On Saturday, July 13 we were honored to have Valery Lantratov teaching a ballet master class at our studio.
We are very proud of our students for the excellent work during the class.

Valery Lantratov,
Artistic Director,
Russian National Ballet Foundation
 
Valery 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) and for successful international tours of Don Quixote and original choreography for the annual festival for the goddess Aphrodite in Cypruss.
 
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.
Mr. Lantratov holds a teaching certificate Russia's renowned National Academy of Theatrical Arts- GITIS.*  For three years, Mr. 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, dance can deliver peace, compassion and art—eternal values.”
 
*GITIS' ballet department was founded in 1946 under A. Gorsky, R. Zakharov and Leonid Lavaovsky of the Bolshoi Ballet with equal state funding to the Bolshoi. It is the only institute in Russia to offer a diploma in choreography and direction for ballet theatre.  Its distinguished ballet masters include Vladimir Vassiliev (director of the Bolshoi, retired), Nadja Pavlova (prima ballerina absoluta of the Bolshoi, retired) and Katirina Maximova (prima ballerina absoluta of the Bolshoi, retired). 
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For the past two years, we have been hosting a Modern dance Workshop conducted by Andrew Cribbett.
Andrew Cribbett came to our studio on June 27 and 28 to teach two classes to students ages 7 to 12 and two classes to students ages 13 and up.
The event was broadcasted at the local news by WCIA.

Andrew Cribbett, originally from Thomasboro, Illinois, began his dance training at the age of six. He trained with Christine Rich and Luciana Rezende at the Christine Rich Studio Dance Academy and Performing Arts Center in Savoy, IL. At the age of 16, he received a full scholarship to The Washington School of Ballet in Washington D. C. He attended Duke Ellington School of the Arts to finish his senior year of High School. Andrew has received scholarships to attend summer intensives at Washington School of Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Rock School of Ballet in Philadelphia, and Faubourg Ballet Chicago. He is
a professional dancer with the Eisenhower Dance Company and a proud teacher.
Currently , Mr. Cribbett is
directing a Black Box Theatre, based in Detroit. ​
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This summer we are offering intensive training to our ballet students and we have brought several guest teachers.
Two of them are internationally renowned ballet teachers and came to our studio to share their knowledge with our students during our first two weeks.
Olena Nalyvaico, a former professional ballet dancer from Ukraine was at the studio on June 11 and 12 for ballet, pointe and variation classes.
From June 26 to 28 we were honored with the visit of Watmora Casey. Mr. Casey is the artistic director of Fauburg Theatre and has been recognized as outsanding teacher by various organizations like the Youth American Grand Prix and Dance Teacher Magazine to name a few. His students have gone out to dance in international professional dance companies.
Our summer intensives continue until August 2 featuring classes for students ages 9 to 12 in the mornings and classes for students ages 13 and older in the afternoons. Classes will be conducted by our staff, as well as by other guest teachers.