Nina Sorokyna Honored Artist of Russia Federation Professor Ballet, Pointe, Variations Nina Sorokina graduated the Moscow Academy Ballet School of Bolshoi Theatre under S.Golovkina. From 1961 till 1988, she worked at the Bolshoi Theatre and her teacher was a unique ballerina and teacher Marina Semyonova. She received the Gold medal at the 1st International Ballet Competition in Moscow with M. Baryshnikov and the Gold medal at International Ballet Competition in 1966 in Varna. Nina Sorokina was a principal ballerina of the Bolshoi Theatre and she was the performer of leading parties of classical and modern repertoire. She stands out because of her gracefulness and her technicality accomplishments in dance and drama talents. She was a first Kitri for of A. Godunov’s debut as Basil in the ballet "Don Quixote". And of course throughout her career she danced with Yurie Vladiminov, Michael Lavrovsky, Maris Lyepa and other famous ballet dancers of the Russian Ballet.

Nina Sorokina, with other dancers, had starred in many movies, such as: "Mischievous Ditties" (1970), "Choreographic novels" (1973), "Dancing of Nina Sorokina and Michael Lavrovsky" (1982) and others. She had received the award "Golden Star" at the International Festival of Dance in Paris in 1970. In 1987 she was named People’s favorite artist in USSR. In 1988 she was the ballet director of the company "Stars of Bolshoi Theatre." New Your Times, June 1989: "Yuri Vladimirov, the Spartacus and Ivan the Terrible of Yuri Grigorovich's ballets of the same name, and Nina Sorokina, the exuberant Sleeping Beauty of that period, are on the tour. At the other extreme, Boris Yefimov, an unknown until he served as Maya Plisetskaya's ubiquitous partner in Sarah Caldwell's American-Soviet festival last spring in Boston, was also on hand." Anna Kisselgoff High achievements in the art of dance are connected with Nina Sorokina's name. Today she is the leading teacher of the Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (GITIS). She is a professor in the department of choreography in GITIS for discipline of "methods and composition of classical dance", and "classical heritage." She is also the art director of seminars for teachers of classical dance.

Vadim Utkin Ballet, Partnering, Variation Vadim Anatolyevich Utkin was born in 1956 in Russia. In 1975 he finished Baku choreographic school as ballet dancer. That same year he was invited to work as a soloist of Azeirbayzhansk Academic Ballet Theatre of Opera and Ballet where he performed for more then 15 years. In 1990 Utkin joined Ballet troupe "Interballet" under the rule of People's Artiste of the USSR S. Adyrhayeva, as a leading soloist. The following year he entered Russian Academy of Theatre Art (GITIS- RATI), specializing in teaching and choreography. In 1992 Vadim Utkin became a leading soloist of the private ballet troupe of Mr. V. Burykin "Fouete".

A couple years after that Utkin started his teaching career. He became a ballet-teacher of the Choreographic Ballet-Teaching Department of the GITIS (RATI), disciplines: the methods of classical dance, the methods of duet dance, the composition of classical dance, the composition of duet dance. After that he received a job as docent and senior methodist of the Choreographic Ballet-Teaching Department of the GITIS (RATI), a ballet-teacher of the Moscow School of Choreography, and disciplines: classical, duet and folk (character) dance. Finally, Utkin became an advisor and ballet-teacher in the company "Kaitani-ballet", Tokyo. Vadim Utkin is happily married with two daughters. Along with performing activities, he has been a choreographer, producer and teacher of many performances, programs and concerts’ miniatures for over 25 years. In ballet performances he creatively worked with well known activists and choreographers of the country.

Elena Shegaleva Character Classes, Historical Classes Elena Shegaleva was the lead of the choreography department in GITIS (Russian Academy of Theatre Arts) and a teacher of choreography in the subjects of methods and composition for folk stage dancing and the heritage of folk dances. In the time that she was working in the State Musical Theatre (1972-1982), she had the principal roles in "Lady and the Hooligan", "Flames of Paris", "Blue Danube", "Koppelia", and had danced in many ballet concerts. She had also had leads in many famous ballets. Elena Shegaleva had received awards for her astonishing achievements in dancing.

Elena Shegaleva had graduated with honors from GITIS. While attending GITIS, she had been educated by masters of the art of ballet, for instance Tatyana Vasileva-Rashdestvenskaya (who was the founder of the method of folk stage dancing), Vladimir Vaselev, Marina Semoinova, Lev Galavanof, and Yvgenie Valukin. She had earned a high level of education in choreography from the formerly mentioned professors. Elena Shegaleva's methods of teaching are very well thought through. She generates a creative atmosphere during her lessons. She has been a teacher of the most qualified dancers, in the subjects of classical and folk stage dancing. Elena Shegaleva had directed a number of ballet performances in two of the most popular shows in Russia, "Master Class" and "Choreographic Miniatures", both of which were performed in GITIS. Elena Shegaleva has also been a jury person in Russian and International competitions for Children Choreography.

Nina Semizorova Ballet, Pointe, Variations Master Class Nina Semizorova is one of the talented Russian ballerinas making glory of the Russian ballet, the national actress of Russia. In 1977 she had been awarded the first premium and a gold medal at the third International competition of ballet dancers in Moscow. In 1978 under Galina Ulanova's invitation she had been invited to the Bolshoi Theatre and during her period of working in the Bolshoi Theatre, she became the principal ballerina and leads all ballet repertory of the theater with her legendary coach Galina Ulanova. In 1983 – Nina Semizorova acts on the ballet master faculty of GITIS. She has the qualification of teacher-ballet master.

Nina Semizorova actively participates in tours of the Bolshoi Theatre across America, Europe, Asia, and Japan. She participates in solo concerts in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kiev and other cities of Russia. She repeatedly leaves the Bolshoi Theatre to participate in performances with foreign troupes. She also participates in international concerts and festivals. Being the leading ballerina of ballet of the Bolshoi Theatre in 1996 Nina Semizorova starts to teach "The Technique of classical dance" at the GITIS. In 1999 at the Sixth International festival she was "The Star of World Ballet" for her great contribution to the art of ballet in the 20th century. "Miss Semizorova, technically, is more than that - an excellent technician whose attention to arms and head positions makes her project dance images that convey vitality even in stillness. Nonetheless, the 31-year-old Miss Semizorova, trained in Kiev and a member of the Bolshoi since 1978, has a genuine following in New York. She is an iron-hand-in-velvet-glove kind of dancer, reminiscent of the old-style Bolshoi ballerina but with more finesse in classical roles. She is capable of nuance. Raymonda's first appearance, so reminiscent of Aurora's in "The Sleeping Beauty," had a beautiful little scurry in her entrance here, and her solo in the Grand Pas had authority." By ANNA KISSELGOFF Published: July 16, 1987 New York Times

Vitaly Ahuondov

Ballet, partnering Vitaly Ahuondov was born on May 7 of 1960. In 1977, he finished the School of Ballet in Baku. In the same year he was invited to the Azerbaijan Academic Theatre of Ballet and Opera as a principal and performed in "Swan Lake", "The Nutcracker", "Don-Quixote", "Giselle", "Sleeping Beauty" and more. In 1998 finished with honors Russian Academy of Theatrical Art - GITIS, where he was invited as a teacher of ballet faculty. From 2000 he has been a professor of Russian Academy of Theatre Art and has been working as a dean of the ballet faculty. In 1999 created ballet theatre "GITIS" and Fund of Developing Russian Ballet Art, where he is the president. You can find more details about Vitaly Ahuondov at page about Fund of Developing of Russian Ballet Theatre (FDRB button)