Uliana Lopatkina

Uliana is teaching masterclass in “Valdres sommerballet”.

Uliana was born on 23th of October 1973 in Kerch (Ukraine). From the early age, Uliana took dancing classes and was admitted to the Academy of Russian Ballet named after Vaganova (St.Petersburg) where she studied the art of dancing from Galina Novitskaya in primary school and Natalia Dudinskaya in higher school. Still being a student of the Academy, Uliana took won at Vaganova-Prix Competition (St.Petersburg, 1991).
After graduation from the Academy in 1991, Uliana joined Mariinsky theater company (St.Petersburg). In 1994 Uliana successfully made her debut as Odette/Odille in the “Swan Lake” ballet in St.Petersburg, for which she was awarded “Golden Sofit” as the best debut in St.Petersburg. In 1995 Uliana was called the principal dancer of Mariinsky theater where her teachers were Olga Moiseeva and Ninel Kurgapkina. Presently Uliana’s coach is Irina Chistyakova.

Among the leading roles of Uliana are: Gieselle, Medora in Corsaire, Nikya in La Bayadere, Raymonde, the Swan, Zobeida in Scheherazade, Mekhmeneh Bahnu in The Legend of Love,  Zarema in  The Fountain of Bakhchisarai, the ballets of Balanchine, Petit, Forsythe, Van Manen and many others.

Uliana danced at the most famous theaters of the world. Among them is the Mariinsky Theater in St.Petersburg, Bolshoy Theater in Moscow, Royal Opera House in London, Grand Opera de Paris, La Scala in Milan, Metropolitan Opera in New York, National theater of opera and ballet in Helsinki, NHK Hall in Tokyo.

Among achievements of Uliana is the title of Honoured Artist of Russia (2000), People’s Artist of Russia(2006).  In 1997 Uliana won the Golden Mask and Benois de la Dance, in 1998 – the premium of London critics “Evening Standard”, in 1999 was awarded the State premium of Russia. In 2010 Uliana performed at the closing ceremony of the Olympics in Vancouver (Canada).  The same year upon personal invitation from Opera de Paris Uliana performed the “Swan Lake”. In 2011 Uliana took part in Gala devoted to Galina Ulanova (London) and international gala Italy-Russia (Rome).

Uliana sees the birth of her daughter Masha in 2002 as one of the most important events in her life. Among ballerina’s hobbies are drawing, literature, classical music, interior design, and cinema.

There are historical links back to the late 1980´s when Uliana met Heidi Nesbakken (before marriage Johansen) – the oldest sister of Siri Johansen and Irene Jansson. Heidi visited Leningrad and had ballet classes with Natalia Dudinskaya´s class, together with 17-year old Uliana. This made a great impression to Heidi. Siri and Irene also later visited Leningrad and saw a class of Dudinskaya with Uliana on class, and will never forget what kind of cultural impression that gave them.