• Ballet coach of the Dutch National Ballet
• Former soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre and former principal dancer of the Dutch National Ballet
• Graduated as an artist from the Vaganova Academy
• Former soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre and former principal dancer of the Dutch National Ballet
• Graduated as an artist from the Vaganova Academy
Larisa 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.
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.