Maria Kochetkova facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maria Kochetkova
Мария Олеговна Кочеткова |
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| Born |
Maria Olegovna Kochetkova
7 May 1984 Moscow, Soviet Union
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| Citizenship | Russian / American |
| Occupation | Ballet dancer |
| Height | 5 ft / 152 cm |
| Current group | Freelance ballerina |
| Former groups | The Royal Ballet San Francisco Ballet American Ballet Theatre Finnish National Ballet English National Ballet |
Maria Kochetkova (born in 1984) is a famous ballet dancer from Russia. She is known for her amazing performances around the world. Maria was a main dancer, called a principal dancer, with the San Francisco Ballet for many years. She also danced as a principal with the American Ballet Theatre. Today, she performs as a freelance dancer, which means she works with different ballet companies and projects. She also helps organize dance events as a curator.
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Early Life and Training
Maria Kochetkova was born in Moscow, Russia. She started her ballet training at a very young age. From 1994 to 2002, she studied at The Bolshoi Ballet Academy. This is one of the most famous ballet schools in the world.
Maria's Ballet Journey
Maria's professional journey began after she won a big award called the Prix de Lausanne in 2002. This award helps young dancers start their careers.
She then joined The Royal Ballet as an apprentice. After that, she danced with the English National Ballet for four years. During this time, she performed many roles, including the magical Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker.
Dancing in San Francisco
In 2007, Maria moved to the United States. She joined the San Francisco Ballet as a principal dancer. This was a big step in her career. She danced many important roles there, like Odette/Odile in Swan Lake. She also performed as Swanilda in Coppélia and Tatiana in Onegin.
Maria also helped create new ballet roles. She was part of the first performances of ballets like David Dawson's Anima Animus. She also danced the main role in the first US performance of Christopher Wheeldon's Cinderella.
On Stage and Screen
Maria Kochetkova has appeared in many special performances. In 2008, her performance in San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker was shown on TV. She also won a gold medal in the TV show Superstars of Dance.
She was in a documentary called Ballet's Greatest Hits. In 2015, she starred as Juliet in a filmed version of Romeo and Juliet. Maria is also very popular on social media. She has many followers who love to see her dance and learn about her life.
Dancing in New York
In 2015, Maria also started dancing with the American Ballet Theatre in New York City. She was a principal dancer there too. This meant she split her time between San Francisco and New York. She performed famous roles like the main character in Giselle and Medora in Le Corsaire. She danced with the American Ballet Theatre until 2017.
A Freelance Ballerina
In 2018, Maria decided to leave the San Francisco Ballet. She wanted more freedom to choose her own projects. She also wanted to be closer to her family in Moscow.
Now, Maria performs as a freelance dancer. This means she works with different companies around the world. She has danced as a guest artist with the Norwegian National Ballet and the Dresden Semperoper Ballett. In 2019, she had her own show called Maria Kochetkova: Catch Her If You Can. This show featured new and exciting dance pieces. In 2020, she joined the Finnish National Ballet as a lead principal dancer.
Awards and Recognition
Maria Kochetkova has won many awards for her incredible talent:
- Prix de Lausanne, 2002 - silver medal
- Varna International Ballet Competition, 2002 - silver medal and jury prize
- Isadora Duncan Dance Award, 2008
- Superstars of Dance, 2009 - gold medal
- Premio Positano, 2017 - Ballerina of the Year
Personal Life
Maria Kochetkova is married to entrepreneur Edward King. In February 2023, she shared exciting news that she is expecting her first child.
See also
- List of dancers
- List of Russian ballet dancers
