Mikko Nissinen facts for kids

Mikko Nissinen (born on March 4, 1962) is a famous Finnish ballet dancer. He has danced with important groups like the Dutch National Ballet and the San Francisco Ballet. Today, he is the Artistic Director of Boston Ballet, a job he has had since 2002.

Who is Mikko Nissinen?

Mikko Nissinen grew up in Finland. He started learning ballet when he was ten years old. He went to the Finnish National Ballet School. Later, he continued his dance studies at the famous Kirov Ballet School. His main teachers were Jacobson, Damianov, Sokolov, and Teräsvuori.

Early Career and Achievements

In 1978, when he was 16, Mikko won First Prize at The National Ballet Competition in Kuopio, Finland. He started his professional dance career at just fifteen years old. He danced with the Dutch National Ballet and Basel Ballet. He also became a Principal Dancer for nine years at the San Francisco Ballet.

From Dancer to Director

After he stopped dancing professionally, Mikko Nissinen became an Artistic Director. This means he helped lead and guide ballet companies. He was the Artistic Director for Marin Ballet and Alberta Ballet. Then, he moved to Boston to lead the Boston Ballet. He has been in charge there since 2002, helping to create amazing ballet shows.