Tell us about your dance studies
I started dancing from an early age. My parents sent me to a local art school in the city where I was born. I will be honest, I didn’t understand then that it will become my profession for many years, but I really liked it. The rehearsal process, performing on stage, communicating with the artists, it all felt right for me. After a couple of years of dance school, my teachers advised my parents to try my chances to the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg. I was 11 years old. From that moment my big journey began. I passed the entrance rounds to the Academy and I was accepted. I studied there for 9 years. This period certainly shaped me as a person. It was a very difficult time, but at the same time incredibly beautiful. At the Academy, I acquired those famous traditions of Russian ballet.
Tell us about your dance career
After graduating from the Academy, I was immediately accepted to the Mariinsky Theater. I worked there for five years. I was incredibly lucky because quite quickly I developed a large and diverse repertoire. Including classical roles ,neoclassical and a lot of contemporary experiences. From the third year of working at the theater, I had a personal teacher who prepared all my solo roles with me. His name is Vladimir Kim. It was he who opened up a huge love for a classical ballet in me and greatly improved my ballet skills. I owe him a lot. After the fifth season at the theater, I left Russia. And I received an offer from David Hallberg (artistic director of the Australian Ballet) to join the company. I very quickly agreed, because I believe that David is one of the best and brightest dancers of our time and working in the company under his leadership will be an invaluable and wonderful experience for me. And so it happened. At the moment, I have been working with the Australian Ballet for 2.5 years.
How was your experience in Mariinsky Theatre?
This was my formation as a professional ballet dancer. Of course, this continues to this day. But I got my foundation at the Mariinsky Theater. Especially when I started working with Vladimir Kim. The Mariinsky Theater is a huge machine with an incredible amount of work. More than 200 artists work there, it is the largest company in the world. It was a priceless experience from small to leading roles. In addition, I made real friends there, with whom I am still in touch . The Mariinsky Theater teaches you to appreciate and love your profession, as well as to preserve and pass on the traditions of ballet. Which is credo of my life .
Tell us about your experience in Australian Ballet
The Australian Ballet has given me incredible opportunities to work with ballet legends. I am talking about our permanent artistic staff, and also about guest teachers. Here I have found great support and stability in our profession. I am happy that I have the chance to continue to develop as an artist here not only physically, but also mentally. Strong mental health is a very important factor in our industry. And the Australian Ballet is certainly best in this aspect. In this company, I have performed my dream roles, such as Siegfried in «Swan Lake», Armand in «Marguerite and Armand», «Etudes» and so on. And I have many more wonderful roles to perform here. I can say that the Australian Ballet has welcomed me very warmly and has given me a great and bright future.
How did you feel when you got promoted soloist in 2023 for the Australian Ballet?
I was on cloud nine! I worked hard and my work was rewarded. But I am also very grateful to David Hallberg for believing in me and for all the opportunities to prove myself that he gives me. Without him, this wouldn’t have happened.
Do you have a favourite repertoire?
I love storytelling ballets, my strong skill is acting, I think. Every character with a story in ballet is a great opportunity to be someone else on stage. This is the main magic of ballet for me.
Do you have a favourite dancing role?
This can be listed for a long time. I can name a couple that I have already performed. As I said earlier, Siegfried and Armand. These roles were my personal highlight of the last season. But there are also many more roles that I will perform in the future. For example, next season we are showing "Manon", I dream of performing the leading role in this ballet.
Tell us a curiosity about you
There are not many. Perhaps, that no one from my family is connected with art. And I am the only one who started to get interested in it. My father is an engineer, my mother works in the medical industry, I think they never expected that my life would turn out exactly like this. But all my life I have a great support from my family, for which I am very grateful to them.
Tell us about an important moment of your career
Every time I go on stage is very important to me, it is a huge indicator of all the work I have put in ,to be at the level where I am now. I can’t single out any particular moment, they are all very special to me. Of course, when you work or perform a role you have dreamed of, it is remembered for a long time. Or you work with people who are a role model or an idol for you. You value this moments especially. But basically my whole ballet life is a highlight for me.
What are you doing when you are not working?
I try to rest and recover. In a moments when I have enough free time I attend cultural events, concerts, exhibitions. All of this is a great inspiration for me. Also ,I hang out with my friends . I walk a lot. In general, I do the most ordinary and normal things.
Photos by Pierre Toussaint