Natalia Osipova facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Natalia Osipova
Natalia Osipova in an extract from Flames of Paris, at the reopening gala of the Bolshoi Theatre 2011
Born	Natalia Petrovna Osipova (1986-05-18) 18 May 1986 (age 39) Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Citizenship	Russian, British
Education	Moscow State Academy of Choreography (The Bolshoi Ballet Academy)
Occupation	Ballet dancer
Current group	The Royal Ballet
Former groups	Bolshoi Ballet, Mikhailovsky Theatre

Natalia Petrovna Osipova (Russian: Наталья Петровна Осипова; born May 18, 1986) is a famous Russian ballet dancer. She is currently a principal ballerina with The Royal Ballet in London, England. This means she is one of the main and most important dancers in the company.

Becoming a Ballet Star: Early Life and Training

Natalia Osipova was born in Moscow, Russia. She started learning ballet when she was nine years old. She trained at the Mikhail Lavrosky Ballet School. From 1996 to 2004, she studied at the famous Moscow State Academy of Choreography (also known as The Bolshoi Ballet Academy).

Natalia Osipova's Amazing Ballet Career

Joining the Bolshoi Ballet

When Natalia was 18, she joined the Bolshoi Ballet. This is one of the oldest and most famous ballet companies in the world. She started as a member of the corps de ballet. This means she danced in the large groups on stage.

In 2005, she danced the main role of Kitri in Don Quixote. People loved her performance! Because of her talent, she was promoted to soloist in 2006. In 2007, Dance Magazine named her one of their "25 to Watch." She became a leading soloist in 2009. By 2010, she was a principal dancer at the Bolshoi Ballet. This is the highest rank a dancer can achieve.

Moving On to New Companies

Natalia left the Bolshoi Ballet in 2011. She said she wanted more "artistic freedom." After leaving, she danced as a guest artist with American Ballet Theatre. She performed in New York City at the Metropolitan Opera House. She danced in Don Quixote and The Sleeping Beauty. She also performed in Romeo and Juliet.

A week before one of her shows, she had a small incident outside the Met. She was able to perform without any problems. In December 2011, she joined the Mikhailovsky Ballet.

New Performances and Royal Ballet Debut

In 2011, Natalia performed in Six Years Later by Roy Assaf. She also danced in Valse Triste by Alexei Ratmansky. She also performed solo in pieces like Ludwig van Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.

On April 8, 2013, it was announced that Natalia would join The Royal Ballet. This is another very famous ballet company in London. She had already danced with them as a guest artist in Swan Lake. She wanted to join because they had a wider variety of ballets. Her first performance with The Royal Ballet was on November 21, 2013. She danced in Romeo and Juliet. She has also danced in The Nutcracker and Giselle.

Recent Performances and Films

In 2016, Natalia played the role of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia in the ballet Anastasia. In 2018, she performed in Pure Dance with David Hallberg. This included a ballet called The Leaves Are Fading.

In 2019, Natalia played a mother in The Mother by Arthur Pita. In June 2019, she appeared in a documentary film about her called Force of Nature. She also danced Giselle at Lincoln Center in New York. In 2023, Natalia had a supporting role in the movie Joika. This film was about the American ballerina Joy Womack.

Natalia Osipova's Ballet Roles (Repertoire)

A dancer's repertoire is a list of all the different ballets and roles they have performed. Natalia's first big solo role was Kitri in Don Quixote in 2005.

Natalia Osipova's Personal Life

Natalia Osipova moved to London in 2013. She is now also a British citizen. She is engaged to American dancer Jason Kittelberger. They live in north London with their four dogs.

Awards and Recognitions

Natalia Osipova has won many awards for her amazing ballet performances:

• Grand Prix at Prix de Luxembourg International Ballet Competition (2003)
• 3rd Prize at Moscow International Ballet Competition (2005)
• Ballet Magazine Soul of Dance Prize in the category Rising Star (2007)
• Leonide Massine Award in the category of Significance of Talent (2008)
• The International Dance Association Prix Benois de la Danse Award (2008)
• Richard Sherrington Award (2008)
• The Golden Mask award for performances in In The Upper Room (2008) and La Sylphide (2009)
• Special Prize of The Golden Mask jury for Best Duet in La Sylphide (2009)
• UK National Dance Awards presented by The Critics' Circle: Best Female Dancer (2007, 2010 and 2014)

See also

• List of Russian ballet dancers
• List of prima ballerinas