Veronika Part
Veronika Part | |
|---|---|
| Born | 21 February 1978 |
| Occupation | Ballet Dancer |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Career | |
| Current group | American Ballet Theatre |
Veronika Part (born 21 February 1978 in St Petersburg) is a Russian ballet dancer and Principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre
Early life
Veronika was born in St Petersburg and began competing as a rhythmic gymnast at the age of 4,[1] She auditioned at her parents suggestion for the Vaganova Ballet Academy aged 10; her mother was told by a nurse at the hospital when she was born that Veronika had very long legs and would make an excellent ballerina.[2] Although Veronika resisted she passed the audition because of her physique and ear for music, she spent eight years there and graduated in 1996.
Career
On graduation from Vaganova (class of Inna Zubkovskaya[3]) Veronika moved directly to the Mariinsky Theatre where she began immediately to dance soloist roles, from 1998-2002. The Mariinsky toured extensively during this time and Veronika danced in many different countries on many continents. She became frustrated at her lack of progress and being overlooked for principal even though she was dancing principal roles and began to look around in Europe for the opportunities.
Veronika first performed in New York City in 1999 with the Mariinsky cast as the Lilac Fairy and caught the attention of American Ballet Theatre director Kevin McKenzie. When she returned three years later in the role of Odette/Odile in Swan Lake McKenzie invited her to join as a soloist with the company. She was promoted to Principal in May 2009.[4] Veronika returned to the Mariinsky in 2012 at the request of Gergiev the company's director and conductor to dance the guest principal roles in Swan Lake. She also has taken part in projects run by the Metropolitan Opera and the Kennedy Center[5] and worked with Judith Jamison and Suzanne Farrell.[3]
She created Natalia in On the Dnieper, Emilia in The Moor's Pavane[6] and was part of the cast in Within You Without You: A Tribute to George Harrison.[7] Emilia in Limons Moor's Pavane
She was the winner of the BALTIKA Prize in 1999.[3][4]
Roles
Kirov
- Nikiya in La Bayadère
- The Queen of the Dryads in Don Quixote
- Myrta, Moyna and Zulma in in Giselle
- Raymonda and Henrietta in Raymonda
- The Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty
- Odette-Odile in Swan Lake
- She also danced roles in George Balanchine's Apollo (Terpsichore), Jewels (Emeralds and Diamonds), Symphony in C (second movement) and Serenade, and in John Neumeier's The Sounds of Empty Pages.
ABT
- Terpsichore in Apollo
- Nikiya in La Bayadère
- Zina in The Bright Stream
- The Fairy Godmother in Frederick Ashton's Cinderella
- Twig in James Kudelka's Cinderella
- Prayer in Coppélia
- Odalisque in Le Corsaire
- Kitri, Mercedes and the Queen of the Driads in Don Quixote
- The Glove Seller in Gaîté Parisienne
- Myrta in Giselle
- An Episode in His Past in Jardin aux Lilas
- Manon in Lady of the Camellias
- Lescaut's Mistress in Manon
- Leading roles in Ballet Imperial, The Leaves Are Fading and Mozartian
- His Wife in The Moor's Pavane
- The Sugar Plum Fairy and the Snow Queen in Kevin McKenzie's The Nutcracker
- Clara, the Princess in Alexei Ratmansky's The Nutcracker
- Emilia in Othello, Other Dances
- The Chief Nursemaid in Petrouchka
- Eldest Sister in Pillar of Fire*The Polovtsian Princess in the Polovtsian Dances
- Raymonda, Henrietta, the White Lady and the Lead Spanish Dancer in Raymond
- Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet
- Princess Aurora and the Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty
- Odette-Odile, the Polish Princess and a Big Swan in Swan Lake
- The Sylph in La Sylphide
- Sylvia more in SylaviaSS
- The leading roles in Les Sylphides, Symphonie Concertane and Symphony #9
- Terpsichore in Sylvia, the second movement in Symphony in C
References
- ^ "Q&A with Veronika Part, Vimeo".
- ^ "Dance magazine, Russian Soul".
- ^ a b c VERONIKA PART, Mariinsky Theatre
- ^ a b "Veronika Part Principal Dancer, ABT".
- ^ "Veronika Part Biography".
- ^ Veronika Part, NYC Dance Project
- ^ Ballet Theater Review; , Hope and Lyric Rock From the Gentle Beatle By ANNA Kisselgoffoct. 21, 2002