I came to Russia to study ballet because I believe that the best ballet in the world is in Russia and that the male classical school to be superior in Moscow. 

Many memories stand out from my studies at the Academy. I remember working on the pas de deux from Giselle with my incredible duet teacher, George K. Gusev. He also set a neoclassical duet on my partner and me. Classes like ballet history, historical dance, character dance, and theatre history were very interesting and proved to be indispensable to my career.

My favorite dance teacher in the Academy was George K. Gusev. He made classes and rehearsals interesting, accessible, and challenging. I overcame many technical and psychological hurdles under his guidance. He taught me how to ‘cheat’ certain movements and explained the best ways for a dancer of my height to move. I also enjoyed classes with my acting teacher, Anna E. Melovatsakaya. She believed in my capabilities as a ‘dancing actor’.

After graduating from the Academy, I started my career as a dancer in the corps de ballet at the Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg. In 2018, I was promoted to the rank of soloist. In 2020, I was promoted to the rank of leading soloist. Over the course of my career at Eifman Ballet, I’ve danced leading roles in the current repertoire. Currently is a second soloist at Boston Ballet.

One of the most important things I learned at the Academy was said by my classical ballet teacher, Mikhail Y. Sharkov – “Exhaustion is your profession.” We recited this as a whole class, almost tongue-in-cheek. This actually helped many of us get through difficult times at the Academy, and continues to help me in my career.

In terms of short-term goals, I look forward to my personal technical and artistic improvement, while pushing the boundaries of contemporary dance at Eifman Ballet.

I’d like to wish the best of luck to those who think about applying for the Bolshoi Academy. It’s a challenging, multifaceted experience. In my time, I gained a whole profession, indispensable knowledge and skills, and friends for the rest of my life.