Yellowstone Ballet Company of Livingston announces an unprecedented opportunity for area youth to study Russian Method Ballet with Nikita Kusurgashev, a graduate of the famous Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow. Meet him at a reception, 4-6 p.m. Aug. 31 at Yellowstone Ballet studio, 109 S B Street, Livingston.
Kusergashev was one of 36 children selected to train at the famous Bolshoi Ballet Academy from a pool of 500 children who came from all over Russia for the audition. He studied Russian Ballet Technique at the academy for eight years. The program is rigorous and at the time of his graduation there were only three male students remaining in the class.
After graduation exams he was the only male student selected for the Bolshoi company by world-renowned Russian teacher and choreographer Yuri Grigorovich (then artistic director). Kussurgashev was immediately promoted to soloist, though it was unusual for the theatre hierarchy policy. He danced with the company for 10 years and then danced and choreographed for the Imperial Russian Ballet Theatre (Marinsky Ballet) in St Petersburg.
He has been teaching and choreographing in Russian since 2007. His students placed first and third in the Moscow Art-Music Festival.
Kusurgashev will share his knowledge of Russian Ballet Technique and Russian Folk Dance for beginner through advanced students during the 2017-’18 season, Sept. 6-June 1. The curriculum includes a men’s/boys’ class, all levels ballet technique, pas de deux, variations and Russian Folk Dance. He will also be teaching professional level ballet and pre-professional ballet classes, which require an audition.
Beginner and advanced classes are open to students from all regional ballet schools. Students are welcome to continue training at their home dance school and supplement their training with classes with Kusurgashev, held at Yellowstone Ballet School, 109 S B St., in Livingston.
For more information contact [email protected] or visit www.yellowstoneballet.org.