Having joined the Vaganova Academy in the tumultuous 1990s in Russia, Alexei Nedviga has witnessed the shifts of several generations of dancers in St. Petersburg. This experienced dancer has performed in works ranging from Forsythe to the entire Petipa repertoire, and 7 years ago returned to his roots – at the Vaganova Academy – where …
A delicate, poetic soul with a keen sense of both history and of her own place in the continuum of Russia’s classical traditions, Alisa Barinova is one of the Mariinsky Ballet’s newest faces. This 2024 graduate was the top of her class, and promoted to second soloist during her second season with the company. Read …
Former first soloist Maria Iliushkina, who has charmed audiences with her emotional sensitivity, legato grace, innate lyricism and poetic interpretations of key roles, was promoted to prima ballerina at the Mariinsky on September 19th, just prior to performing in “Swan Lake”. Artistic Director Andrian Fadeev made the announcement prior to curtain backstage. To read about …
Vyacheslav Samodurov’s “Tanz Tseni”, or “Dancing Scenes”, set to Igor Stravinsky’s Symphony in C, is a 30-minute modern ballet void of a storyline that offers unique step combinations in clever combinations against a backdrop of trendy, neon strip lighting and flashy costumes. The last ballet of an all-Stravinsky contemporary bill, the work premiered on April …