Anastasia Volochkova facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anastasia Volochkova
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| Анастасия Волочкова | |
Volochkova in 2008
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Anastasia Yuryevna Volochkova
20 January 1976 |
| Occupation | Ballerina |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Children | 1 |
Anastasia Yuryevna Volochkova (Russian: Анастасия Юрьевна Волочкова; born 20 January 1976) is a famous Russian ballet dancer. She is known for her powerful performances and her long career in ballet.
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Early Life and Training
Anastasia Volochkova was born in Leningrad, Russia, into a regular family. Her dad was a champion in table tennis and a coach. Her mom worked as a tour guide.
When Anastasia was five, her mom took her to see The Nutcracker ballet. Anastasia was so amazed that she decided right then she wanted to be a famous ballerina. Even though she felt she didn't have the perfect body for ballet at first, she had a huge desire to dance. She worked incredibly hard, taking many classes and even private lessons at home.
She trained at the very famous Vaganova Ballet Academy. While still a student, Anastasia became the youngest ever soloist with the Mariinsky Ballet. She made her first big performance as Odette-Odile in Swan Lake in 1993. The next year, she finished her studies with top honors. In 1996, she won a gold medal at a big ballet competition in Kyiv.
A Career in Ballet
Anastasia Volochkova has danced with some of the most famous ballet companies in the world.
Dancing with the Mariinsky Ballet
From 1994 to 1998, Anastasia was a soloist with the Mariinsky Ballet in Saint Petersburg. She performed in many classic ballets like Don Quixote, Giselle, and The Sleeping Beauty. With the Mariinsky Ballet, she traveled and performed all over the world. This included countries like Great Britain, France, Japan, and the United States. She first performed in the US in 1995.
Joining the Bolshoi Ballet
From 1998 to 2000, Anastasia became a principal dancer, also known as a prima ballerina, with the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow. She performed in many important ballets there, including Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty. She also toured across Europe. In 2001, she was invited back to the Bolshoi to dance the main role in Swan Lake. For this, she won the prestigious Prix Benois de la Danse award in 2002. That same year, she was given the title of Honoured Artist of Russia.
Later, Anastasia had some disagreements with the Bolshoi Ballet. Her contract was ended in 2003, which became a big news story. A court in Moscow later ruled that the Bolshoi Ballet had to let her return to her position. Anastasia said that even though she wasn't dancing with the big companies, she wanted to create her own path in ballet. She wanted to be an independent ballerina.
Her Solo Career
After her time with the Bolshoi, Anastasia Volochkova started a successful solo career. She has danced with many other ballet companies around the world. These include the New National Theatre Ballet in Tokyo and the English National Ballet. In Russia, she has been a principal dancer with the Hermitage Ballet and the Grigorovich Ballet. She performed in ballets like Giselle and Swan Lake.
Anastasia has also given many special performances and shows in cities like Moscow, Paris, London, and New York. In London, she performed at famous venues like the Royal Albert Hall. In 2010, she toured Chile with her show Tales of Destiny. This show featured parts of famous ballets and new dances.
Anastasia Volochkova has also used her performances to help others. She has raised money for different causes, especially for Russian children. This includes helping children with health problems and supporting orphanages. She also helped a school in Saint Petersburg by performing a benefit show.
Other Work and Life
Besides dancing, Anastasia Volochkova has also worked as an actress. She has appeared in films and TV shows. She also modeled for Chopard jewellery. She even competed in a TV show called Ice Age, where celebrities learn to ice skate.
In her personal life, Anastasia has one daughter named Ariadna, who was born in 2005. They live in both Saint Petersburg and Moscow. In 2010, Anastasia earned a business degree. She has plans to create a network of schools that will teach dance, art, music, and good manners.
Anastasia as a Public Figure
Anastasia Volochkova is a well-known public figure in Russia. She often appears in newspapers, magazines, and on TV shows.
Her disagreements with the Bolshoi Ballet in 2003 were widely reported. She fought for her right to dance. She famously said, "Ballet is not an art of kilograms; it is an art of the soul." A court agreed with her and awarded her money.
Anastasia was once a member of a political party, but she later left it. She has also shared her opinions on important international events.
See also
- List of Russian ballet dancers
