduated in Dance Pedagogy, and has been a professional contemporary dancer previously.

Winner of several national and international awards, currently a collaborator in the prestigious Mikhailovsky theater, professional photographer with more than 20 years of experience in the artistic world. Our students will have an exclusive opportunity to be portrayed by this magnificent artist, whose work has been recognized by the most emblematic museums of St. Petersburg and is part of the collection of numerous exhibition halls both in Russia and abroad.

More information about the individual and group sessions as well as the free pack of Russian Masters Ballet at info@russianmatersballet.com

Sergey Shcherbakov, specialist in commercial and art photography, member of the Creative Union of Photographers of Russia.

Featured awards:

• "Photographer of a year, 2005" (Reportage, series);
• Stipendium of International Project "Network Baltic" in graphic - center "Grafikens Huns", Sweden, 2004.
  

The works of Sergey are exposed in the collections of:
State Russian Museum, Saint Petersburg
Museum of the History of the City of St. Petersburg
National Center of Photography "Rosphoto", Saint Petersburg
Graphic-Center "Grafiken Hus", Sweden
and many more.

Participant in more than 15 exhibitions

10 individual exhibitions

Instagram.com/Shcherbakov.foto

Carlos Quezada is a well known photographer from Mexico specialized in Dance photography in studio and stage.

He began his studies in Classical Dance in the Superior College of Music and Dance of Monterrey and he received a scholarship for the Miami City Ballet to continue his studies there. He decided to leave his professional dance career and focused his knowledge in photography.

He has worked and collaborated officially with numerous prestigious companies such as National Dance Company of Mexico, Ballet of Monterrrey, National Dance Company of Spain, Zürich Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Staatsoper Berlin, Het National Ballet, Royal Opera House, Wiener Staatsoper, Nacional Ballet of Cuba, among others, and his work has been published in the international press: The New York Times, Financial Times, Berliner Zeitung, Dance Magazine, Dance Europe, Dance Magazine Japan, El País, El Mundo…

Instagram

Ieva Immertreija - ballet studio "Baleta Klase" owner, choreographer, pedagogue, costume designer for operas, theaters and ballets, children's games, theater of operetta and musicals, and owner of the brand "Ieva" and a specialist in Boris Knyazev's gymnastics.

Ieva was a professional dancer, soloist of the dance company "Liesma" for 16 years, studied the pedagogy of classical ballet technique as well as the history of Russian ballet at the Vaganova Academy. 

Ieva is a specialist in Boris Knyazev's gymnastics. Boris Knyazev’s parterre gymnastics was aimed at developing the elasticity of the ligaments, strengthening the muscles of the lower extremities, beautiful posture, stability, and good coordination of movements. “Floor Barre” can be used as a light warm-up before the main ballet lesson, as well as a separate “lesson on the floor” for intensive training and strengthening the back muscles, building good posture, and stretching. 

She has the degree of costume designer and technical specialist, of classical ballet pedagogue and choreographer, so she knows everything and from different angles on ballet costumes: as a dancer, as a designer and as a choreographer. Therefore, our students have a chance not only to study how to make headbands by themselves (and it is really important, since it is difficult and expensive to find a unique and original headband), but also have the opportunity to know interesting things about the history of ballet costumes and many other secrets. It is a beautiful opportunity to relax during manual work with a brilliant teacher of ballet fashion.

Ira Yakovleva is one of the most important ballet photographers in St. Petersburg and her international reputation has led her to work with the greatest ballet stars of the globe. Her training and previous career as a professional dancer bring to her works a point of view of the highest technical and artistic quality that unites with the expressive strength and delicacy of her images.

Yakovleva graduated from the State Choreographic School of Kiev and joined the ballet theatre L. Yakobson of St. Petersburg. She has toured throughout Russia, Europe, America and Asia with this prestigious company. For the past 7 years she has been exclusively dedicated to dance photography, where she has achieved international success and collaborates with dance brands from all around the world including Scena Shop, Susha More, Sonumberone, Balletpapier, Baustelle Berlin, Wezzarium, KeithLink , Dance Wear for all, Zi dancewear, Nina Shterenberg, Katerina Kelberg, Lets go dress or Virtuozo.

Apart from photographing countless ballet stars individually, she is an assiduous collaborator with large institutions in Russia such as the Mariinsky Theater, Eifman Ballet, Eifman Ballet School, Balleroosha, SPB City Guide or Dance Open. As well as in magazines such as: La Personne, Beatrice Magazine, Kadance.

Ira Yakovleva joins Russian Masters as one of the great representatives of dance photography worldwide and it’s a real proud for us to have someone of her stature and thus swelling the number of experts who, in their respective fields, help to make Russian Masters a unique experience of the highest level.

For more than 30 years Elena Karsten has been preparing dancers to go on stage. Elena does makeup of the most varied complexity: from Fairy Carabosse from “The Sleeping Beauty” and the Brahmin from “La Bayadère” to Rothbart from “Swan Lake” and the Tsar from “The Little Humpbacked Horse”.

Despite her high professionalism, one of her duties is to lift the mood of the dancer, regardless of what happened before. She worked with such ballet idols as Farukh Ruzimatov, Nikita Dolgushin, Nikolai Tsiskaridze, Roberto Bolle, Nacho Duato and others. Elena did hairstyles, did makeup, prepared for the stage and tuned many of our favorite artists for a specific role, such as Ivan Vasiliev, Ivan Zaytsev, Denis Rodkin, Vladimir Shklyarov, Kimin Kim and others.

“The make-up artist at the Mikhailovsky Theatre is also a psychologist, maybe even first by profession, and then a make-up artist,” jokes Elena. “The artists come to me and sit in my chair right before going on stage, before the start of the performance. It’s so important to lift their spirits and convince them that they are the best in this world.”

Since 20 years in the world of photography Antonio Gervasi has collaborated as a photographer and assistant with important fashion photographers and stylists and grew up professionally in Milan.

Towards the end of the nineties has decided to start photographing the world and this has led him to travel for almost 15 years, turning the world twice and participating in expeditions to the North Pole and Antarctica collecting a large archive of images, and especially putting him in contact with different cultures giving him the opportunity to learn different languages.

He is Italian but is living in Spain and his work is mainly dedicated to ballet and dance.

Ieva Immertreija - ballet studio "Baleta Klase" owner, choreographer, pedagogue, costume designer for operas, theaters and ballets, children's games, theater of operetta and musicals, and owner of the brand "Ieva" and a specialist in Boris Knyazev's gymnastics.

Ieva was a professional dancer, soloist of the dance company "Liesma" for 16 years, studied the pedagogy of classical ballet technique as well as the history of Russian ballet at the Vaganova Academy.

Ieva is a specialist in Boris Knyazev's gymnastics. Boris Knyazev’s parterre gymnastics was aimed at developing the elasticity of the ligaments, strengthening the muscles of the lower extremities, beautiful posture, stability, and good coordination of movements. “Floor Barre” can be used as a light warm-up before the main ballet lesson, as well as a separate “lesson on the floor” for intensive training and strengthening the back muscles, building good posture, and stretching.

She has the degree of costume designer and technical specialist, of classical ballet pedagogue and choreographer, so she knows everything and from different angles on ballet costumes: as a dancer, as a designer and as a choreographer. Therefore, our students have a chance not only to study how to make headbands by themselves (and it is really important, since it is difficult and expensive to find a unique and original headband), but also have the opportunity to know interesting things about the history of ballet costumes and many other secrets. It is a beautiful opportunity to relax during manual work with a brilliant teacher of ballet fashion.

Yulia Kasenkova is an acclaimed teacher at the Vaganova Academy, outstanding because of all her achievements in pedagogic career.

Yulia Kasenkova graduated from Vaganova Ballet Academy, and joined the Mariinsky Ballet Company as a soloist from 1993 to 2014. She received a teaching degree from Vaganova Academy in 2010, and was immediately hired as a coach by Mikhailovsky Theatre. She joined Vaganova Academy in 2013, teaching international trainees, before being promoted in 2014. She has been teaching upper school classes ever since.

Yulia is a brilliant ballet teacher, she received major awards for her work and achieved some great results with her students.
Among her students, whom she graduated from, there are the prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Theatre Alyona Kovaleva, the first soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre Maria Ilyushkina, the soloist of the Boris Eifman Ballet Victoria Mokrousova, the first soloist of the Croatian Folk Theatre Anamaria Markovic and many laureates of international competitions.

Yulia is an amazing, outstanding ballet master and it is such a privilege to have such a gifted teacher in our courses.

Worldwide recognized and one of the best representatives of St. Petersburg ballet culture, educated in the best traditions of academic dance. She´s actual and one of the most acclaimed teachers of Vaganova Academy.

Upon graduating with honors, Galina has completed specialization courses in the class of NATALIA DUDINSKAYA AND IRINA TROFIMOVA at Vaganova Academy.

After she worked as first soloist at the Theatre of Choreographic Miniatures of Leonid Jacobson, an exceptional and principal choreographer of Kirov Theatre (now Mariinsky), in his time. With the company Galina danced around the world with great success.

In 1998 she graduated as a classical ballet teacher in Vaganova Ballet Academy. Since then she has acquired an extensive teaching practice and methodical didactic in ballet.

Currently, she teaches ballet in Vaganova Academy in Saint Petersburg, basically on elementary and intermediate levels. Also, Galina gives Stage Practice classes for children in the Mariinsky Theatre.

She has given numerous master classes in Japan, Denmark, Italy and other countries.

More information on: http://vaganovaacademy.ru/academy/structure/kafedri/classica/enikeeva.html

Tatiana graduated from the Vaganova Academy in 1989. Since then her professional ballet career started in the State Opera and Ballet Theatre of Conservatory of St. Petersburg Rimsky-Korsakov.

Since 1990 Tatiana Cherkashina has been the soloist of this theatre. Her work as a ballet dancer and her labor in the cultural scope of the country has been recognized several times by most prestigious national awards from the Ministry of Culture of Russian Federation.
In 2008 she got the official grade of Teacher of Classical Ballet in the Vaganova Academy and has been teaching classical dance for over 10 years.

Tatiana Cherkashina has offered already various master classes of classical ballet in Norway, Israel and Japan.

Her major jobs:
• Soloist – “Classical Syphony” S. Prokofiev
• “Grand pa Classic” F. Ober/ V. Gazovsky
• Ballet dancer – “Petrushka” I. Stravinsky/M- Fokin
• Princess Aurora, princess Florina – “The Sleeping Beaty” P. Chaikovsky / M. Petipa (under reducción of Dolgushin)
• "Opus №45" А. Berg\ G.Contreras
• Ballet dancer – «Dreams» P. Chaikovsky/N. Dolgushin
• Odetta-Odilia – “The Swan Lake” P. Chaikovsky/ L. Ivanov, М. Petipa (under reducción of N. Dolgushin)
• Gisele – “Gisele” А. Аdan / Corrali, G. Perro, М. Petipa
• Fairy Drazhe – “The Nutcracker” P. Chaikovsky/V.Vaionen, L.Ivanov, N. Dolgushin
• "Grand Pa" soloist – "Pajita" L. Minkus / M. Petipa
• Julietta– "Epitafia" Т. Albinoni/N. Dolgushin
• Kitri – "Don Quijote" L. Minkus/A. Gorsky (under reducción of N. Dolgushin)
• Pimpinella – "Pulchinello" I. Stravinsky/K. Chubashev
• "Choreographic Miniatures” L. Yakobson

More information on <a target="_blank" href="http://vaganovaacademy.ru/academy/structure/kafedri/classica/tcherkashina.html"><b><u>Vaganova Academy website</u></b></a>.<br>

In 1996 she graduated from Vaganova Academy of Ballet as a student of legendary Inna Zubkovskaya. She has been working since then with the Mariinsky Ballet where she dances soloist roles.

In addition, she graduated as teacher from the Vaganova Academy and the last four years she has been giving lessons in this prestigious school to the intermediate levels.

She has performed, among other soloist roles, the Sylph from La Sylphide by August Bournonville, Aurora and Princess Florine from The Sleeping Beauty by Marius Petipa and more neoclassical choreographies such as The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude by William Forsythe.

The Russian newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta praises her versatility by saying that “her feet can command any tempi, emotions and styles”.
In our courses Ms. Ivanova will teach the intermediate levels. We are honored and lucky to be able to work with such a talented and professional teacher.

During more than 25 years she was the main tutor of one of the most important neoclassical dance theatres, in Saint Petersburg.

She graduated from the Vaganova Academy in 1967. And from this time was the first dancer in the Chamber Ballet directed by Gusev, where she danced leading roles in ballets such as Giselle, Don Quijote, Korsar and others. Since the 70´s she was the first dancer in the most prestigious theaters; She was the big star in“Choreographic Miniatures” of Leonid Yakobson, an excellent and very recognized worldwide choreographer. In most ballet encyclopedias she was considered as one of the most virtuous ballerinas of the XX century. She is a big living legend of ballet, and it´s a real honor to have her in our course.

Since the end of her dance career until today, Tatiana has excelled and left an indelible mark as a mentor and tutor of many professional artists, giving them the stamp of ballet stars. Tatiana Sevostianova (Kvasova) worked as the tutor of the prestigious company of the Boris Eifman Dance Academy and is now senior teacher and methodologist at the Eifman Dance Academy.

She has given large number of master classes all over the world: United States , European Union countries, Japan and others.

Among her disciples we can highlight:  Natalia Osipova,Vera Arbuzova, Nina Zmievets, Svetlana Bednenko and other soloists of the big theaters like Eifman Ballet, Mikhailovsky Theatre, Jacobson Ballet Theatre etc.

In 2011 Ivan Zaytsev joined the ballet company of one of the best theatres of the world - Mikhailovsky, where very soon he became a Principal dancer, his repertoire includes solo and principal roles in La Sylphide, Le Corsaire, Cipollino, Don Quixote, Laurencia, The Flames of Paris, La Fille mal gardée, and Class Concert as well as productions of Nacho Duato The Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Multiplicity, Forms of Silence and Emptiness, Prelude, Invisible, and White Darkness. Ivan has toured with the Mikhailovsky Ballet Company to Japan, USA, Germany etc.

He started his career from Krasnodar Ballet School in 1997 and while studying he was training at the Yury Grigorovich Ballet Theatre where he performed roles in the ballets Spartacus, Romeo and Juliet, Raymonda, The Golden Age, The Nutcracker, and Cipollino.

In 2002 Ivan graduated from Krasnodar Ballet School and entered the Department of Choreography at St. Petersburg State University for Culture and Arts. After graduation from the University in 2007, he joined Leonid Jacobson Ballet Theatre in St. Petersburg, where he danced Romeo (Romeo and Juliet), Jose (Passion for Carmen), Siegfried (Swan Lake), Prince (The Nutcracker), Albrecht (Giselle), and Rodin (The Kiss).

After participation in the 11th Moscow International Ballet Competition in 2009, he was invited to join Boris Eifman Ballet Theatre. Ivan´s parties in Eifman Ballet were Basil (Don Quixote), Onegin (Onegin), Vronsky (Anna Karenina), Ekaterina´s son (Russian Hamlet), The Prince, The Young man & The Joker (Chaikovsky).

In 2018, he debuted as a choreographer in Moscow with the ballet "Daphnis and Chloe" to the music of Maurice Ravel. In 2019, the premiere of the ballet "Alexander Godunov" took place in St. Petersburg. In 2024 - the premiere of the ballet "Illumination" in Sakhalin.

In 2023, he was invited to the Vaganova Academy to the Department of Classical and Duet-Classical Dance as a teacher. 

Diploma of the International Ballet Competition "Arabesque" (2010).

More information on the website of the Mikhailovsky theatre.

In 1980, Irina Badayeva graduated from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet (teacher T.A. Udalenkova) and was accepted to the Mariinsky Theatre. In 1997, she was awarded the L. Myasin Prize "For the Purity of Classical Dance" (Italy).

In 2001, she graduated with honors from the Vaganova Academy as "teacher-repetiteur" (teachers: I. Trofimova, N. Dudinskaya, N. Goncharova). Since 2007 - classical dance teacher at the Vaganova Academy.

The duet of Irina Badayeva and Feton Miozzi was called the "Porcelain Couple" by Russian and foreign critics.
Performed leading roles in the ballets: Giselle, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Harlequinade, Le Corsaire (Gulnare), La Fille Mal Garde, Coppélia, La Sylphide, Chopiniana (mazurka, 7th waltz). Concert repertoire: Diana and Actaeon, Butterfly, Carnival of Venice, Fairy Doll, Flower Festival in Genzano, The Vigilante Pas de Six, The Dying Swan, Grand Pas Classic to music by Ober, Ciaikovsky Pas de Deux, Sylvia (G. Balanchine), Brilliant Divertissement, Snow Maiden, Pas de Deux to music by Mozart, Pas de Deux to music by Rossini, Pas de Deux to music by Donizetti, Rodin (L. Jacobson), "Old Photograph", "Phantom Ball".

Direct disciple of N.I. Kovmira, who is the most valued professor of male technique in the middle and advanced levels in classical dance.

Andrey Yermolenkov was born on 06.02.1969 in Leningrad. He graduated from Vaganova Academy in 1987. In 1987-1989 he worked at the Maly Theater of Opera and Ballet (Mikhailovsky Theatre). 

Since 1989 he worked as a soloist in the Ballet Theatre under the direction of Eifman. 

During his career he performed all the current repertoire. In 2007 he graduated from the Pedagogical Faculty of Vaganova Academy as a teacher and tutor. Since 2006 he has been teaching classical dance in the middle and advanced levels in Vaganova Academy in Saint Petersburg.

Born in Leningrad. Graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in 1998.

Joined the Mariinsky Ballet сompany the same year. Her repertoire included La Sylphide (Nancy, Sylphs), La Bayadère (Manu, Bayadères, Trio of Shades), The Sleeping Beauty (Carefree Fairy, Playfulness Fairy, Little Red Riding Hood), Swan Lake (Cygnets, Neapolitan Dance), Raymonda (Grand pas, variation), Le Corsaire (Trio of Odalisques), Don Quixote (Amour) etc.

Prize-winner at the International Vaganova-Prix Competition (2nd prize, St Petersburg, 1998).

Since 2019 she has been a coach with the Mariinsky Ballet, working with Vaganova Ballet Academy students engaged in the theatre’s performances.

Alexey graduated from the Perm State Choreographic School in 1985 (class of V.N. Tolstukhin).

After that he entered the Gorky Opera and Ballet Theater named after Alexander Pushkin. He danced all the solo ballet repertoire of the theater.
He was invited to Leningrad, to the International Foundation of Leonid Yakobson - the Maly Ballet of the Mariinsky Theatre. There Alexey danced leading parts in classical ballets and solo parts of the concert repertoire of the troupe led by O.M. Vinogradov.

In the late 90's he entered the Academy of Russian Ballet named after A.Ya.Vaganova at the Pedagogical Faculty (class of V.V. Rumyantseva). Throughout the training he taught in classes and rehearsed parts for concerts.

After graduating from the Academy he worked as a choreographer at the SABT Theatre and the Academy of the theatre in South Africa. Upon his return to Russia, he began teaching at the ARB in the Department of Classical and Duet-Classical Dance.

PARTIES: Pas de Trois (Swan Lake), Spartacus, Crassus (Spartacus), Albert (Giselle), Harlequin (Harlequinade).

Victoria Omelnitskaya graduated from the Vaganova Academy in 1999 (class of E. V. Evteeva).

From the same year, Victoria has been in the Mariinsky Theatre company. Her repertoire included solo and leading parts in such performances as The Fountain of Bakhchisarai (Maria), Don Quixote (Street Dancer), Giselle (Myrtha), Prodigal Son (Siren), George Balanchine's Rubies, etc.

From 2009 to 2016, Victoria was part of the Mikhailovsky Theater company and performed solo parts in the performances: La Bayadère (Gamzatti), Corsaire (Medora), Sleeping Beauty (Princess Florine, Diamond Fairy), Raymonda (Henrietta); and also performed Sleeping Beauty (Lilac Fairy), Nunc Dimittis, Prelude (choreography of Nacho Duato).

Victoria Omelnitskaya got Masters degree as a teacher and got her postgraduate studies at the Vaganova Academy.

Since 2019, Victoria has been teaching at the Vaganova Academy such disciplines as "Ballet Heritage and Repertoire", "Methodology of Teaching Acting" and classical dance.

Formed by Ludmila Safronova, one of the last students of Agrippina Vaganova, Anna Podlesnaya has graduated summa cum laude as ballerina and after as a teacher at the Vaganova Academy.

She worked with legendary teachers such as Alla Shelest, Alla Osipenko, Lyudmila Kunakova and Ninel Petrova, Lyudila Safronova.

Anna Podlesnaya represents the St. Petersburg´s school in its purest form, even to receive the epithet “Vaganova’s granddaughter.” After an acclaimed career as a Principal Dancer, she became an outstanding teacher. Her excellence as Teacher is shown in details such as the correct position of hands and feet, she combines attention to detail with great sympathy and sensitivity when working with children.

For more than 7 years she has worked in the Boris Eifman Dance Academy and Anna Podlesnaya is a permanent RMB faculty teacher.

Born in Rome. In 1990 Fethon Miozzi graduated from the The National Dance Academy in Rome and, having received a state scholarship, interned the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in St. Petersburg (teacher: Yuri Umrikhin). Upon completion of his internship, he was accepted to the Mariinsky Theatre (1991).

Since 2008 he's been working as a classical dance teacher at the Vaganova Academy.

He took part in prestigious festivals and gala concerts in the USA, Argentina, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, South Africa, Finland, Hungary, China, Turkey, Estonia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Greece, Cyprus, Switzerland, Israel, Great Britain, Brazil, Czech Republic, Costa Rica, Mexico, Norway, Sweden.
Awards:

• 1993 - L. Myasin Prize ("Rising Star of Ballet").
• 1997 - Danza Si magazine award ("For acting and physical data").
• 1998 - Danza e Danza magazine award ("Best Italian dancer of the year").
• 2005 - Ballet Oscar award (Italy).

In his repertoire:
Kolen - "La fille mal gardee", Prince - "The Nutcracker", Basilio - "Don Quixote", Prince Desire - "Sleeping Beauty", Lanquedem - "Le Corsaire", Count Albert - "Giselle", James - "La Sylphide", Franz - "Coppelia", Prince Siegfried - "Swan Lake", Golden Slave - "Scheherazade", Youth - "Chopiniana", Romeo - "Romeo and Juliet", "Mazurka", "Rodin", "Jewish wedding", "Vestris" by L. Yakobson "Phantom Ball", "Venice Carnival", "Butterfly", "Flower Festival in Genzano", "Grand pas Classic to the music of F. Auber", "The Doll Fairy", "Harlequinade", "The Canteen Girl" and others.

Elena Kukseva is a highly respected ballet master who holds a teaching certificate from the prestigious Vaganova Ballet Academy, in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Mrs. Kukseva received her early professional ballet training and experience from the Perm State Choreographic Academy. In 1986, upon graduation from Perm she accepted a position in the Nijzgorod Ballet Theatre where she had the opportunity to demonstrate her technical brilliance and theatrical mastery by performing many leading roles in classical ballets, such as "Gisele", Spanish Dance in "Swan Lake", Gypsy in "Don Quichote". In 1991 she transitioned to the Small Mariinsky Ballet Company in Leningrad to dance under the direction of Leonid Yakobson.

Mrs. Kukseva toured nationally and internationally performing such recognizable works as 9 Tangos and Bach, Wedding Cortege, Arlekinade, Roden's Sculptures and Pas-de-trois Rossini.

She currently lives and works in St. Petersburg, Russia. Since 2014, Elena is a regular guest of Russian Masters Ballet, teaching at holiday Workshops and Winter Intensives, helping RMB students achieve new heights in ballet training, in line with world requirements.

Elena has been teaching at the Boris Eifman Academy of Dance since 2018

Ilya Novoseltsev was born on October 31, 1965 in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). From 1975 to 1983 he studied at the Leningrad Academic Art School named after Agrippina Vaganova (now the Vaganova Academy) in the class of the teacher Lev Ivanov.

In 1986 Ilya Novoseltsev became a soloist of the Udmurt Opera and Ballet Theatre. Since 1985 he was a soloist of the Chelyabinsk Opera and Ballet Theatre named after Mikhail Glinka. From 1987 to 1993 he worked at the Eifman Ballet Company. From 1993 to 2005 he worked at the Mikhailovsky Theater. In 2002, he got the degree at the Vaganova Academy as a teacher. Since 2004, he's been a teacher of classical dance at the Vaganova Academy.

Winner of “The Best Teacher of Complementary Education" award by the city hall of St. Petersburg (2012)
Winner of the Educational Achievements Competition (2012)

Svetlana Efimova was born in Leningrad in 1966. She graduated from the Vaganova Academy (Professor A. I. Trofimova, 1984).
During 1990 - 1992 she was a soloist of the theatre "Russky Ballet" in St. Petersburg. Then for a year she developed her career as a ballet dancer at the Symphony State Capella of St. Petersburg under the leadership of Georgy Aleksidze. Until 1998 Svetlana danced in the Maliy Ballet of the Mariinsky Theatre and then until 2008 she worked at the Ballet Theatre of Konstantin Tachkin in St. Petersburg.

The repertoire of Svetlana includes among others: ballet "Paquita" (Grand Pas, variation), "Les Sylphides" (Eleventh Waltz), "Fairy Doll" (Pas de trois), "Giselle" (Vilisa, friends), "The Nutcracker" (Waltz of the snowflakes, pink Waltz), "Swan lake" (Pas de trois, the Hungarian dance, little swans), "La Vivandière" (Pas de six). As a performer she worked with choreographers: Oleg Vinogradov, Giorgy Aleksidse, Dmitry Bryantsev.

She graduated from the Faculty of Education of the Vaganova Ballet Academy (2010). Since 2008 Svetlana has been a teacher and tutor of the School of Classical Ballet where she has acquired an extensive pedagogical practice as well as vast experience in teaching methods.

Ballet dancer and teacher.

Born in Kiev. From the age of 5, she began to study at the Deryugins' Gymnastics School in Kiev.

At the age of 10 she entered the Kiev Choreography School. Danced solo parts in the ballet "Theme with Variations" staged by V. Kovtun, The great classical pas from the ballet "Paquita", Pas de six from the ballet "Markitanka", Naina from the opera "Ruslan and Lyudmila", "Revived frescoes" from the ballet " Humpbacked Horse ", pas de deux from the ballet" The Venetian Carnival "," Classical pas de deux "by D. Balanchine.

After graduation, she came to St. Petersburg. From 1995 to 2010 she worked at the Academic Ballet Theater of Boris Eifman.

She took part in all theater performances (Russian Hamlet, Giselle (girlfriends), Pinocchio (Fox Alice, Red Giselle, Tchaikovsky, Requiem, My Jerusalem, Don Juan And Moliere "," Karamazov "," Seagull "," Anna Karenina "...).

In 2010-2011 she worked at the Helen Prokopieva DanceTheater "The Fortress Ballet". Danced in the performances "Attempt of tenderness", "Wait for an Angel", "Singing in July".

Marianna participated in the theatrical project "Lessons of Tango and Love" in which the People's Artist of the USSR Alisa Freindlikh, Varvara Vladimirova and the Dance Theater "The Fortress Ballet" took part. Producer and choreographer of the play is Elena Prokopyeva.

She graduated from the Russian Ballet Academy of  Vaganova specializing in "Pedagogy of the ballet".

She taught classical dance at the St. Petersburg Music Hall Theater. From 2011 to the present she is a teacher of choreography at the Academy of figure skating. She also teaches classical dance lessons at the DAR Dance Academy.

Kirill Radev is a renowned ballet dancer and choreographer whose works combine classical tradition and contemporary dance style. He graduated as an artist from the Vaganova Academy, then graduated from the choreography department and the musical composition and orchestral styles department of the Moscow State Academy of Choreography.

Upon graduation from the Academy, he became a leading soloist of the Imperial Russian Ballet, and from 2007 to 2013 he worked as a soloist and choreographer in the Spanish Corella Ballet under the direction of Angel Corella. From 2010 to 2012, he was a choreographer at the Barcelona Ballet, where he created such ballet performances as Facing the Light, Sombras ajenas and Suspended in Time in collaboration with A. Corella and R. Dakker.

Kirill Radev has won several prestigious international competitions. He is the winner of the Grand Prix at the VII International Ballet Competition in Luxembourg, the first prize and the audience award at the Context - Diana Vishneva choreographers' competition (2019), and a laureate of the Dance Symphony XXI International Competition (2021). In 2021, he was nominated for the XXIIII Premis de la Critica de les Arts Escèniques award in Barcelona for best choreography and for the Golden Mask national theater award for the ballet Pilgrim.

His major works include the ballet Three Poems (2014, Ballet Moscow), Metamorphosis based on the story by F. Kafka (2017, New Ballet), the opera Oedipus Rex (2017, Alexandrinsky Theatre), as well as the plastic performance Ballad for a Madman (2019, KoRPo Dance Project), dedicated to the life and work of Vaslav Nijinsky.

In 2022, he created the one-act ballet Singularity for the Context. Diana Vishneva festival, and in 2023 - Lacrimae. In August 2024, the premiere of the two-act ballet Blind Forgiveness took place at the Astana Ballet Theatre with the participation of Julian Mackay. In 2025, he staged the one-act ballet Bolero for the Ballet Moscow Theatre.

The founder of the international platform KoRPo Dance Project, Kirill Radev actively conducts master classes in contemporary dance, collaborating with theatres and educational institutions around the world. His works are distinguished by the depth of artistic conception and the author's, plastic language of movement.

In 1991, graduated with honors from Vaganova Ballet Academy of Leningrad class of Natalia Dudinskaya and Konstantin Sergeev.
In 2005, graduated with honors from Vaganova Ballet Academy as a ballet tutor and choreography teacher.
In 2009, finished the post-graduate study of Vaganova Ballet Academy.
In 2015 Candidate of Sciences (PhD).
In 2012 Awarded the diploma of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.


1991 - 2012 - a ballet dancer at Mariinsky Theatre.

Since 2003 teaching character and historical dance at Vaganova Ballet Academy
Author of the book “Waltz. History and school of dance” and some articles on choreog-raphy.

Mikhail Sivakov graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in 1998, in the class of Konstantin Shatilov, and the same year he joined the Mikhailovsky Theatre.

He performed the roles of James (La Sylphide), Ahmet and Ali (Le Corsaire, rev. by Pyotr Gusev), Phoebus (Esmeralda), Solor (La Bayadère), Jean de Brien (Raymonda), Blue Bird and Fleur de Pois’s Cavalier (The Sleeping Beauty), Basilio and Espada (Don Quixote), Mikado (Princess of the Moon, or The Tale of Taketori, chor. by Nikolay Boyarchikov), Spartacus (Spartacus, chor. by Georgy Kovtun), Rose Waltz (The Nutcracker).
Now his repertoire includes roles in Swan Lake, Giselle, ou Les Wilis, The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, Laurencia, Cipollino, Without Words, Nunc Dimittis.

Larissa Lezhnina was born on March 17, 1969 in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), Russia.
She graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in Leningrad in 1987 and joined the Kirov Ballet (now the Mariinsky Ballet).

In 1990 she became a First Soloist. In 1994 she left the Mariinsky and joined the Dutch National Ballet as a principal.
In 2006, she was awarded the Alexandra Radius Prize, and she received the Merit Award from Dansersfonds ’79 in 2010.

In 2012, Larissa played an important role in the documentary De Balletmeesters, in which film maker Sonia Herman Dolz closely followed Larissa’s partner, ballet master Guillaume Graffin, and the head of the artistic staff, Rachel Beaujean.

Her repertoire includes Cinderella (Ashton), Giselle (version by Wright), Nutcracker and Mouseking (Eagling and Van Schayk), Onegin (Cranko), Romeo and Juliet (Van Dantzig), The Sleeping Beauty (version by Wright), La Sylphide (version by Bjørn) and Swan Lake (version by Van Dantzig). Larissa retired in June 2014.

The experience of having a teacher like Larisa is unparalleled: our students will have that privilege this year. We welcome Larisa to Russian Masters Ballet.

Currently, she is the main tutor of the Dutch National Ballet.

Due to her spectacular curriculum and teaching experience Polina is the best representative of professional ballet environment to transmit Character Dance.

Polina is also a tutor and lecturer in Vaganova Academy in Saint Petersburg, as well as character dance soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre, considered one of the leading ballet theaters.

Her work in our intensiveы marked a turning point in our students. This discipline is vital and crucial for a ballet artist. It has its origin and development in Russia but in Europe unfortunately there are not many well formed specialists. Dance character usually marks a fundamental difference between one dancer and another, and can even decide their fate.

During the Russian Masters courses Polina teaches Character Dance to all professional groups.

Some notes about her professional activity:
Polina was born in St. Petersburg. In 1994 she graduated from the Vaganova Academy in the class of NATALIA DUDINSKAYA y ALISA STROGOYA, prominent legends in the history of ballet.

More information on Vaganova Academy website.

“A tall, and with noble elongated lines, she perfectly embodies the modern type of the Petersburg ballerina - elegant and aristocratic.” - Ballet Magazine.

Sofya Gumerova graduated from the Vaganova Academy an an artist in 1995. The same year she entered the company of the Mariinsky Theater, becoming a ballet soloist in 2016. Sofya also graduated from the faculty of ballet staging of the St. Petersburg State Conservatory of Rimsky-Korsakov as a tutor-choreographer.

In 2010 Sofya received the title of honored Artist of Russia.

Sofia’s repertoire includes more than 30 roles, including the beloved Giselle (Giselle, Manna, Mirta), Swan Lake (Odette - Odile, large swans), La Bayadere (Nikia, Grand pas, trio of shadows), Corsair (Medora, a trio of odalisks), La Sylphide (La Sylphide), the Sleeping Beauty (Princess Aurora, Candide Fairy, Princess Florine), Raymonda (Raymonda, Clemance, Grand pas), Don Quixote (Kitri, Street Dancer, Queen of the Dryads), Michel Fokine’s ballets The Dying Swan, Chopiniana, and many many others!

Repertoire also includes:
Ondine (Queen of the Sea); choreography by Pierre Lacotte,
Reverence; choreography by David Dawson,
the duet from the ballet The Ghostly Ball; choreography by Dmitry Bryantsev,
Goya-Divertissement (Duchess of Alba); choreography by José Antonio,
Like an Old Organ Grinder; choreography by Alexei Miroshnichenko,
Pas de quatre (Carlotta Grisi, Lucile Grahn); choreography by Anton Dolin
and Euphoria; choreography by Nikita Dmitrievsky.

Sofya Gumerova has been working as a guest teacher for foreign students at the Vaganova Academy. Now she gives classes at the St. Petersburg State Conservatory of Rimsky-Korsakov of classical heritage and the art of being a tutor as well as acting classes at the Eifman Academy. In addition, Sofya conducts master classes all over the world.

Yan Omelnitsky was born in St. Petersburg.
He graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy (B. A. performing department, ballet dancer; teachers: Boris Bregvadze, Alisa Strogaya) in 2004 continuing his education in the Russian Academy of State Service at the President of RF (B. A. managment department). In 2025 he also graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy as a teacher (M. A. pedagogical department; teachers: Maria Gribanova, Natalia Tarasova, Natalia Yananis).

During his career Yan Omelnitsky was a ballet dancer at the Konstantin Tachkin’s St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre and St. Petersburg State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre named after M. P. Mussorgsky — Mikhailovsky Theatre for more than 7 years. Now he is a teacher of the Vaganova Ballet Academy.

His repertoire at the Mikhailovsky Theatre and Konstantin Tachkin’s Theatre included:
«Sleeping Beauty»: Prince Desire, Blue Bird;
«Esmeralda»: Gringoire;
«Swan Lake»: Spanish dance, Polish dance;
«Laurencia»: Friends of Frondoso;
«Nutcracker»: Harlequin, Chinese dance;
«Genzano Flower Festival»: Pas de deux;
«Don Quixote»: Toreador, Gypsy dance.

Laureate of the International Ballet Competition (Italy)

Asiya Lukmanova graduated in Rudolf Nureyev Choreographic School in 2002. Graduated summa cum laude in Vaganova Ballet Academy.

She became a soloist dancer in the Saint-Petersburg Ballet Theatre K.Tachkin.

At the age of 17 years old she danced her first soloist part: Kitri, in “Don Quijote”. At 25 years old she became a Promotor in one of the biggest music festivals of Spain nowadays, with more than 30,000 attendants: Electromar festival.

Nowadays she drives her best ever project: Russian Masters Ballet. She wants to expand all over the globe the best classical ballet traditions and with fair prices to broke limits and help students to improve and become the best.

In 1986 he graduated from the Saratov Choreographic Conservatory in the class of GENNADY ALBERT, who was a direct disciple with Rudolf Nureyev, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Alla Osipenko of mythical Alexander Pushkin, considered a legend among teachers of classical ballet..

During his soloist career he worked at the Theatre of Boris Eifman, Gorki Theatre, Theatre K.Tachkin and others. He participated in productions of famous Mariinsky Theatre choreographers, among others worked with Ignatev and Ganibalova.

Graduated with honours from the Vaganova Academy as a teacher in the class of LUDMILA SAFRONOVA, who confirmed that it is one of the great hopes and best Vaganova methodists.

For more than 7 years he has worked in the Boris Eifman Dance Academy and Dmitry Shevtsov is a permanent RMB faculty teacher.

Angelina Aleksandrova was born in 1965 in Izhevsk.

In 1984, she graduated from the Perm State Choreographic College as ballet dancer. From 1984 to 2012 she was a ballet soloist, and from 1991 to 1998 she was a soloist of  the Mariinsky Theater.
In 2008, Angelina Aleksandrova graduated from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, as teacher-choreographer and worked from 2012 to 2015 as a ballet tutor at the Rostov State Musical Theater.

Since 2019 and to the present days, Angelina Aleksandrova has been a classical dance teacher at the Boris Eifman Dance Academy.

She had several tours around the USA, England, Australia, South Africa, Germany and other countries and has been invited to South Korea to conduct master classes.

She has the historical privilege to be the daughter and disciple of the great Tatiana Sevastianova. Graduated with honors at the Vaganova Academy, as an artist and teacher in ballet class of Udalenkova.

After her soloist career in various ballet companies, she became supervisor and teacher of great Russian ballet companies, including the prestigious Ballet L. Yakobson.

She was a guest soloist in the ballet company of the Leningrad Conservatory named after Rimskiy-Korsakov.

In 1993 she was invited to the ballet company of Prague as soloist.
From 1995-1998 she was a soloist of the State Theatre in Brno.
Since 1998, soloist in the company .L.Yakobson.
She participated in tours around Russia and the world.

A new teacher joins Russian Masters’ Faculty. We welcome Natalya Lazebnikova.

Natalya Lazebnikova was born in 1980 in Kyiv, Ukraine. She first studied at the Kremer School of Rhythmic Gymnastics. In 1990, she entered the Kiev State Choreographic School, in the class of Putilina T.N. and was also a student of Marina Semenova.

In 1994 she became a diploma winner of the Prix de Lausanne competition, after which she was invited to study by Marika Bezobrazova, director of the Academie de danse Princess Grace (Monaco), where she studied according to the methods of Asaf Messerer.

In 1997, she graduated as a part-time student from the Kiev State Choreographic School with a red diploma.

While still a student of the 2nd year of the school, she danced leading roles at the National Opera of Ukraine. After a successful tour in Europe, she was recognized by the media as the best Juliet. At the age of 21, she received the status of principal dancer.

Since 2004, Natalia has been actively invited on tours by theaters and concert agencies. She took part in the Rudolf Nureyev festival (Kazan), and “Le Gala des Etoiles du XXIe siecle” (Paris). Guest dancer at the Lithuanian National Theatre, Belgrade Theatre, Kazan Theatre… her repertoire includes more than 20 performances of classical and modern choreography.

In 2009, she became an Honored Artist of Ukraine.

Since 2012, Natalia has been successfully combining artistic activities with tutoring. In 2020, she became Master of Choreographic Sciences.

She is also an official teacher of PBT (Progressing Ballet Technique) and founder of a professional choreographic training center in Kyiv since 2021.  
Natalia's students study at famous schools in the world: Munich, Brussels, the Vaganova Academy, the Boris Eifman Academy.

We are very happy to have Natalya Lazebnikova among us this year too.

Anton Waldbauer was born in a small city in Russia and began his studies at the Gymnasium of Arts.

After participating in the prestigious competition Prize de Lausanne, he received an invitation to continue his studies at the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet. He graduated from the Academy with honors in 2003.
Then he entered the Department of Modern Dance at the Higher School of Arts (Frankfurt, Germany) and at the end, of course, joined the European Ballet (London).

In 2004, he accepted an invitation to the role of lead soloist in the State Opera and Ballet Theatre of the Komi Republic (Russian Federation) where for two seasons he has been playing the leading parts in the classical repertoire and participating in new Theatre productions.

In 2006, she took part in the 10th Anniversary Ballet Competition in Moscow, where she won a diploma for the best choreography, with his debut work “6 Seconds”. In the same year, he returned to Europe and began to dance with the prestigious Netherlands Dance Theater. Where Anton became the first Russian artist in the 50th history of the troupe.

In 2009 he joined the Kullberg Ballet (Stockholm, Sweden).
And in 2010 he returned to Holland to the main troupe of the Netherlands Dance Theatre. Where, over the years of his work, Anton had collaborated with many prestigious choreographers, such as Jiri Kylian, Ohad Naharin, Paul Lightfoot, Johan Inger, Wim Vandekeybus, Crystal Pite, Sharon Eyal, Sasha Waltz, and many others.

In 2013, at the invitation of Johannes Oman, he became the first soloist and the main artist in all-new productions of the Royal Swedish Ballet.
In 2014, he acted as a guest artist at the Nobel Gala.
In 2016, he received the Pina Bausch Prize and collaborates with Familie Flöz, a troupe of physical theater from Berlin.

Since 2012, Anton has been actively engaged in teaching modern dance, improvisation, and choreography. He is currently a guest teacher at many prestigious centers/schools throughout Europe.
Anton is also actively engaged in his productions and his choreographic works were presented in the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Russia, France, and Spain. His first short film, 33 Questions, was presented at the Stockholm Dance Festival.

One of the most outstanding European artists and choreographers, Denis Untila, will give classes of Contemporary Dance to the students of RMBC. A unique opportunity to learn from the best.

Denis Untila began his dance career in his homeland, Moldova, and completed his training by graduating from the Vienna Conservatory. He joined the Ballet Kiel in 2001 under the direction of Mario Schröder as a soloist. He performed as a guest dancer in Schröder’s choreography “The Wall” in Essen in 2004. Further guest appearances have taken him to the Moldovan National Opera, and to Salzau, France and Italy (“Europe Dance”), then to the ballet company of the Vienna State Opera, where he performed in “The Nutcracker” and as Oscar in Vladimir Malakhov’s ballet “A Masked Ball”.

Since the autumn of 2006 Denis has been a member of the Aalto Ballet Essen, firstly as a group dancer with solo obligations and then from 2009 as a soloist with group commitments. On the Aalto stage he has danced solo roles as Dmitri (“The Brothers Karamazov“), Valerio (“Leonce and Lena”), Blue Bird (“Sleeping Beauty”), Bécaud (“La vie en rose”), Lillas Pastia (“Carmen/Boléro”), Moritz (“Max and Moritz), as well as further soloist roles in “Homage to Queen” and “Irish Soul”. He has also choreographed “The Soldier’s Tale” (Family Concert), “Game” (“PTAH”) and together with Michelle Yamamoto, “Alice” (“PTAH II”), "Jo“ and "Passacaglia“ ("PTAH III“). In the 2012/2013 season he choreographed his first full-length ballet “Othello” for the Aalto Theatre. Denis Untila is the winner of the Aalto Stage Prize for young artists 2012. After successfully creating „Vibrations“ for Essener Philharmonie, he presents a new choreography in 2018: „Moving Colours“, together with Armen Hakobyan.

Dancer and teacher with extensive experience.

Olga graduated Perm Professional Ballet School, Russia in 1993.

After that she immediately joined The Opera and Ballet Theatre of Perm as a dancer, ascending to the category of soloist. With the company Pavlova danced the great ballets of the classical repertoire.

To pursue her teaching career, graduated Bolshoi Theatre Academy as a Classical Dance teacher.

Finally, she moved to Spain to focus fully on her pedagogical role, teaching at the Artis Reus School and all RMB programs.

Daria Vergizova - choreographer and teacher

In 2015 she graduated from the St. Petersburg State Conservatory. N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, specialty "choreographer-director".
In 2018 she defended her master's degree in ballet master-stage at the Vaganova Academy of Russian.

Currently:
Member of the Union of Theater Workers of the Russian Federation.
Choreographer and artistic director of "Ballet. Theater "since 2018.
Artistic director of the children's dance center “Ballet. Theatre. Kids "from 2020.
Guest teacher and choreographer of Japan Vaganova Ballet Association.

Creative work as a choreographer:
- in the Hermitage Theater: operas: "Aleko", music. S. Rachmaninoff; "Iolanta", music P. I. Tchaikovsky; ballet "Blue Bird", music. Lera Finkelstein, School of Classical Ballet. N.A. Dolgushina;
- at the Alexandrinsky Theatre (New Stage, St. Petersburg), performances: "PING-PONG", music. Lera Finkelstein; "Songs of Ri", music. Angelica Habibova;
- at the Theater of the Conservatory (St. Petersburg): "Wardrobe", a choreographic performance; "Shot" one-act performance, within the framework of the "Dance without Borders" festival;
- theatrical venue "Residence" (St. Petersburg), performances: "Poplars and the Wind", music. V. Finkelstein; "Silence", music. I.S.Bach, Artem Petaykin;
- in the children's theater of ballet "Nutcracker" (Yekaterinburg): ballet "Little Prince", music. Lera Finkelstein;
- choreographer of the opening ceremony of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in 2014, 2015, 2016;
- 2022 performance “INFANTA” - participant of several international festivals;
- 2024 performance “PETRUSHKA”, theatre of the Eifman Dance Academy
and others.

Laureate and participant of numerous competitions and festivals, including:
2013 - International competition of choreographers "Riga Spring" (Riga, Latvia)
2014 - International competition of ballet dancers and choreographers named after I. E. Maximova "Arabesque - 2014" (Perm)
2014 - youth festival of choreography "Runway" (St. Petersburg)
2018 - youth theater festival "InterseasonFest", opening of the festival with the play "Poplars and Wind"
2018 - International Festival "Christmas Parade", St. Petersburg. The play "Poplars and the Wind" won in the nomination "Best Plastic Performance"
2019 - international festival of non-state plastic theaters "Couranta", St. Petersburg. The play "Ping Pong" won the nomination "Best Adult Performance".
2020 - international festival Istanbul Fringe Festival, performance "Songs of Ri" (Turkey, Istanbul)
2021 - international festival "Christmas Parade", St. Petersburg. The play "Songs of Ri" won in the nomination "Best Plastic Performance".
2021 - Belaya Vezha International Theater Festival, Brest. Performances "Songs of Ri", "PING - PONG".
2022 - international festival of modern dance Open Look (St. Petersburg).
2022 - international theatre festival ARTMIRGATION (Kazan).

Staging of dance numbers and miniatures for children's groups and professional artists St. Petersburg, Leningrad Region, Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk Region, Perm Region, Ufa, Penza, Ulan-Ude, Japan, China.

Instagram: @daria.verg
Vkontakte: https://vk.com/darverg
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/dasha.vergizova

Mr. Dmitry Pykhachov will conduct character and acting classes during RMB Summer course in St. Petersburg 2025.

A soloist of character and acting roles in the Mariinsky theatre, Mr. Dmitry Pykhachov will be giving character and acting classes for students of the RMB Summer course in St. Petersburg.

Born in Leningrad Dmitry Pykhachov graduated from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in 1995 (class of Professor Gennady Selyutsky) and joined the Mariinsky Ballet in 1995.
He's a prize-winner at the Vaganova-prix competition (1995).

Some of the roles from his vast repertoire at the Mariinsky Theatre:
- La Sylphide (James, Gurn, Youths, Madge); choreography by August Bournonville, revised version by Elsa-Marianne von Rosen,
- Giselle (Hans, the Duke, Classical Duet, Armour-Bearer); choreography by Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot and Marius Petipa,
- La Bayadère (Toloragva, Dugmanta, Grand pas); choreography by Marius Petipa, revised version by Vladimir Ponomarev and Vakhtang Chabukiani,
- La Fille du Pharaon (The Nubian King); choreography by Marius Petipa reconstructed by Toni Candeloro,
- Swan Lake (Friends of the Prince, Spanish Dance, Mazurka, Neapolitan Dance); choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, revised version by Konstantin Sergeyev,
- Raymonda (Abderakhman, Mazurka, Béranger, Grand pas); choreography by Marius Petipa, revised version by Konstantin Sergeyev,
- The Sleeping Beauty (Aurora’s Suitors, the Bluebird, Carabosse the Wicked Fairy, Carabosse); choreography by Marius Petipa, revised version by Konstantin Sergeyev,
- The Sleeping Beauty (Prince Fleur de Pois, Prince Chéri, Carabosse); choreography by Marius Petipa, reconstruction of the 1890 production by Sergei Vikharev,
- Don Quixote (Gamache); choreography by Alexander Gorsky after Marius Petipa,
etc.

Currently Dmitry Pykhachov is a teacher at the Vaganova Academy and rehears the following parts with his students:
Romeo and Juliet (harlequin and four harlequin), La Bayadère (Magedaveya), The Legend of Love (harlequin and five harlequin, people of the second and third acts), Sleeping Beauty, Petrushka, The Wedding, Raymonda (Saracen dance, panaderos), Anyuta, Copelia, Walpurgis Night, Don Quixote (Gamache, gypsy solo dance), The Young Lady and the Hooligan, Giselle (Hans), The Corsair (Birbanto).

Aleksandra Lebedeva has been recommended specifically by the Vaganova Academy to teach the character dance for our students. Currently Alexandra Lebedeva works as a character dance teacher at the Boris Eifman Dance Academy.

Graduated from the Vaganova Academy as artist and teacher, she works in the Mariinsky Theatre as a dancer since 1997. Since 2018 she also conducts rehearsals of the students from the Vaganova Academy from time to time.

She acquired a lot of experience working the historical repertoire on the Mariinsky Theatre stage. She performed as a soloist in “The Fountain of Bakhchisarai'' (Krakowiak), "The Swan Lake'' (mazurka) “Don Quixote'' (Gipsy), “The Nutcracker'' (Lady) and "Polovtsian dances'' and she has also danced every kind of historical dances such as quadrilles, minuets, sarabandes, polonaises and other kind of dances highly used in classical repertoire.

During the course of character dance, students may study and get familiar with the following dances from the Mariinsky Theatre: the Minuet from “Rigoletto”, the Quadrille from “The Queen of swords” and the Polonaise from “Eugene Onegin”, among other pieces and apart from the theoretical material following the methodology of the Vaganova Academy.

Dali Ni is a graduate of the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, with a rich international training background that also includes the Vienna State Opera Ballet School and the Pôle National Supérieur de Danse Rosella Hightower in Cannes.

After performing professionally with the Shanghai Ballet, she turned her focus toward education and creative projects. She is currently developing a specialized program focused on dance science, integrating anatomy, injury prevention, and rehabilitation techniques, aiming to raise awareness of scientific approaches to training and promote educational outreach within the dance community.
As the founder of Taglioniii Culture and Art, Dali is dedicated to fostering cross-disciplinary artistic exchange and supporting young talent through innovative cultural initiatives.

Fluent in Chinese, English, French, Russian, and German, she brings a rich multicultural perspective, thoughtfully bridging Eastern and Western ballet traditions in her work.
Dali currently serves as the China Manager of Russian Masters Ballet.

Eleonora Adeeva-Chernysheva graduated from the Nureyev Choreographic School. As a student, she danced in the ballets of Yu.N. Grigorovich.

After graduating from college, she was invited to join the SPBT troupe, where she prepared roles with famous ballerinas Alla Osipenko and Svetlana Efremova. She danced all the main parts (Odette-Odile from Swan Lake, Nikiya from Bayadère, Paquita from Paquita, Sereni Fairy from The Sleeping Beauty, Snow Queen from The Nutcracker.) Laureate of international competitions.

In 2009 she graduated from the St. Petersburg State Unitary Enterprise - Faculty of Choreography, received the qualification of a teacher of classical dance. Successfully held master classes in Hungary, Austria, Latvia, Mauritius. Her students have been awarded the highest awards in international competitions.

Roman Petukhov graduated the Perm Choreography School in 1993. Same year he was recruited to work at the Mikhailovsky Theater as a ballet dancer where he still works.

In 2011 he graduated Vaganova Ballet Academy in the direction of "Ballet Pedagogy”. It includes the study of teaching methods of "classical", "duet-classical", "historical" and "folk-character" dance. Completed advanced training in teaching character dance in 2020.

He is a teacher of character dance at the Eifman Academy and a tutor at the Mikhailovsky Theater. Rehearsing the parts: Spartak and Crix “Spartacus”, Espada “Don Quixote”, Pas d'esclave “Corsair”, Police “Cipollino”, Medj “Sylphide”, etc.

Takes part in all tours of the Mikhailovsky Theater: Japan, USA, Spain, Italy, Austria, Finland, Turkey, England, Canada, Germany.

His repertoire included roles in the productions: The Little Humpbacked Horse, La Fille mal gardée, Giselle, Harlequinade, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Faust, La Bayadère, Cinderella, or The Crystal Shoes, The Princess of the Moon, La Fille mal gardée, Raymonda , Romeo and Juliet, La Bayadère, Le Corsaire, among others.

Participated in the projects Dance Open, Classics at Dvortsovaya. Held a cadet ball "To the Glory of the Fatherland" in St. Petersburg

Kristina Chernova is a graduate of the Astrakhan College of Culture and the Herzen University, Faculty of Music, Theatre and Choreography, in the departments of Choreography and Pedagogy. 

Kristina Chernova is a choreographer and director of the theatre department of the Elena Obraztsova International Academy of Music. She has collaborated with such theatres as the Baltic House, the BDT and the Mikhailovsky Theatre. She is a guest choreographer of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet and the Ilze Liepa Russian National Ballet School.

Kristina Chernova is a winner of Russian and international competitions in choreography, the winner of a scholarship in the New York "Synthesis Dance" Company. Winner of three prizes and a bronze medal in the "Choreographers" category at the International Youth Ballet Competition "Grand Prix of Hopes" in Moscow (2024) and second prize and a silver medal at the E. Maximova "ARABESQUE" Ballet Competition (2024).

Her recent achievements:
2024 - Astrakhan, the concert performance "My Tchaikovsky", director of the dramatic duet on the theme "Tchaikovsky and Von Meck" (Tchaikovsky - Mikhailovsky Theater principal Ivan Zaitsev; Von Meck - Kristina Chernova);
2024 - winner of the Creative Workshop of the People's Artist of Russia Ilze Liepa "Russian Ballet Forever" festival;
2024 - 2nd prize, silver medal in the "Choreographers" category; ARABESQUE 2024 / Perm;
2024 - 3rd prize, bronze medal in the nomination "Choreographers" in the International Youth Ballet Competition "Grand Prix of Hopes", Moscow;
2024 - Russian National Ballet School of Ilze Liepa, invited choreographer - director of the children's performance "Sleeping Beauty" (several parts);
2023 - director of the New Year's show (choreographic block, several parts) "Christmas Cards" (GazpromArena, St. Petersburg);
2023 - Russian National Ballet School of Ilze Liepa, invited choreographer - director of the children's performance "Chipallino" (separate parts);
2023 – Mikhailovsky Theatre, assistant choreographer, performance “Bright Stream”.

Marina Nikolaeva was born in 1986 in Leningrad.
In 2005, she graduated from the Performance Faculty of the Vaganova Ballet Academy (teachers: I. A. Sitnikova, A. M. Stroghaya, A. S. Khamzin, A. A. Stepin).
Since the same year, she has been a member of the Mikhailovsky Theatre ballet company.
Over the years, she has performed solo, corps de ballet, and character roles in classical productions, and has also danced in ballets by Nacho Duato.
In 2010 and 2018, she participated in the Dance Open festival.
She has toured internationally with the Mikhailovsky Theatre and other ballet companies.
In 2016, she graduated from the Pedagogical Faculty of the Vaganova Academy (Bachelor’s degree with honors),
and in 2023 she earned a Master’s degree in Ballet Pedagogy.
Since 2022, she has been teaching folk-stage and historical-social dance at the Boris Eifman Dance Academy.

Education

1991-1999 Kazan Choreographic School, specialty ballet dancer

2000-2005 Kazan State University of Culture and Arts, specialty teacher-choreographer

2006-2011 St. Petersburg State Conservatory, Department of Directing Musical Theater, specialty "Art of Choreographer", class of prof. Polubentseva A.M.

2012 Postgraduate study at the Vaganova Ballet Academy (specialty theory and methods of professional education).

Pedagogical experience

2013 - Russian State Pedagogical University named after Herzen, senior lecturer of the Department of Choreographic Art, (mastery of the choreographer, modern jazz dance.)

2016-2017 - teacher of classical dance of the senior classes GBOU Secondary School No 654 with in-depth study of subjects of the artistic and aesthetic cycle "Choreography", St. Petersburg

2013-2014 - a practical Pilates course for high school students in the framework of the scientific research of Vaganova Ballet Academy

2011-2012 - St. Petersburg School of Arts No 19, teacher-choreographer.

2013-2016 - teacher-choreographer of the children's studio at the Music Hall Theater, St. Petersburg.

2017- B. Eifman Academy of Dance, Pilates gymnastics teacher, teacher-choreographer.

Many years of experience in academic theaters in Kazan, Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Repertoire:

Swan Lake - Pas de Trois / Big Swans / Spanish Dance;

Giselle - Myrtha;

Sleeping Beauty - Diamond Fairy Variation / Stones Variation / Courage Fairy Variation

Nutcracker - Spanish dance, two snowflakes, oriental dance.

Don Quixote - Gypsy dance / Mercedes / Gitan dance (solo) / Insert variations Grand Pas / Corsair - Trio of odalisques / Palestinian dance (solo)

La Bayadere - Hindu dance / Jampe (deuce) / Trio (Shadows)

Shurale - Fire Witch

One Thousand and One Nights - Marjana

Peer-Gynt- Heavenly Trio / Oze / Girlfriends

The Legend of Yusuf - Braid Dance (solo)

Coppelia - Swanilda's Friends

Futile Perversion - Girlfriends

Numerous educational programs, including:

2017 Monika Koch (Austria) - a practice of expressive - expressive movement based on the developments and experience of Rudolf Laban. European Dance Theater.

2016- Raza Hamadi (France) - jazz mix

2015- Salim Goulus (USA) - contemporary jazz

2014 workshop Anton Waldbauer (Royal Swedish Ballet) Contemporary Dance

2013 workshop Richard Alston (Great Brinain, London) - Modern Dance

2013 workshop Stefan Zheromski (NDT Netherlands) - Contemporary Dance

2012 Institute of Professional Jazz Education in Moscow:

etc.

Development of work programs for ballet pedagogy:

"Workshop on the formation of dance improvisation skills for choreographers"

"Adapted Pilates Method for Dancers". The goal is to develop physical data, correct posture and prevent the development of microtraumatic disease in dancers.

Yury started vocational ballet training at the age of 10 when he was accepted to world famous Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow, Russia.

After graduating, he was invited to dance as principal dancer for St. Petersburg State Academic Ballet Theatre. With the company he performed at Mariinsky Theatre, Bolshoi Theatre and many others, touring internationally for 15 years. He also worked as the choreographer and ballet master for the Temma Ballet School in Osaka, Japan.

He moved to the UK to become Artistic Director of Swansea Ballet Russe as well as performing Principal roles. Yury is also Guest Choreographer and Ballet Master for Cork City Ballet where he has created many classical ballet repertoires including Swan Lake, Giselle, Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty for the company.

He is also Guest Teacher for Matthew Bourne’s New Adventure Dance Company, Russian Icons Gala, English National Ballet School and many other schools & companies in Japan, Ireland & UK.

He is married to Prima ballerina Chika Temma, with whom he runs the very successful Bristol Russian Ballet School and the Bristol Russian Youth Ballet Company, where he is the Artistic Director.

It is our honor to receive him in our Vaganova Academy Official Summer Intensives.

Ieva Immertreija - ballet studio "Baleta Klase" owner, choreographer, pedagogue, costume designer for operas, theaters and ballets, children's games, theater of operetta and musicals, and owner of the brand "Ieva" and a specialist in Boris Knyazev's gymnastics.

Ieva was a professional dancer, soloist of the dance company "Liesma" for 16 years, studied the pedagogy of classical ballet technique as well as the history of Russian ballet at the Vaganova Academy. 

Ieva is a specialist in Boris Knyazev's gymnastics. Boris Knyazev’s parterre gymnastics was aimed at developing the elasticity of the ligaments, strengthening the muscles of the lower extremities, beautiful posture, stability, and good coordination of movements. “Floor Barre” can be used as a light warm-up before the main ballet lesson, as well as a separate “lesson on the floor” for intensive training and strengthening the back muscles, building good posture, and stretching. 

She has the degree of costume designer and technical specialist, of classical ballet pedagogue and choreographer, so she knows everything and from different angles on ballet costumes: as a dancer, as a designer and as a choreographer. Therefore, our students have a chance not only to study how to make headbands by themselves (and it is really important, since it is difficult and expensive to find a unique and original headband), but also have the opportunity to know interesting things about the history of ballet costumes and many other secrets. It is a beautiful opportunity to relax during manual work with a brilliant teacher of ballet fashion.

Zhanna Ayupova was born in Petrozavodsk. In 1984 she graduated from the Leningrad Choreographic School (coached by Ninel Kurgapkina) and was invited to become a member of the Kirov Ballet Company (Mariinsky Theatre). From 1987 Zhanna Aupova appeared as a featured soloist with the company preforming both lyric and dramatic parts. From 2000 to 2013 she had been coaching ballet dancers at the Mikhailovsky Theatre.

From 2013 – First Vice-rector and Artistic Director of the Vaganova Ballet Academy.

Over the course of her dance career Zhanna Ayupova has performed a great number of roles in major classical and neo-classical works. Her most prominent roles include Giselle (Giselle), Princess Aurora (The Sleeping Beauty), Marie (The Nutcracker), Raymonda (Raymonda), Kitri (Don Quixote), Nikiya (La Bayadère), Odette/Odile (Swan Lake), Manon (Manon), Soloist (Theme and Variations), Soloist (Symphony in C), Terpsichore (Apollo), Young Lady (Le Spectre de la Rose) and many others.

Zhanna Ayupova is a prize winner of the Moscow International Ballet Competition (1985).

In 2008 she was honored with the title People's Artist of Russia.

Maria Khoreva is one of the greatest promises of the ballet world in many years. Graduated in 2018 at the Vaganova Academy with the class of the famous professor Lyudmila Kovaleva, Khoreva joined the Mariinsky Ballet Theatre that same year.

In October 2018, she danced the lead role in Paquita, something extremely unusual for such a recent graduate, and at the end of the month she was promoted from Dance Corps to First Soloist, a rank just one step below the main dancer.


More information is on the website of the Mariinsky theatre.

Born in Vladivostok, he studied at the Dnepropetrovsk Ballet School in Ukraine and later at the Belarus State Ballet School in Minsk, graduating in 2006. While still a student, Vasiliev danced Basilio in Don Quixote and Ali in Le Corsaire with the Belarus National Ballet. In 2006, he was invited to join the Bolshoi Ballet as a soloist, making his debut with the Company, at the age of 17, as Basilio in Don Quixote. He was promoted to principal dancer in 2010.

In 2011, he joined the Mikhailovsky Ballet as a principal dancer. Vasiliev’s repertoire with the Mikhailovsky includes principal roles in Don Quixote, Giselle, ou Les Wilis, The Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, La Fille mal gardée, Swan Lake, La Bayadère, Laurencia, La Sylphide, The Flames of Paris, Le Corsaire, Spartacus, and his own ballets.

In 2012–2013, Ivan Vasiliev was a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre. In 2015, he made his debut as a choreographer with his Ballet no. 1. In 2016, he staged the one-act ballets Morphine, Blind Affair, and Bolero and the full-length ballet A Christmas Carol which are included in the repertoire of the Mikhailovsky Theatre. In May 2016, Vasiliev’s ballet Love is All Around premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow and in February 2017 – at the Mikhailovsky Theatre.

He has been recognized for his artistic excellence at the international ballet competitions in Varna, Moscow, and Perm. He is also the winner of the Triumph Youth Prize, British Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards, and the Benois de la Danse Award. In 2014, he was awarded the title of Honored Artist of Russia.

Xander was born in England, and studied at there at the Royal Ballet School. After the School he joined The Royal Ballet Company, in August 2005. Here Xander's repertoire included: 'The Sleeping Beauty' (Lilac Fairy Cavalier), 'The Nutcracker' (Arabian Dance, Waltz of the Flowers), 'Swan Lake' (Cadets, Mazurka), 'La Fille Mal Gardee' (Colas' Friends), 'Les Patineurs' (Brown Boys), McGregor's 'Dido and Aeneas' and Fenton's 'Song Without Words' and 'Seacastles'. Xander created roles in Wheeldon's 'DGV: danse a grand vitesse', Tuckett's 'The Seven Deadly Sins' and Fenton's 'Monument'. He also choreographed for The Royal Ballet's 'Draftworks' program.

In 2009, Xander was invited to join The Mariinsky Ballet by its ballet director Yuri Fateyev and joined the company in January 2010 aged 23 as its first and only British dancer. His repertoire includes: Prince Siegfried (Swan Lake), Count Albrecht (Giselle), Prince Desiré (The Sleeping Beauty), Romeo (Romeo & Juliet), The Nutcracker Prince (The Nutcracker ch. Vainonen), Vronsky (Anna Karenina ch. Ratmansky), Jean de Brienne (Raymonda), Male Principal (Le Parc), Vaslav (The Fountain of Bakhchiserai), Andrés (Paquita), The Golden Slave (Scheherazade), The Poet (Chopiniana/Les Sylphides), John the Baptist (Salome ch. Faski), Ashton's Sylvia (Aminta) and Marguerite & Armand (Armand), Balanchine ballets including Apollo, Jewels (Emeralds & Diamonds), Serenade (Waltz, Elegy) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Demetrius), Hans Van Manen's 'Adagio Hammerklavier' & 'Variations For Two Couples', Millepied's 'Without' & 'La nuit s'achève' and McGregor's 'Infra'. His repertoire as a guest artist also includes Gauthier's 'Ballet 101', 'Le Spectre de la Rose', and Ashton's 'The Dream' (Oberon).

Xander has toured with the Mariinsky Ballet to Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Oman, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, the UK, and the USA, and has been a guest artist with English National Ballet, The Kremlin Ballet, The Ballet Company of the Opera National Bucharest, The Stanislavsky Ballet and has also performed with 'Roberto Bolle and Friends'.

Xander was the recipient of the Taglioni Award in the category “Best Young Male Dancer” (Berlin, 2014), the recipient of the Léonide Massine Prize in the category “Emerging Talent on the International Scene" (Positano, Italy, 2014) and won the UK Critics' Circle National Dance Awards 'Outstanding Male Performance (Classical)' category for 'Apollo' 2014.

Ekaterina Osmolkina was born in Kishinev (Moldova). Graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy (class of Professor Inna Zubkovskaya). Joined the Mariinsky Ballet in 1999. The dancer of the perfect dance and acting gift for more then 20 years touches hearts of the Mariinsky Theatre viewers.

She is the first soloist and much more:
Honoured Artist of Russia.
Prize-winner at the Vaganova-prix competition (St Petersburg, 1998).
Prize-winner at the International Ballet Competition (Seoul, 2004).
Recipient of the Golden Sophit, St Petersburg´s highest theatre prize (2006).
During the Stars of the White Nights festival in 2008 she appeared in the gala concert Great Ballerinas of the Mariinsky Theatre.

Ekaterina Osmolkina danced all leading roles of the repertoire as Giselle, Kitri, the Sylph, Odette-Odile, princess Aurora, Masha, Raymonda, Juliet, Cinderella and many others. She danced beautiful duets with Farukh Ruzimatov, Carlos Acosta, Andrian Fadeev, Marcelo Gomez, and many others virtuoso artists.

“She has long deserved the title of genius. Her mastery has been honed to the degree that it is not just powerful, but meaningful too”, - critics say about Ekaterina Osmolkina.

Ekaterina Osmolkina will conduct masterclasses in Burgas, Bulgaria at Summer intensive course in August.

Yolanda Correa was born in Cuba and studied in the Vocational School of Art Holguín and in the Cuban State Ballet School Havana.

Before coming to Oslo, she danced with the Cuban National Ballet, where she was given the highest accolade of primera bailarina.  She was also the Principal Dancer of the StaatsBallett Berlin. Then Yolanda came to Oslo and became a Principal Dancer with the Norwegian National Ballet.

She has received several awards:
1999 Winner of the “International Meeting of Ballet Academies”
2010 “Grand Prix Giuliana Penzi”
2012 “Premio Positano”: best female newcomer
2014 “Wilhelmsen Holding ASA Company Award for Opera and Ballet”
2014 Nomination “Benois de la Danse” as best female dancer

She has also been guest artist in many international companies: Royal Swedish Ballet Stockholm, Ballet of Teatro di San Carlo Napoli, The Kremlin Ballet Moscow, Ballet of Kazan, Compañía Nacional de Danza Madrid.

Her vast classical and contemporary repertoire includes among others:
Snow Queen and the Sugar Plum Fairy. Dina Bjørn’s Nutcracker
Odette-Odile. Alicia Alonso’s Swan Lake
Kitri. Alicia Alonso’s Don Quixote
Aurora. Cynthia Harvey’s Sleeping Beauty
Tatiana. Cranko’s Onegin
Giselle. Alicia Alonso’s Giselle
Juliet. Cranko’s Romeo & Juliet
Cinderella. Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella
Medora. Grigorovich’s  L’Corsaire
Esmeralda. Grigorovich’s L’Esmeralde
Duato’s Multiplicity
Tiger Lily
Stepping Stones
Tetley’s Voluntaries

Alexander Omar graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in 2004 and the same year he joined the Mikhailovsky Ballet Company.
He was also an acting teacher of the Vaganova Academy.

Alexander Omar's repertoire included the roles of Tybalt (Romeo and Juliet, chor. by Nikolay Boyarchikov; chor. by Oleg Vinogradov), Spartacus, Crix and centurions (Spartacus, chor. by George Kovtun), Moor’s Friend (The Moor’s Pavane, chor. by Jose Limon), Gringoire (Esmeralda), solo in the Indian dance (La Bayadère), the role of Fairy Carabosse (The Sleeping Beauty, rev. by Nikolay Boyarchikov), Mr Drosselmeyer, Abdurrahman and solo role in panaderos (Raymonda), Rose waltz and Spanish dance (The Nutcracker, chor. by Nikolay Boyarchikov), Ali and Isaac Lanquedem (Le Corsaire, rev. by Farukh Ruzimatov).

Born in Moscow. In 2006, she graduated from the Moscow Ballet Academy, and joined the Bolshoi Ballet Company. She rehearsed with Tatiana Golikova. Now she is rehearsing with Nina Semizorova.

In repertoire:

• Phrygia, sweetheart to Spartacus (Grigorovich’s Spartacus);
• Anastasia (Grigorovich’s Ivan the Terrible);
• Myrtha, the Queen of Wilis (Vladimir Vasiliev’s Giselle);
• Giselle (Grigorovich’s Giselle);
• Olga (John Cranko’s Onegin);
• Princess Shireen (Grigorovich’s A Legend of Love);
• Sylphide (Johan Kobborg’s La Sylphide);
• Bella (Yuri Possokhov’s A Hero of Our Time);
• Marie (Grigorovich’s Nutcracker)
  

And many others

More information on the page of the Bolshoi theatre.

Polina Semionova was born in Moscow and studied at the Bolshoi Ballet School. At 17 years old, she joined the Berlin State Opera Ballet as a principal dancer. In September 2012 joined American Ballet Theatre as a Principal Dancer.

Her repertoire includes:
Odette-Odile in Swan Lake; Nikiya in La Bayadere; Marie in The Nutcracker; Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty;Swanilda in Coppellia; Kitri in Don Quixote;Giselle, Myrta in Giselle; Tatiana in John Cranko's Onegin; Sieglinde and Brunhilde in Maurice Bejart's Ring um den Ring; Manon in Manon; Juliet in John Cranko's,Sir Kenneth McMillan's, Leonid Lavrovskij's, Nacho Duato's Romeo and Juliet; Scheherazade; Les Sylphides; Carmen in Roland Petit'sCarmen; Sylvia in Sir Frederick Ashton's Sylvia and many others.

She has also appeared in works by Nacho Duato, Mauro Bigonzetti, Patrice Bard, Renato Zanella, Uwe Scholz, Alexey Ratmanskij, Twyla Tharp, Anthony Tudor, Christian Spuck...

Semionova has also danced as a guest artist with La Scala, American Ballet Theatre, Bayerische State Opera, Mikhailovskiy Theatre, Semper Opera, English National Ballet, Tokyo Ballet, Vienna State Opera Ballet, Zurich Ballet, Maryinsky Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Opera del Roma ..

Awards include:
a gold medal at the Moscow International Ballet Competition in 2001,
First Prize at the Vaganova-Prix Ballet Competition in St. Petersburg ,
the Junior Prize at the Nagoya International Ballet Competition in 2002;
Daphne Prize (2004);
German Critics Choice Award (2005);
Dancer of the Year (2007);
Prize of Heinz Spoerli( 2007);
Prize Benois de la Dance(2014);
Kammertänzerin (2017);
Dancer of the Year (2018).

In 2013 she became a professor of Staatliche Ballett Schule in Berlin, Germany.

Leonid Sarafanov is one of the biggest stars of the moment. Globally acclaimed by the public and critics.

He has received numerous international awards of first level such as the BENOIS AWARD (known as the Oscar of Dance), First Prize in the Moscow International Competition, First Prize in the International Competition of Paris, prize in Rudolf Nureyev International Competition in Budapest and many others.

In 2000 Leonid graduated from Kiev State Academy of Choreography and entered as a soloist the National Ballet of Ukraine. After that he began his work at the Mikhailovsky Theater where he is currently the principal star.

Larissa Lezhnina was born on March 17, 1969 in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), Russia.
She graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in Leningrad in 1987 and joined the Kirov Ballet (now the Mariinsky Ballet).

In 1990 she became a First Soloist. In 1994 she left the Mariinsky and joined the Dutch National Ballet as a principal.
In 2006, she was awarded the Alexandra Radius Prize, and she received the Merit Award from Dansersfonds ’79 in 2010.

In 2012, Larissa played an important role in the documentary De Balletmeesters, in which film maker Sonia Herman Dolz closely followed Larissa’s partner, ballet master Guillaume Graffin, and the head of the artistic staff, Rachel Beaujean.

Her repertoire includes Cinderella (Ashton), Giselle (version by Wright), Nutcracker and Mouseking (Eagling and Van Schayk), Onegin (Cranko), Romeo and Juliet (Van Dantzig), The Sleeping Beauty (version by Wright), La Sylphide (version by Bjørn) and Swan Lake (version by Van Dantzig). Larissa retired in June 2014.

The experience of having a teacher like Larisa is unparalleled: our students will have that privilege this year. We welcome Larisa to Russian Masters Ballet.

Currently, she is the main tutor of the Dutch National Ballet.

In 2011 Ivan Zaytsev joined the ballet company of one of the best theatres of the world - Mikhailovsk, where very soon he became a Principal dancer, his repertoire includes solo and principal roles in La Sylphide, Le Corsaire, Cipollino, Don Quixote, Laurencia, The Flames of Paris, La Fille mal gardée, and Class Concert
as well as productions of Nacho Duato The Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Multiplicity, Forms of Silence and Emptiness, Prelude, Invisible, and White Darkness. Ivan has toured with the Mikhailovsky Ballet Company to Japan, USA, Germany etc.

He start his career from Krasnodar Ballet School in 1997 and while studying he was training at the Yury Grigorovich Ballet Theatre where he performed roles in the ballets Spartacus, Romeo and Juliet, Raymonda, The Golden Age, The Nutcracker, and Cipollino.
In 2002 Ivan graduated from Krasnodar Ballet School and entered the Department of Choreography at St. Petersburg State University for Culture and Arts.
After graduation from the University in 2007, he joined Leonid Jacobson Ballet Theatre in St. Petersburg, where he danced Romeo (Romeo and Juliet), Jose (Passion for Carmen), Siegfried (Swan Lake), Prince (The Nutcracker), Albrecht (Giselle), and Rodin (The Kiss).

After participation in the 11th Moscow International Ballet Competition in 2009, he was invited to join Boris Eifman Ballet Theatre. Ivan´s parties in Eifman Ballet were:

• Basil in Don Quixote, 
• Onegin in Onegin, 
• Vronsky in Anna Karenina, 
• Ekaterina´s son in Russian Hamlet, 
• The Prince,
  
• The Young man & The Joker in Chaikovsky.
  

More information on the website of the Mikhailovsky theatre.

Margarita Kullik is the tutor of the prestigious and old company of the Mariinsky Theatre, where she stands out as one of the best in the world in her profession.

She graduated in 1981 at the Vaganova Academy with the legendary Natalia Dudinskaia and Irina Trofimova as her teachers. She immediately entered the Mariinsky Ballet, where she quickly rose to the position of a principal star. Kullik premiered numerous roles for this prestigious company such as La Fille Mal Gardée (choreography by Oleg Vinogradov) and Cinderella (choreography by Alexei Ratmanski). As the first dancer she assumed the lead roles in Don Quixote, Cinderella, Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, The Sylphide, The Corsair, Romeo and Juliet, among many others, and toured different countries. Among her awards it stands out the prize of the International Ballet Competition of Varna (Bulgaria) in 1983.

Since 2013 Margarita Kullik has been a tutor at the Mariinsky Ballet and her remarkable work is palpable in the excellence of her pupils (such as Renata Shakirova and Kim Kimin), and has elevated her to the top and enshrined as a legend.

Svetlana Bednenko became ballet soloist at the Donetsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre when she was only 15 years old and danced leading parties of numerous classical ballets.
At the same time Svetlana took part in numerous international ballet competitions where she used to win leading first prizes.

In 2011 she became soloist of St Petersburg State Academic Eifman Ballet Theatre (her tutor was Tatiana Kvasova).
Svetlana´s repertory in Eifman ballet:
Me - Don Quijote (Kitri),
Russian Hamlet (Imperess Ekaterina II),
Chaikovsky (the wife of Chaikovsky),
Red Giselle (Olga Spesivtseva),
Who is who (Linn),
Onegin online (Olga),
Anna Karenina (Kiti) etc
As part of the ballet company Eifman Ballet Svetlana toured around Europe, Asia, Australia and USA.

From 2013 and up to now Svetlana Bednenko is a soloist of the ballet company of one of the best ballet theatres in the world - the Mikhailovsky Theatre ( St. Petersburg).
She dances leading solo parties in classical ballets such as “The Swan Lake”, “Don Quijote”, “La Bayadère “, “Le Corsaire”, “The Flame of Paris”, “Cipollino”, “The Sleeping Beauty”, “The Nutcracker” , “Romeo and Juliet” and many others

Slava Tutukin is a real star of classical, neoclassical and contemporary ballet who at same time manages some of the most impotant ballet companies and projects of Germany.

Slava Tutukin is a coach, director, and arts manager who previously had an international career as a principal dancer and guest artist with several major companies. After retiring from the stage, he served as Dance Company Manager at the Upper Austrian State Theatre, as well as General Manager and Deputy Artistic Director of Ballett Dortmund and the NRW Junior Ballet Company. He has also curated and produced numerous international projects, galas, and productions across Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Splashes of his CV:
Considered one of the most talented young dances of present century, has worked as a soloist in the best ballet companies in the world (including The Mikhailovsky Theatre), even making the leap to the big screen in the tv most important Germany;
He has given numerous master classes throughout the world with overwhelming success.
Slava won the prestigious “Farukh Ruzimatov” prize in 2007;
and Rieti prize in Italy in 2009.

Anna was born in Siberia. She started to dance at 5 years old and graduated from the Krasnoyarsk Ballet School in Siberia.

Anna started her career with the Siberian State ballet (Krasnoyarsk, Russia) as a soloist. Later she became a guest-principal dancer with Mikhailovsky theatre (Saint-Petersburg) and Tatarstan state ballet (Kazan). Since 2012 Anna joined Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre ballet company as a principal dancer. During this period of dancing with Russian ballet companies her repertoire was very diverse.

At 2015 she joined Dutch National Ballet as a principal dancer. Since that moment Anna became an international guest-principal dancer .She worked with Teatro Colon (Argentina) for “La Bayadere” by Natalia Makarova,  with Semperoper Dresden ballet for “Manon” by K.McMillan. Currently Anna is working with Staatsballet Berlin as a guest.

Anna’s repertoire is very diverse. During her carrier she dances principal roles in almost all well known classical ballets as “Nutcracker” , “Sleeping beauty”, “La Bayadere”, ”Gizelle”, “Copelia”, “La fille mal gardee”, “La Sylphide” , “Snow Maiden”, “Don Quihote”, ”Romeo and Juliette”, “Swan lake” and others. Her repertoire also includes main roles in lots of neoclassical ballets by such a famous choreographers as K.McMillan, J.Robbins, J.Kranko, G.Balanchine, A.Ratmansky, C.Wheeldon , Hans van Manen ,D.Dawson,Y.Grigorovich, Rudi van Danzig ,Ted Brandsen and others. In a different time her partners on stage were Sergei Polunin, Ivan Vasiliev, Leonid Sarafanov and others.

In a studio legendary Natalia Makarova, Guillaume Graffine, Alexey Ratmansky, Michael Messerer , Patricia Neary, Patricia Ruann , Karl Burnett, Olga Evreinoff, Yukari Saito,Yannick Boquen ,Larissa Lezhnina, Rachel Beaujean and many others helped her to improve her skills of dance. At 2008 and 2010 she won gold medals on International ballets competitions in Krasnoyarsk and Perm. She is a winner of «Dance Open 2018- miss virtuosity» prize in Sankt Petersburg.

Currently Anna is working successfully with Dutch National ballet as a principal dancer and participates lots of  Ballet Galas around the world.

Beautiful, light and very technique dancer Veronika Markova in 2010 graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy and in 2012 joined the Mikhailovsky Ballet Company. Her repertoire includes solo, corps de ballet and character roles in the ballets Giselle, ou Les Wilis, Swan Lake, La Bayadère, Don Quixote, La Sylphide, Coppélia, Le Corsaire, Laurencia, The Flames of Paris, Cipollino, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Prelude, and others.

In 2020 Veronika graduated from the FPA (Association of Fitness Professionals in Moscow) as nutritionist (nutrition specialist) and started to provide individual consultations, master classes, webinars, and seminars in person and remotely. She is mainly working with ballet dancers, children of different ages and adult artists. Veronica patiently helps to plan the diet wisely, enjoy food, lose weight and solve related problems.

Passionate about his work, Sergei Laletin, being a dancer at St Petersburg theatre “Russian ballet”, graduated from the Vaganova Academy as a ballet critic and later became Associate Professor of the Department of Ballet Master Education at the Vaganova Academy.

He is a teacher at Boris Eifman Ballet Academy and Lecturer at the St. Petersburg Institute.

Senior researcher at the St. Petersburg State Museum of Theatre and Musical Art and Chairman of the Youth Association of the Council on Ballet and Choreography of the St. Petersburg Branch of the Union of Theatre Workers of the Russian Federation.

Author-compiler of the album series "Legends of Russian Ballet". Author of articles in the magazines "Ballet", "Stage", "Ballet ad libitum", "PRO Dance", scientific collections and newsletters.

At the age of six, Aida Gómez began her dance studies mastering Spanish Dance and Classical Ballet.

From thirteen years she began working professionally in the company “Los Goyescos” and was admitted to the National Classical Ballet School under the direction of Víctor Ullate. In 1982, at the age of fourteen, she joined the Spanish National Ballet as a soloist becoming principal dancer at 1985.

During her career Aida Gómez performed multiple times on the most important European and American stages including Mariinsky and Bolshoi Theatres well as the Royal Albert Hall in London and Radio City in New York with famous Spanish pieces like “ Zarabanda”, “El Fandango del Candil”, the pas de deux “Puerta de Tierra” and “El Sombrero de Tres Picos”, etc.

In 1997, she was called to collaborate and teach with Maurice Bejart and his Rudra school as well as the Lausanne company. In January 1998, she became the youngest Artistic Director in the history of the National Ballet of Spain.

In 2001, Aída Gómez created her own company and dedicated her time to the production of such performances as “Salomé". “Sueños”, “Duende”, “Carmen”, “Permíteme bailarte”, “La Revoltosa”, etc. The show “Salomé" received the award for “Best Artistic Contribution” at the Montreal International Film Festival and the Goya Award for Best Song.

During her career Aída gave master classes in Spain and other countries all over the globe. She also directed several Galas and festivals contributing a lot to the Spanish dance scene. In 2023 she began a new project with Nacho Duato as a teacher and choreographer.

Below we list her Awards and Honors:
1997 Max Award for Best Dancer, SGAE Foundation.
2000 Silver Medal from the Fine Arts Theater of Mexico.
2004 National Dance Award (Interpretation), Ministry of Culture.
2005 Glamour Magazine Award. Woman of the Year for her professional career.
2006 Silver Slipper. City of Almeria and Indanza.
2007 Chivas Telón Award. Best performer.
2008 Culture Award, Community of Madrid.
2008 APDE Award. Association of Spanish Dance Teachers.
2009 Juan Bravo Theater Award (Segovia).
2010 La Barraca Award. Menéndez Pelayo International University.
2012 Rojas Award. Rojas Theater (Toledo).
2012 Spring Award. Chicote Club (Madrid).
2013 Actúa Award. AISGE Foundation.
2015 Grand Cross of the Order of May 2. Community of Madrid.
2017 Gold Medal for Merit in Work. Ministry of Employment and Social Security.

Luisa María Arias is currently a choreographic assistant to Nacho Duato, a teacher of the Nacho Duato Training Program and a freelance dancer. Luisa María is frequently invited to create choreographic pieces, master classes and workshops in different national and international schools and actively collaborates with the CaraB Danza Company.

Throughout her career Luisa María Arias has danced in companies such as:
- the National Dance Company;
- Netherlands Dance Theater;
- National Ballet of Nancy et la Lorraine;
- Opera National du Rhin.

She has worked with choreographers such as Nacho Duato, Jiri Kylian, Mats Ek, W. Forsythe, Johan Inger, Ohad Naharin, Paul Lightfoot, Sol Leon, Cristal Pite, Marco Goecke, W. Vandekeibus, Hofesh Shechter, Alexander Ekman and many others.

She is a director of the "Nutrition, Health and More" clinic and also director and presenter of the television program "Salud y Más".

Raquel graduated in Dance Pedagogy, and has been a professional contemporary dancer previously.

Winner of several national and international awards, currently a collaborator in the prestigious Mikhailovsky theater, professional photographer with more than 20 years of experience in the artistic world. Our students will have an exclusive opportunity to be portrayed by this magnificent artist, whose work has been recognized by the most emblematic museums of St. Petersburg and is part of the collection of numerous exhibition halls both in Russia and abroad.

More information about the individual and group sessions as well as the free pack of Russian Masters Ballet at info@russianmatersballet.com

Sergey Shcherbakov, specialist in commercial and art photography, member of the Creative Union of Photographers of Russia.

Featured awards:

• "Photographer of a year, 2005" (Reportage, series);
• Stipendium of International Project "Network Baltic" in graphic - center "Grafikens Huns", Sweden, 2004.
  

The works of Sergey are exposed in the collections of:
State Russian Museum, Saint Petersburg
Museum of the History of the City of St. Petersburg
National Center of Photography "Rosphoto", Saint Petersburg
Graphic-Center "Grafiken Hus", Sweden
and many more.

Participant in more than 15 exhibitions

10 individual exhibitions

Instagram.com/Shcherbakov.foto

Carlos Quezada is a well known photographer from Mexico specialized in Dance photography in studio and stage.

He began his studies in Classical Dance in the Superior College of Music and Dance of Monterrey and he received a scholarship for the Miami City Ballet to continue his studies there. He decided to leave his professional dance career and focused his knowledge in photography.

He has worked and collaborated officially with numerous prestigious companies such as National Dance Company of Mexico, Ballet of Monterrrey, National Dance Company of Spain, Zürich Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Staatsoper Berlin, Het National Ballet, Royal Opera House, Wiener Staatsoper, Nacional Ballet of Cuba, among others, and his work has been published in the international press: The New York Times, Financial Times, Berliner Zeitung, Dance Magazine, Dance Europe, Dance Magazine Japan, El País, El Mundo…

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Ira Yakovleva is one of the most important ballet photographers in St. Petersburg and her international reputation has led her to work with the greatest ballet stars of the globe. Her training and previous career as a professional dancer bring to her works a point of view of the highest technical and artistic quality that unites with the expressive strength and delicacy of her images.

Yakovleva graduated from the State Choreographic School of Kiev and joined the ballet theatre L. Yakobson of St. Petersburg. She has toured throughout Russia, Europe, America and Asia with this prestigious company. For the past 7 years she has been exclusively dedicated to dance photography, where she has achieved international success and collaborates with dance brands from all around the world including Scena Shop, Susha More, Sonumberone, Balletpapier, Baustelle Berlin, Wezzarium, KeithLink , Dance Wear for all, Zi dancewear, Nina Shterenberg, Katerina Kelberg, Lets go dress or Virtuozo.

Apart from photographing countless ballet stars individually, she is an assiduous collaborator with large institutions in Russia such as the Mariinsky Theater, Eifman Ballet, Eifman Ballet School, Balleroosha, SPB City Guide or Dance Open. As well as in magazines such as: La Personne, Beatrice Magazine, Kadance.

Ira Yakovleva joins Russian Masters as one of the great representatives of dance photography worldwide and it’s a real proud for us to have someone of her stature and thus swelling the number of experts who, in their respective fields, help to make Russian Masters a unique experience of the highest level.

For more than 30 years Elena Karsten has been preparing dancers to go on stage. Elena does makeup of the most varied complexity: from Fairy Carabosse from “The Sleeping Beauty” and the Brahmin from “La Bayadère” to Rothbart from “Swan Lake” and the Tsar from “The Little Humpbacked Horse”.

Despite her high professionalism, one of her duties is to lift the mood of the dancer, regardless of what happened before. She worked with such ballet idols as Farukh Ruzimatov, Nikita Dolgushin, Nikolai Tsiskaridze, Roberto Bolle, Nacho Duato and others. Elena did hairstyles, did makeup, prepared for the stage and tuned many of our favorite artists for a specific role, such as Ivan Vasiliev, Ivan Zaytsev, Denis Rodkin, Vladimir Shklyarov, Kimin Kim and others.

“The make-up artist at the Mikhailovsky Theatre is also a psychologist, maybe even first by profession, and then a make-up artist,” jokes Elena. “The artists come to me and sit in my chair right before going on stage, before the start of the performance. It’s so important to lift their spirits and convince them that they are the best in this world.”

Since 20 years in the world of photography Antonio Gervasi has collaborated as a photographer and assistant with important fashion photographers and stylists and grew up professionally in Milan.

Towards the end of the nineties has decided to start photographing the world and this has led him to travel for almost 15 years, turning the world twice and participating in expeditions to the North Pole and Antarctica collecting a large archive of images, and especially putting him in contact with different cultures giving him the opportunity to learn different languages.

He is Italian but is living in Spain and his work is mainly dedicated to ballet and dance.

Ieva Immertreija - ballet studio "Baleta Klase" owner, choreographer, pedagogue, costume designer for operas, theaters and ballets, children's games, theater of operetta and musicals, and owner of the brand "Ieva" and a specialist in Boris Knyazev's gymnastics.

Ieva was a professional dancer, soloist of the dance company "Liesma" for 16 years, studied the pedagogy of classical ballet technique as well as the history of Russian ballet at the Vaganova Academy.

Ieva is a specialist in Boris Knyazev's gymnastics. Boris Knyazev’s parterre gymnastics was aimed at developing the elasticity of the ligaments, strengthening the muscles of the lower extremities, beautiful posture, stability, and good coordination of movements. “Floor Barre” can be used as a light warm-up before the main ballet lesson, as well as a separate “lesson on the floor” for intensive training and strengthening the back muscles, building good posture, and stretching.

She has the degree of costume designer and technical specialist, of classical ballet pedagogue and choreographer, so she knows everything and from different angles on ballet costumes: as a dancer, as a designer and as a choreographer. Therefore, our students have a chance not only to study how to make headbands by themselves (and it is really important, since it is difficult and expensive to find a unique and original headband), but also have the opportunity to know interesting things about the history of ballet costumes and many other secrets. It is a beautiful opportunity to relax during manual work with a brilliant teacher of ballet fashion.

Elizaveta Kokoreva was born in Moscow into a family of the ballet artists. In 2019, graduated from the Moscow State Academy of Choreography (class of Tatiana Galtseva) and joined the Bolshoi Theatre Ballet Company. At the end of 2021-22 season she was promoted to the leading soloist, in 2023 — to the principal dancer.
At first she rehearsed under the supervision of Nadezhda Pavlova. Currently her teacher is Maria Allash.

Her diverse repertoire includes roles in Giselle (Giselle), Romeo and Juliet (Juliet), Spartacus (Phryngia), The Queen of Spades (Lisa), The Nutcracker (Marie), The Sleeping Beauty (Aurora), Jewels (the leading couple) and many others.

Elizaveta was a participant of Russian Masters Ballet camp.
Photo by Damir Yusupov.

In 2011 Ivan Zaytsev joined the ballet company of one of the best theatres of the world - Mikhailovsk, where very soon he became a Principal dancer, his repertoire includes solo and principal roles in La Sylphide, Le Corsaire, Cipollino, Don Quixote, Laurencia, The Flames of Paris, La Fille mal gardée, and Class Concert
as well as productions of Nacho Duato The Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Multiplicity, Forms of Silence and Emptiness, Prelude, Invisible, and White Darkness. Ivan has toured with the Mikhailovsky Ballet Company to Japan, USA, Germany etc.

He start his career from Krasnodar Ballet School in 1997 and while studying he was training at the Yury Grigorovich Ballet Theatre where he performed roles in the ballets Spartacus, Romeo and Juliet, Raymonda, The Golden Age, The Nutcracker, and Cipollino.
In 2002 Ivan graduated from Krasnodar Ballet School and entered the Department of Choreography at St. Petersburg State University for Culture and Arts.
After graduation from the University in 2007, he joined Leonid Jacobson Ballet Theatre in St. Petersburg, where he danced Romeo (Romeo and Juliet), Jose (Passion for Carmen), Siegfried (Swan Lake), Prince (The Nutcracker), Albrecht (Giselle), and Rodin (The Kiss).

After participation in the 11th Moscow International Ballet Competition in 2009, he was invited to join Boris Eifman Ballet Theatre. Ivan´s parties in Eifman Ballet were:

• Basil in Don Quixote, 
• Onegin in Onegin, 
• Vronsky in Anna Karenina, 
• Ekaterina´s son in Russian Hamlet, 
• The Prince,
  
• The Young man & The Joker in Chaikovsky.
  

More information on the website of the Mikhailovsky theatre.

Anna was born in Siberia. She started to dance at 5 years old and graduated from the Krasnoyarsk Ballet School in Siberia. 

Anna started her career with the Siberian State ballet (Krasnoyarsk, Russia) as a soloist. Later she became a guest-principal dancer with Mikhailovsky theatre (Saint-Petersburg) and Tatarstan state ballet (Kazan). Since 2012 Anna joined Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre ballet company as a principal dancer. During this period of dancing with Russian ballet companies her repertoire was very diverse. 

At 2015 she joined Dutch National Ballet as a principal dancer. Since that moment Anna became an international guest-principal dancer .She worked with Teatro Colon (Argentina) for “La Bayadere” by Natalia Makarova,  with Semperoper Dresden ballet for “Manon” by K.McMillan. Currently Anna is working with Staatsballet Berlin as a guest.

Anna’s repertoire is very diverse. During her carrier she dances principal roles in almost all well known classical ballets as “Nutcracker” , “Sleeping beauty”, “La Bayadere”, ”Gizelle”, “Copelia”, “La fille mal gardee”, “La Sylphide” , “Snow Maiden”, “Don Quihote”, ”Romeo and Juliette”, “Swan lake” and others. Her repertoire also includes main roles in lots of neoclassical ballets by such a famous choreographers as K.McMillan, J.Robbins, J.Kranko, G.Balanchine, A.Ratmansky, C.Wheeldon , Hans van Manen ,D.Dawson,Y.Grigorovich, Rudi van Danzig ,Ted Brandsen and others. In a different time her partners on stage were Sergei Polunin, Ivan Vasiliev, Leonid Sarafanov and others. 

In a studio legendary Natalia Makarova, Guillaume Graffine, Alexey Ratmansky, Michael Messerer , Patricia Neary, Patricia Ruann , Karl Burnett, Olga Evreinoff, Yukari Saito,Yannick Boquen ,Larissa Lezhnina, Rachel Beaujean and many others helped her to improve her skills of dance. At 2008 and 2010 she won gold medals on International ballets competitions in Krasnoyarsk and Perm. She is a winner of «Dance Open 2018- miss virtuosity» prize in Sankt Petersburg.

Currently Anna is working successfully with Dutch National ballet as a principal dancer and participates lots of  Ballet Galas around the world.

Francesca was born in Bucharest, Romania and began her ballet training at the age of 4, attending the Choreography High school in Bucharest until she was 15 years old. After receiving 2nd place at Youth America Grand Prix, she was invited to study at Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow. Following her two years of study in Russia, at the age of 17 she joined the Romanian National Opera and Ballet for one year while studying for her state exams in Bucharest.
She is currently a Junior Soloist with English National Ballet.

Her repertoire includes:
Clara/Sugar Plum in Wayne Eagling's 'Nutcracker',
3rd Principal Couple in Liam Scarlett' s 'No man's land' ,
First Couple in George Balanchine's 'Theme and Variations',
Kitri in Alexander Gorski's 'Don Quijote' ,
Trio Couple in Alexey Ratmansky's 'Concerto DSCH',
1st couple in Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s ‘Laid in Earth’,
Henriette in Tamara Rojo’s ‘Raymonda’,
Vegas in William Forsythe’s ‘Playlist’.

In 2018 she won the 'Laurence Olivier Award' for 'Outstanding Achievement in Dance' following her performance of 'The Chosen One' in Pina Bausch' s 'Le Sacre du printemps'. She was chosen to be part of Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2019.

Jan Špunda, originally from Ostrava, Czech Republic, is a soloist with Dutch National Ballet, recognized for his elegant technique and expressive artistry. After beginning his professional career with Bayerisches Staatsballett, he joined Dutch National Ballet, where he quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a soloist.

Jan trained at the English National Ballet School on a scholarship and was supported throughout his studies by the Rudolf Nureyev Foundation. His talent was recognized early on, winning third prize at the Tallinn International Ballet Competition in 2014. In 2017, he won third prize and the Outstanding Artistry Award from Dance Europe Magazine at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) in New York.

Jan’s repertoire reflects his wide range, spanning both classical and contemporary works. He has performed principal roles in Nutcracker, Raymonda, Diamonds, Emeralds, Four Schumann Pieces, The Four Temperaments, Blake Works, and Anima Animus. He has worked with some of the most influential choreographers in the ballet world, including William Forsythe, Hans van Manen, John Neumeier, Ted Brandsen, Alexei Ratmansky, David Dawson, Jiří Kylián, Wayne McGregor, and Christopher Wheeldon.

Jan continues to expand his ballet journey, broadening his repertoire and performing at international galas.

Patrik Benák was born in Prague (Czech Republic). He started hip-hop at the age of four and ballet at the age of ten. A year later, he was admitted to the Pražská konzervatoř - Prague's conservatory - where his professional training began.

In 2016 he attended Russian masters ballet camp for the first time. In 2017, he was admitted to the Staatliche Ballettschule Berlin. He was allowed to represent the school in a competition in Riga, where he came in second in two categories.

In 2019, he was admitted to the Vaganova Academy in St. Petersburg. During his training there, Patrik had the opportunity to dance at the historic Mariinsky Theatre, the Mikhailovsky Theatre and the Hermitage Theatre. He also danced major roles in school productions such as the prince in The Nutcracker, a solo in August Bournonville's Le Conservatoire and a friend in Coppelia.

In 2022, Patrik returned to the Staatliche Ballettschule Berlin to complete his training. During the final year of his training, he danced, among other roles, the role of Count Albrecht in Giselle at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin. In 2023, Patrik was accepted into the Junior Company of Dutch National Ballet.

Dmitry Zagrebin was born in Moscow, Russia, the son of two former Bolshoi Ballet dancers. Following in their footsteps, Dmitry studied at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy before joining the Bolshoi Ballet in 2007.

In 2012, he was named a Soloist at Stanislavsky Ballet in Moscow and in 2015 he joined the Royal Swedish Ballet as a Soloist, before quickly being promoted to the rank of Principal. His repertory includes leading roles in most of the classical ballet repertoire such as Christopher Wheeldon's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Rudolf Nureyev's production of Don Quixote and Marcia Haydée's Sleeping Beauty; Natalia Makatova's Giselle; to name a few.

Dmitry Zagrebin has assembled several competition awards, including gold medals at the International Ballet Competition in Seoul and at the Moscow International Ballet Competition. He was nominated for the Benois de la Dance Award for his performance as Basilio in Nureyev's Don Quixote with Royal Swedish ballet in 2016.

Daniil Potaptsev was born in Saint Petersburg. In 2022, graduated from St. Petersburg Boris Eifman Dance Academy (class of Maxim Prokofiev) and joined the Bolshoi Ballet Company. In the 2022/ 23 season he was promoted to the soloist.
Now Daniil Potaptsev rehearses under the supervision of Vitaly Breusenko.

At the end of 2023 he was promoted to the solois, at the end of 2023/ 24 season — to the first soloist.

Born in Madrid, she trained at the Carmen Amaya Professional Dance Conservatory with Mariví Hinojosa, graduating with honours. 

Valeria Garcia del Castillo received a two-year scholarship to the English National Ballet by Viviana Durante, where she worked with renowned choreographers and teachers such as Zenayda Yanowsky, then she joined the Joffrey Studio Company in Chicago. She completed her training with renowned teachers such as Hervé Ilari, Marlon Dino, Alicia Alcaraz, Antonio Castilla, Marta Ruiz Estrampes, and Lola de Ávila.

She is a finalist and winner in competitions such as the YAGP in Barcelona, ​​Nice, Toulouse, Ribarroja, and Castellón, where she won several scholarships, as well as a silver medal in Nice.

She has performed solo roles such as Gamzatti (Bayadere), Queen of the Dryads (Don Quixote), Raymonda, Paquita, and Esmeralda, sharing the stage with stars such as Polina Semionova and Anna Ol.

In November 2024, she joined the Compañía Nacional de Danza, under the direction of Muriel Romero.

Tomas Sanza was born in the city of Mallorca, Spain. He started his ballet education at the Professional Conservatory of Palma de Mallorca finishing it at the English National Ballet School in London. Tomas is an ex Russian Masters Ballet student of the Alicante summer camp.

First years of his career upon graduation he had been working with the Bucharest National Opera and eventually returned to the homeland, Spain, to work with National Dance Company in Madrid and expansing his repertoire.

Winner of prizes in national and international competitions

AMANDA GOMES

Principal dancer of the Tatar State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre named after M. Dzhalil.

Honoured Artist of the Republic of Tatarstan. Dame of the Order of Rio Branco — the highest honor awarded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil (2024).

Winner of prestigious international ballet competitions, including the 17th International Ballet Competition in Varna (2016), the International Competition for Ballet Artists and Choreographers in Moscow (2017, 2022), and the "Arabesque" International Ballet Competition (2014), among others.

Recipient of the Republic of Tatarstan’s "Tantana" Theatre Award in the category "Best Role in a Musical Performance" (2020).

Winner of the television project "Grand Ballet" on the Rossiya-K TV channel in the category "Best Duo" (with partner Wagner Carvalho, 2018).

Finalist of the "Benois de la Danse" award (2018) and laureate of the international music award "BraVo" (2024).

She graduated from the Bolshoi Theatre School in Brazil. Since 2014, she has been a soloist with the Tatar State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre named after M. Dzhalil.

• Giselle (Giselle, A. Adam)
• Odette/Odile (Swan Lake, P. Tchaikovsky)
• Nikiya, Gamzatti (La Bayadère)
• Aurora, Lilac Fairy (The Sleeping Beauty, P. Tchaikovsky)
• Masha (The Nutcracker, P. Tchaikovsky)
• Juliet (Romeo and Juliet, S. Prokofiev)
• Esmeralda (Esmeralda, C. Pugni / R. Drigo)
• Syuyumbike (Shurale, F. Yarullin)
• Anyuta (Anyuta, music by V. Gavrilin)
• Marina (Zorba the Greek, M. Theodorakis)

...among others.

Svetlana Bednenko became ballet soloist at the Donetsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre when she was only 15 years old and danced leading parties of numerous classical ballets.
At the same time Svetlana took part in numerous international ballet competitions where she used to win leading first prizes.

In 2011 she became soloist of St Petersburg State Academic Eifman Ballet Theatre (her tutor was Tatiana Kvasova).
Svetlana´s repertory in Eifman ballet:
Me - Don Quijote (Kitri),
Russian Hamlet (Imperess Ekaterina II),
Chaikovsky (the wife of Chaikovsky),
Red Giselle (Olga Spesivtseva),
Who is who (Linn),
Onegin online (Olga),
Anna Karenina (Kiti) etc
As part of the ballet company Eifman Ballet Svetlana toured around Europe, Asia, Australia and USA.

From 2013 and up to now Svetlana Bednenko is a soloist of the ballet company of one of the best ballet theatres in the world - the Mikhailovsky Theatre ( St. Petersburg).
She dances leading solo parties in classical ballets such as “The Swan Lake”, “Don Quijote”, “La Bayadère “, “Le Corsaire”, “The Flame of Paris”, “Cipollino”, “The Sleeping Beauty”, “The Nutcracker” , “Romeo and Juliet” and many others

Ksenia Shevtsova graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy and began her career as a soloist at the Stanislavsky Theatre in Moscow. She won the Bolshoi Ballet's Best Ballerina Nomination Project in 2018 and the Soul of Dance Award in 2019. That same year, she was appointed prima ballerina of the Stanislavsky Theatre. In the 2023/24 season, Shevtsova joined the Bayerisches Staatsballett as a First Soloist.

Her repertoire includes iconic roles such as Nikiya and Gamzatti in "La Bayadère," Odette/Odile in "Swan Lake," and Manon in "Manon" by Kenneth MacMillan, among others. She has also performed as Kitri in "Don Quixote," Giselle in "Giselle," and Juliet in "Romeo and Juliet," among others. She has taken on challenging parts in works by choreographers like Roland Petit, Yuri Possokhov, Jiří Kylián, Nacho Duato, and Alexei Ratmansky.

Debuting with the Bayerisches Staatsballett, she has performed in "The Storm" from Tchaikovsky Overtures, "La Bayadère," "Romeo and Juliet," and "Onegin," among others.

Tatiana Melnik graduated from Perm Ballet Academy in 2006. She was principal dancer of Russian ballet theatre V.M. Gordeev (Moscow), first soloist of Stanislavsky theatre (Moscow) and from 2015 Tatiana Melnik is working with Hungarian National Opera (Budapest) as a principal dancer.

Her repertoire includes:
Dantzig/Schayk/Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake – Odette/Odile
Eagling/Solymosi/Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker – Princess Maria
Petipa/Tchaikovsky: The Sleeping Beauty – Princess Aurora
Petipa/Minkus: Don Quixote – Kitri
Petipa/Adam: Giselle – Giselle
Petipa/Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake – Odette/Odile
Ashton/Prokofiev: Cinderella – Cinderella
McMillan/Massenet: Manon – Manon
McMillan/Liszt: Mayerling – Princess Stephanie, Maria Vechera
Vainonen/Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker – Princess Maria
Burmeister/Tchaikovsky: Snow Maiden – Snow Maiden
Petipa/Minkus: La Bayadère – Nikiya
Van Manen/Satie: Trois Gnossiennes, Black cake
Ashton/Hérold: La fille mal gardée – Lisa
Lander/Riisager: Études
Cranko/Tchaikovsky: Onegin – Tatiana
Petipa/Deldevez/Minkus: Paquita – Paquita
Seregi/Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet – Juliet
Kylián/Mozart: Petite Mort

Awards include:
Bronze medal International ballet competition “Arabesque” (Perm), 2012
Silver medal “Moscow ballet competition”, 2013
Best ballerina of Hungary, 2016
Etoile, 2019-2020
The Hungarian gold cross, 2021

Participation in Etoile World Ballet Galas all over the World.

Denis Matvienko was born in 1979 in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. He began his training in classical dance at a very young age at the Kiev State Choreography School, and at the age of 18 he joined the Ukrainian National Ballet as a first figure.

In 2001 he joined the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg as a soloist. In 2003 he returned to the Ukrainian National Ballet and in 2007 he moved back to St. Petersburg to the Mikhailovsky Theatre as a principal dancer. Two years later, in 2009, he returned as principal star to the Mariinsky.

He has been a guest dancer with numerous companies, such as the Bolshoi, the New National Theatre of Japan, the Alla Scala Theatre and the Paris Opera.

During his career he has performed numerous princely roles, but he is a dancer with great versatility, which allows him to excel in neoclassical and contemporary works.

He has won major dance awards, including first place in the Luxembourg ballet competitions in 1997 and Budapest in 1998; the gold medal in Nagoya in 1999; and first place in the Moscow competition in 2005.

From 2011 to 2013 Matvienko was appointed artistic director and principal dancer of the ballet company of the Ukrainian National Opera and since June 2016 he has been artistic director of the ballet company of the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre.

Spanish-Cuban Ricardo Castellanos (born in 1997) began dancing at the age of nine with La Companya Juvenil de Ballet Clàssic de Catalunya in Barcelona before continuing his studies with his father, Rodolfo Castellanos.

He studied at the Royal Ballet School in London and performed in such ballets as Don Quixote, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle and Le Corsaire before joining the Norwegian National Ballet 2 in the autumn of 2016. In 2017, he went on to the main company becoming a principal dancer.

After Ricardo Castellanos' debut in the leading role of Solor in La Bayadère, ClassicalMusic.com wrote the following: «He achieves a weightless height in his leaps, almost seeming to hang in the air, his pirouettes are dead-on and last impossibly long. He conveys the dramatic story with technique and feeling and it is harder to imagine a stronger debut than this.»

He has danced the role of Rothbart in Holmes’ Swan Lake, the Nutcracker Prince in Boyadjiev’s The Nutcracker, the leading male role in Balanchine’s Allegro Brillante and soloist in the 1st movement in Balanchine’s Symphony in C, Prince Albrecht in the 2nd act of Giselle, Romeo in the balcony pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet and Prince Siegfried in a pas de deux from Swan Lake. He has also danced in MacMillan’s Manon and Kylián's One of a Kind.

His repertoire includes:
Albrecht in Giselle
Flames of Paris Pdd in A Night of Dance x 12
Giselle 2. akt - Albrecht in Norwegian National Ballet
Le Corsaire Pdt in A Night of Dance x 12
Onegin in Onegin
Romeo og Julie: Romeo in Lyset på Nasjonalballetten
Solor in La Bayadère
Voluntaries Pas de trois in A Night of Dance x 12
etc.

Currently Luisa María Arias is a freelance dancer, choreographic assistant to Nacho Duato and a part of the Nacho Duato Training Program. Luisa María is frequently invited to create choreographic pieces, master classes and workshops in different national and international schools and actively collaborates with the CaraB Danza Company.

Throughout her career Luisa María Arias has danced in companies such as:
- the National Dance Company;
- Netherlands Dance Theater;
- National Ballet of Nancy et la Lorraine;
- Opera National du Rhin.

She has worked with choreographers such as Nacho Duato, Jiri Kylian, Mats Ek, W. Forsythe, Johan Inger, Ohad Naharin, Paul Lightfoot, Sol Leon, Cristal Pite, Marco Goecke, W. Vandekeibus, Hofesh Shechter, Alexander Ekman and many others.

Polina Semionova was born in Moscow and studied at the Bolshoi Ballet School. At 17 years old, she joined the Berlin State Opera Ballet as a principal dancer. In September 2012 joined American Ballet Theatre as a Principal Dancer.

Her repertoire includes:
Odette-Odile in Swan Lake; Nikiya in La Bayadere; Marie in The Nutcracker; Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty;Swanilda in Coppellia; Kitri in Don Quixote;Giselle, Myrta in Giselle; Tatiana in John Cranko's Onegin; Sieglinde and Brunhilde in Maurice Bejart's Ring um den Ring; Manon in Manon; Juliet in John Cranko's,Sir Kenneth McMillan's, Leonid Lavrovskij's, Nacho Duato's Romeo and Juliet; Scheherazade; Les Sylphides; Carmen in Roland Petit'sCarmen; Sylvia in Sir Frederick Ashton's Sylvia.Principal roles in Jerome Robbins' Afternoon of a Faun; George Balanchine's Ballet Imperial, Apollo (Terpsichore), A Midsummer Night's Dream, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, Diamonds, Theme and Variations, Symphony in C; William Forsythe's The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, Herman Schmermann; John Neuemeyer 's Nutcracker, Midsummer Night's Dream, The Lady of the Camellias, Kylian's Return to the Strange Land.

She has also appeared in works by Nacho Duato, Mauro Bigonzetti, Patrice Bard, Renato Zanella, Uwe Scholz, Alexey Ratmanskij, Twyla Tharp, Anthony Tudor, Christian Spuck...

Semionova has also danced as a guest artist with La Scala, American Ballet Theatre, Bayerische State Opera, Mikhailovskiy Theatre, Semper Opera, English National Ballet, Tokyo Ballet, Vienna State Opera Ballet, Zurich Ballet, Maryinsky Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Opera del Roma ..

Awards include:

• a gold medal at the Moscow International Ballet Competition in 2001,
• First Prize at the Vaganova-Prix Ballet Competition in St. Petersburg ,
• the Junior Prize at the Nagoya International Ballet Competition in 2002;
• Daphne Prize (2004);
• German Critics Choice Award (2005);
• Dancer of the Year (2007);
• Prize of Heinz Spoerli( 2007);
• Prize Benois de la Dance(2014);
• Kammertänzerin (2017);
• Dancer of the Year (2018).

In 2013 she became a professor of Staatliche Ballett Schule in Berlin, Germany.

The Canadian-British dancer James Stout (Calgary) got interested in dance through his parents’ Argentinian tango dance club. From an early age, he helped out as a dance partner at the milongas (dance evenings). He went on to take lessons in ballroom and ballet, among other things. At the age of thirteen, he went to The School of Alberta Ballet – “because they needed boys”.

Later on, James trained with the Goh Ballet Academy in Vancouver; a period of tough, completely Chinese-oriented training that he says formed him. The final year of James’s training was spent at The Royal Ballet School in London.

Partly due to his great admiration for the former star principal Sofiane Sylve, James decided to join Dutch National Ballet in 2007, where he was promoted to soloist in season 2012-2013. Since 2018, James has been a principal with Dutch National Ballet; his promotion came immediately after his performance of the role of Tristan in David Dawson’s Tristan + Isolde. James succeeded in reaching the finals of ballet competitions in Varna, Hong Kong and Beijing.

Aidos Zakan began his training in1997 at Anna Selezneva School in Almaty, Kazachstan, and graduated in 2005 from Vaganova Academy of Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia.

2006-2009 he was a soloist at Musa Dshalil theatre before joining Mikhaylovskiy Theatre, St. Petersburg in 2009. 2010, he became a member of Stanislavski- and Nemirovich-Danchenko theatre, Moscow and in 2013 was engaged as a soloist with Boston Ballet company. His repertoire comprises parts as Siegfried („Swan Lake“), Prince Désiré in „Sleeping Beauty“, Albert in „Giselle“, James in „La Sylphide“ and Basile in „Don Quichotte“.

At the Vaganova Competition 2006 he was awarded with the prizes.

Other awards include Arabesque-2010 in Donetsk, Ukraine, and Korean International ballet competition in 2010 and 2011.

In december 2015, Aidos joined Aalto Ballett Essen as a soloist with group commitments and has performed roles like Karl („The Nutcracker“), Basile („Don Quichotte“) and solistic parts in „Queen“.

Liudmila Konovalova was born in Moscow (Russia). She graduated from Moscow Bolshoi Ballet Academy and joined the Russian State Ballet in 2002. In 2004 she was appointed First Soloist and danced the leading roles. In 2007 she joined the Staatsballett Berlin and was appointed Soloist in 2009. In 2010 she joined the Wiener Staatsballett as a Soloist and was promoted to First Soloist in 2011.

She has appeared as a guest dancer in many European Countries and overseas.
During the season 2013/14 she joined the Ballet de l'Opéra National de Bordeaux, the Slovenské národné divadlo, the Teatro dell ‘Opera di Roma and the Tokyo Ballet as a guest soloist.
In March 2016 (London Coliseum) she had the honor to take part in the Ave Maya Gala in memory of Maya Plisetskaya.
For the ORF DVD production of “Der Nussknacker'' in the choreography of Rudolf Nureyev she danced the main role of Clara.

She has received many awards and honors:
3rd Place in the competition “Young Russian Ballet” in Krasnodar (2004).
Special Price from the Serge Lifar Ballet Competition in Kiev (2006).
2nd Place in the International Ballet Competition KIBC in Seoul.
1st Place in the ÖTR-Contest in Vienna (2007)
1st Place in the Ballet Competition “Premio Roma” (2007).
Premio Capri Danza International (2018).

In June 2019 Liudmila Konovalova was honoured by the Russian Embassy in Vienna for her merits of the cultural relation between Russia and Austria.

Alexei Timofeyev is a Soloist Dancer at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg.

He graduated from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in 2004, in class of Gennady Selyutsky and he joined the Mariinsky Theatre that same year.

His awards include 3rd prize in the VII International Ballet Competition of Seoul. Diploma in the XI International Competition of Ballet Dancers and Choreographers of Moscow and in the XVI International Ballet Festival Rudolf Nureyev.

He has a wide repertoire as a soloist behind his back.

Alexey Popov was born in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova. He graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in 2010 and joined the Mariinsky Ballet the same year.

Popov has toured with the Mariinsky Ballet to Italy, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, the USA and Great Britain.

In 2014 he won the first prize at the Yuri Grigorovich World Youth Ballet International Competition.

He joined the Bayerisches Staatsballett in the 2016/2017 season as first soloist and was promoted to principal in September 2019. There he interpreted many principal roles such as James in La Sylphide, Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, Le Spectre de la Rose or Tchaikovsky-Pas de deux.

In July he will begin a new contract in the Vienna State Ballet as Principal Dancer, where he is being very awaited.

Evgeniya Victory Gonzalez was born in St. Petersburg, Russia.

In 2015 she completed her education at the Royal Swedish Ballet School. During her time at the Ballet School, she has been practicing and appeared several times on stage at the Royal Swedish Opera.

Evgeniya is a former student of Russian Master Ballet Camp.

From 2015 until 2018 she was a dancer at the Mariinsky Theater Ballet Company in St. Petersburg.
From 2018 until 2019 Evgeniya was a member of the Bavarian State Opera Ballet Campany.
In 2019, she became a demi-Soloist of the Czech National Ballet in Prague, where in April 2021 she was made a soloist.

Evgeniya has danced at prestigious ballet galas with the Russian Master Ballet Stars Gala, the Veterans Aid Charity in London and the Ballet Summer Estonia Gala.
In 2014, she received the third prize at the International Nordic Baltic Ballet Competition in Sweden, Falun and the Grand Prix at the Jeune Ballet Mediterranean in France, Grasse.

One of the most outstanding European artists and choreographers, Denis Untila, will be one of the invited artistsfor the Stars Gala.

Denis Untila began his dance career in his homeland, Moldova, and completed his training by graduating from the Vienna Conservatory. He joined the Ballet Kiel in 2001 under the direction of Mario Schröder as a soloist. He performed as a guest dancer in Schröder’s choreography “The Wall” in Essen in 2004. Further guest appearances have taken him to the Moldovan National Opera, and to Salzau, France and Italy (“Europe Dance”), then to the ballet company of the Vienna State Opera, where he performed in “The Nutcracker” and as Oscar in Vladimir Malakhov’s ballet “A Masked Ball”.

Since the autumn of 2006 Denis has been a member of the Aalto Ballet Essen, firstly as a group dancer with solo obligations and then from 2009 as a soloist with group commitments. On the Aalto stage he has danced solo roles as Dmitri (“The Brothers Karamazov“), Valerio (“Leonce and Lena”), Blue Bird (“Sleeping Beauty”), Bécaud (“La vie en rose”), Lillas Pastia (“Carmen/Boléro”), Moritz (“Max and Moritz), as well as further soloist roles in “Homage to Queen” and “Irish Soul”. He has also choreographed “The Soldier’s Tale” (Family Concert), “Game” (“PTAH”) and together with Michelle Yamamoto, “Alice” (“PTAH II”), "Jo“ and "Passacaglia“ ("PTAH III“). In the 2012/2013 season he choreographed his first full-length ballet “Othello” for the Aalto Theatre. Denis Untila is the winner of the Aalto Stage Prize for young artists 2012. After successfully creating „Vibrations“ for Essener Philharmonie, he presents a new choreography in 2018: „Moving Colours“, together with Armen Hakobyan.

Alejandro Virelles is a distinguished Principal Dancer born in Cuba, known for his exceptional  talent and captivating performances. His journey in the world of ballet began at the prestigious National Ballet School of Cuba, where he honed his skills and developed a profound love for the art form.

Throughout his illustrious career, Alejandro has participated in numerous competitions and received esteemed accolades. In 2002, he triumphed at the International Ballet Competition of Ballet Schools in Havana, securing the Gold medal and a Special Prize. In 2004, his exceptional talent earned him the Silver medal at the Varna International Competition, followed by another Gold medal at the International Ballet Competition of Ballet Schools in Havana.

Alejandro's artistic endeavours have taken him to various renowned ballet companies across the globe. He graced the stage as a Principal Dancer with the Cuban National Ballet until 2009, showcasing his remarkable skill and artistry. From 2009 to 2014, he enchanted audiences with his performances as a member of both the Barcelona Ballet and the Boston Ballet. In 2014, Alejandro joined the English National Ballet as a Principal Dancer, leaving a lasting impression with his breathtaking interpretations. In 2017, he became a Principal Dancer at the prestigious Bayerisches Staatsballett, and in 2018, he further enriched his career as a Principal Dancer at the Staatsballett Berlin.

Alejandro's extensive repertoire showcases his versatility and mastery of various ballet classics. Under the guidance of acclaimed choreographers, he has embodied iconic roles such as Siegfried in Marius Petipa's "Swan Lake," Albrecht in Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot's "Giselle," and Prince Desiré in Petipa's "Sleeping Beauty." He has also breathed life into characters like Franz in Ronald Hynd's "Coppélia" and the Prince in Frederick Ashton's "Cinderella." Alejandro's interpretations of George Balanchine's works have mesmerised audiences, including his performances in "Jewels" ("Diamonds" and "Emerald") and Alexei Ratmansky's "La Bayadère" as Solor.

In Berlin, Alejandro has enriched the dance landscape with his artistry. His repertoire with the Staatsballett Berlin includes standout performances in Alexei Ratmansky's "La Bayadère" as Solor, George Balanchine's "Theme and Variations" as part of the "Balanchine | Forsythe | Siegal" program, and the captivating "Diamonds" Pas de deux from Balanchine's "Jewels." He has also portrayed Prince Sigfried in Patrice Bart's rendition of "Swan Lake," Romeo in John Cranko's "Romeo and Juliet," James in August Bournonville's "La Sylphide," and showcased his talent in duets such as George Williamson's "Mesh." Additionally, Alejandro's captivating performances include David Dawson's "Voices" and the compelling title role in John Cranko's "Onegin."

Beyond his accomplishments on stage, Alejandro Virelles has been a cultural ambassador, gracing audiences in Russia, the United States, and South America and Asia (China, Hong Kong and Japan) with his guest performances. His artistic excellence and commitment to his craft have garnered him widespread acclaim, establishing him as a true luminary in the world of ballet.

Alejandro's journey as a Principal Dancer is a testament to his unwavering dedication, extraordinary talent, and profound passion for ballet. With each performance, he continues to inspire and captivate audiences worldwide, leaving an indelible mark on the art form he holds dear.

Yolanda Correa was born in Cuba and studied in the Vocational School of Art Holguín and in the Cuban State Ballet School Havana.

Before coming to Oslo, she danced with the Cuban National Ballet, where she was given the highest accolade of primera bailarina.  She was also the Principal Dancer of the StaatsBallett Berlin. Then Yolanda came to Oslo and became a Principal Dancer with the Norwegian National Ballet.

She has received several awards:
1999 Winner of the “International Meeting of Ballet Academies”
2010 “Grand Prix Giuliana Penzi”
2012 “Premio Positano”: best female newcomer
2014 “Wilhelmsen Holding ASA Company Award for Opera and Ballet”
2014 Nomination “Benois de la Danse” as best female dancer

She has also been guest artist in many international companies: Royal Swedish Ballet Stockholm, Ballet of Teatro di San Carlo Napoli, The Kremlin Ballet Moscow, Ballet of Kazan, Compañía Nacional de Danza Madrid.

Her vast classical and contemporary repertoire includes among others:
Snow Queen and the Sugar Plum Fairy. Dina Bjørn’s Nutcracker
Odette-Odile. Alicia Alonso’s Swan Lake
Kitri. Alicia Alonso’s Don Quixote
Aurora. Cynthia Harvey’s Sleeping Beauty
Tatiana. Cranko’s Onegin
Giselle. Alicia Alonso’s Giselle
Juliet. Cranko’s Romeo & Juliet
Cinderella. Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella
Medora. Grigorovich’s  L’Corsaire
Esmeralda. Grigorovich’s L’Esmeralde
Duato’s Multiplicity
Tiger Lily
Stepping Stones
Tetley’s Voluntaries

Bakhtiar was born in the city of Saryozeke, Almaty region. He graduated from the Almaty Choreographic School named after A.V. Seleznev (2003-2011). From 2011 to 2013 - soloist of Astana Opera and Ballet Theatre. Since 2013 he had been a soloist of State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre named after Abay. Since 2015 he has been the principal soloist of Astana Opera.

Awards:
Prize-winner at the VII International Competition of Choreographic Schools of Siberia (Novosibirsk, 2008);
Diploma of the International KIBC Contest (South Korea, 2009);
Prize-winner at the International Contest of Ballet Artists "Arrow" (2010);
The holder of the scholarship of the First President of RK NA. Nazarbayev (2010-2011);
Laureate of the 1st prize of the International Festival of Creative Youth "Shabyt" (2012);
The winner of the II Prize of the International Ballet Competition "Grand Prix of Siberia" (Krasnoyarsk, 2014);
Grand Prix of the V International Ballet Competition in Istanbul (Turkey, July 8, 2016);
Laureate of the 1st Prize of the XIII International Dance Contest in Seoul (South Korea, August 10, 2016);
Grand Prix of the III International Ballet Competition in Astana (September 16, 2016);
Grand Prix of the International Competition of Ballet Dancers VKIBC (New York, USA, 2017);
Prize-winner at the XIII International Competition of Ballet and Choreographers in Moscow (Russia, 2017).

Repertoire:
Spartacus (Spartak A. Khachaturyan)
Benvolio ("Romeo and Juliet" by S. Prokofiev)
The Jester ("The Swan Lake" by P. Tchaikovsky)
Syrym ("Karagoz" G. Zhubanova)
Nutcracker-Prince (The Nutcracker by P. Tchaikovsky)
Nurali ("The Fountain of Bakhchisarai" by B. Asafyev)
Solor (La Bayadère by L. Minkus)
Quasimodo (Notre Dame de Paris)
Basil (Don Quixote by L. Minkus)
Lesko ("Manon" to the music of J. Massenet)

Born in Uruguay, Nelson López Garlo began his music studies at an early age, later discovering his passion for classical dance.

In 2004 he entered the SODRE National Dance School where he graduated, complementing his studies in Buenos Aires. Later he became a member of the Joven Ballet de Uruguay company.

In 2009 he entered the Sodre Dance Corps with the second best qualification of all alumni. Next year Nelson López joined the Argentine company Ballet Concierto de Iñaki Urlezaga, giving performances in Argentina and in various parts of the world.
In 2011 he returned to his country, Uruguay, to join the Ballet Nacional del Sodre as a dance group under the direction of Julio Bocca.

In 2019 Nelson López ventured into stage and costume design, playing this role for the dance company Telón Arriba, a resident of the Solis Theater. A year later he joined the German company Deutsche Oper am Rhein as a soloist under the direction of the choreographer Demis Volpi, where he remains to this day.

Nelson López has covered both the classical and contemporary repertoire, participating in works by Balanchine, John Cranko, Jirí Kylián, Nacho Duato, Boris Eiffman, Twyla Tharp, Sharon Eyal, Roland Petit, among others, performing roles in the dance troupe as well as soloist and major.

The South Korean dancer Young Gyu Choi started dancing at the age of eight on his mother’s initiative. “I wasn’t immediately enthusiastic, but after a few lessons I stopped thinking about it and just went”, he says. At the age of ten, he was admitted to the ballet course at the Sun Hwa Arts School in Korea, and in 2006 he continued his training at the Tanz Akademie in Zurich, Switzerland.

Young danced with the Korean National Ballet and Universal Ballet Korea, both in Seoul. He entered the Dutch National Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2011. In 2013, he was promoted no less than twice: first to coryphée and later in the year to soloist. He then danced leading roles in Don Quixote and Cinderella, among others. On the first of January 2016, immediately after his debut as the prince in The Nutcracker and The Mouse King, he was promoted to principal.

Young also frequently performs as a guest principal dancer with leading international companies.

Young has received several awards.
2017, Alexandra Radius Award.
2010, Boston International Competition, 1st.
2010, Ballet Competition (Varna, Bulgaria), 1st.
2007, Youth America Grand Prix (New York City, United States), 1st.

Born in Madrid. He began his training at the age of eleven at the Carmina Ocaña and Pablo Savoye Ballet School.

While studying intensive courses at Russian Masters Ballet in 2016, he was noticed and accepted into the famous Vaganova Ballet Academy. In September 2016 he moved to St. Petersburg and after graduating two years later from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in the class of Alexei Iliyn, he joined the corps de ballet of the Mariinsky Theatre Ballet Company under the direction of Yuri Fateev.

In the repertoire of this company he performed in ballets such as Giselle, Don Quixote, The Corsair, Raymonda, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty, as well as in Anna Karenina (Alexei Ratmansky), Cinderella (Alexei Ratmansky), The Little Humpbacked Horse (Alexei Ratmansky), Firebird (Michel Fokine), Leningrad´s Symphony (Igor Belsky), Legend of Love (Yuri Grigorovich), Shurale (Leonid Yakobson), The Fountain of Bakhchisarai (Rostislav Zakharov), The Bronze Horseman (Rostislav Zakharov, Yuri Smekalov).

He has also performed semi-solo and solo roles in Sylvia (Frederick Ashton), The Sylphide (August Bournonville), Bayadère (Marius Petipa), Scheherezade (Michel Fokine), Carmen Suite (Alberto Alonso), Le Sacre du Printemps (Vaslav Nijinsky), Romeo and Juliet (Leonid Lavrovsky), Le Parc (Angelin Preljocaj), Spartacus (Leonid Yakobson), The Stone Flower (Yuri Grigorovich) and The Nutcracker (Vasili Vainonen and Chemiakin).

In September 2022 he joined the Compañía Nacional de danza, under the artistic direction of Joaquín de Luz.