| Gabrielle with Valery Lantratov during class |
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| with Valery Lantratov June 21, 2009 |
| Rebecca, Kellie, Kayli & Tabitha during class |
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| with Valery Lantratov - June 21, 2009 |
Russian Ballet Master Valery Lantratov, currently the Artistic Director with
the Russian National Ballet Foundation, will conduct master classes open to all area ballet students. The renowned Russian
dancer will lead classes for both intermediate and advanced level ballet students on Sunday, June 21st, at STARZ Performing
Arts Academy in downtown Bluefield, Virginia.
Lantratov has had a distinguished career as a dancer in
the companies of Vladimir Vasiliev, Maya Plitsetskaya and Ekaterina Maximova and international tours with Rudolf Nureyev.
Most recently he has made international headlines for his role as Czar Nicholas II in a production of the new ballet “Rasputin,”
with Farouk Ruzimatov of the Marinsky Theater (Kirov). It premiered last year in St. Petersburg, Russia.
A graduate
of the Moscow Academic Choreographic College, Lantratov was selected as a first soloist with the Moscow Stanislavski Ballet.
With the theater he danced principal roles in such ballets as Don Quixote, Copellia and Romeo and Juliet. He has received
accolades in the Russian and international press for his strong technique, personality and expressiveness.
In 1993, Lantratov began working for the Kremlin Ballet. This same year, he formed the Russian National Ballet Foundation.
He has toured as a solo guest artist in such countries as Japan, Germany, Italy, Greece, France, Portugal, Spain and the United
States. The Russian National Ballet Foundation has toured in Europe, Asia, The Middle East and the United States.
In 1997, Russian President Boris Yeltsin named Valery Lantratov “People’s Artist of Russia,” the Russian
Federation’s highest artistic honor. Lantratov holds a teaching certificate from Russia’s renowned National Academy
of Theatrical Arts- GITIS. For three years, Lantratov served as a guest instructor at the Boston Ballet.
With his
Russian National Ballet Foundation, Lantratov is able to realize his goal of introducing new audiences throughout the world
to some of the finest classical works of Russia. “No matter what might happen between the countries in the world,”
Lantratov explains, “dance can deliver peace, compassion and art—eternal values.”
