Just before graduation, we had a lot of stage rehearsals, to get ready for the State Examination. I had a feeling we had been nearing something important milestone. I remember that our class was behind the schedule with the preparation for the Acting Techniques examination. Ms. Tatiana Pavlovich trained us for the exam, and we spared no time, working even on Sundays. Our teacher rehearsed with every one of us individually, spending long hours on our numbers. I felt unbelievable dedication and perseverance both on the part of my classmates and on the part of Ms. Pavlovich, our teacher. We were together in our desire to put up a good and respectable stage performance, and the grades sort of receded into the background. 

Denis Medvedev taught the Classical Dance to my class. We were his first class ever. He always tried to find a personal approach to each of his students, sharing his artistic and lifelong experiences. Mr. Medvedev did not just teach us; he has become our friend, and we still keep in touch.

My pas-de-deux teacher was Georgy Gusev. I found pas-de-deux easier to master, than classical dance. In pas-de-deux, I had an overwhelming sense of accountability for my lady partner, which is not as strong in other dance disciplines.

I love the layout of the Academy building. It is very compact and cozy. On the ground floor, we have management offices, the theater, the cafeteria, on the first floor – rehearsal halls, and on the second floor – general studies classrooms and the dormitory. The dormitory hosts both Russian and foreign students, who live in peace and harmony. There is a feeling of unity, which I especially liked.

Right after my graduation, I got a job offer from the Boris Eifman Ballet Theater in Sant Petersburg. At first, I worried I would miss the classical dance and repertoire, but it turned out that trying new styles and new techniques is a thrill. We give a lot of concerts, and our company tours a lot. The ceaseless activity is a merit of our profession. 

Keep working striving to grow professionally. I intend to study combat techniques since they are very useful for male dance.