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.

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.

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.

Alexander Omar graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in 2004 and the same year he joined the Mikhailovsky Ballet Company.

His 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).

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.