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.

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.

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.

Riccardo Riccardi is an esteemed Italian dancer and Maître de Ballet, whose artistic journey is closely connected with the prestigious Vaganova Academy in St. Petersburg.
From 1985 to 2012, he performed with Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, sharing the stage with such legends as Carla Fracci, Vladimir Vasiliev, Ekaterina Maximova, Rudolf Nureyev, and Roland Petit.

A graduate of the Vaganova Academy (1994), Riccardi later served as Ballet Master at Teatro di San Carlo and I.A.L.S. in Rome. His teaching reflects the depth and precision of the Vaganova Method, to which he has dedicated much of his career.

Since the mid-1990s, he has pioneered teacher training programs based on this method, including the Master for Ballet Teachers on the Vaganova Method project with Danzainfiera, and launched the first online Vaganova course in 2022. His international teaching experience spans the USA, Singapore, Malaysia, Canada, and Europe.

Riccardi has also contributed to several publications dedicated to ballet heritage, including works on Enrico Cecchetti and the Vaganova Method.

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

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.

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.

Anna Ksenyk is a professional ballet dancer, classical ballet teacher, and certified Pilates instructor. She holds a Master’s degree in Choreography from the Kyiv University of Culture and is a graduate of the Kyiv State Ballet School, trained under the Vaganova system.

After eight years of intensive classical training, Anna performed leading classical repertoire as a soloist with the National Opera House of Ukraine and the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. Alongside her stage career, she continuously develops her pedagogical approach through advanced body-conditioning systems.

In her teaching, Anna combines the precision and expressiveness of the Russian classical school with modern training methods used by professional dancers today, including RAD, Cecchetti, Pilates, Knyazev gymnastics, Progressing Ballet Technique, and ballet conditioning. She is also the creator of her own specialized approach, Pilates for Dancers.

As an active performing artist and teacher, Anna offers students a unique perspective on contemporary ballet training - bridging classical tradition with the evolving demands of today’s professional stage.

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.