Russian Masters Ballet

POSTED ON23.09.2026

Russian Masters Ballet returns to Madrid this Christmas for a new edition of its annual Winter Intensive – M adrid Ballet Experience, created for classical dance students aged 10 to 18.

From 26 to 30 December 2026, young dancers from different countries will meet in the Spanish capital for an intensive period of training at the Nacho Duato Academy, a beautiful and historic setting dedicated to dance, offering an inspiring atmosphere in which students can fully concentrate on their work.

And outside the studio, Madrid adds something of its own. During the Christmas period, the city becomes one of Europe’s most vibrant destinations, bringing together culture, theatre, museums, lights and the unmistakable atmosphere of the Spanish capital at the end of the year.

Intensive training with a highly experienced faculty

The programme offers approximately 4.5 hours of classes each day, including classical ballet, pointe work, repertoire, character dance and contemporary dance.

Groups are deliberately kept small, with a maximum of 16 students per group, allowing teachers to observe each dancer closely and work with greater individual attention.

One of the central strengths of the Madrid programme is its faculty.

Rather than bringing together teachers only for a single event, the Winter Intensive is taught by members of the permanent Russian Masters Ballet faculty — professionals with extensive stage and teaching careers, deep knowledge of classical ballet pedagogy and, in particular, strong expertise in the Vaganova Methodology.

Their work is united by the educational vision and programme developed by RMB: rigorous classical training, attention to technical detail, an understanding of each student’s individual stage of development, and the belief that technique must ultimately become a tool for musicality, expression and artistry.

The confirmed faculty includes Asiya Lukmanova, Director of Russian Masters Ballet, former soloist of the St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre and graduate as a teacher from the Vaganova Academy; Anna Podlesnaya, former principal soloist of the Yacobson Theatre, former teacher at the Boris Eifman Dance Academy and graduate of both the performing and pedagogical faculties of the Vaganova Academy; Dmitriy Shevtsov, permanent RMB teacher and graduate as a teacher from the Vaganova Academy; Olga Pavlova, former soloist of Perm Ballet Theatre and graduate as a classical dance teacher from the Bolshoi Theatre Academy; and Marianna Krivenko, former soloist of Eifman Ballet and a teacher formed within the St. Petersburg ballet tradition.

The programme is completed by Denis Untila, choreographer and contemporary dance teacher whose international stage career includes work as a soloist with Aalto Ballett Essen. His classes introduce students to a different movement language while complementing the strong classical foundation of the programme.

It is this continuity between methodology, faculty and programme that allows RMB to create an intensive where students are not simply taking a collection of masterclasses, but following a coherent period of training.

Ballet training — and the experience of Christmas in Madrid

For students aged 12 and over who choose to stay with Russian Masters Ballet, the programme can be extended through the complete Madrid Ballet Experience.

Alongside their daily training, students live and experience Madrid together through a programme that includes accommodation, full board, supervision, cultural activities, museum visits, city experiences and other leisure activities.

The aim is to create something broader than a course alone: a shared international experience in which ballet, culture, independence and new friendships become part of the same journey.

Train in Madrid — open the door to Summer 2027

The Winter Intensive also offers students an important opportunity for the following season.

Participation in Madrid will serve as an in-person audition for the Russian Masters Ballet Summer Intensives 2027 and for the RMB scholarship selection.

Instead of being evaluated through only a few exercises or a short audition, students participating in the course can be observed by the RMB faculty throughout their daily work: their technique, musicality, coordination, response to corrections, concentration, discipline and development during the programme.

This gives the teaching team a much broader understanding of each dancer and their potential.

How to apply

Places are strictly limited in order to maintain the quality of the training and the individual attention within each group.

New applicants should complete the RMB registration form and submit a video audition. Students who participated in an RMB Summer Intensive in 2026 do not need to audition again.

Applications are reviewed by the RMB pedagogical team and places are confirmed according to level and availability.