Petra Conti facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Petra Conti
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Conti in 2021
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| Born | 1988 (age 36–37) Anagni, Italy
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| Occupation | Prima Ballerina |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Spouse(s) | Eris Nezha |
| Current group | Hollywood Ballet |
| Former groups | Mariinsky Ballet Bavarian State Ballet La Scala Theatre Ballet Boston Ballet Los Angeles Ballet |
Petra Conti (born April 30, 1988) is a famous Italian ballerina. She used to be a main dancer, called a principal dancer, with important ballet companies like the Los Angeles Ballet, the Boston Ballet, and the La Scala Theatre Ballet. Today, she leads her own ballet company, Hollywood Ballet, as its artistic director.
Before becoming a principal dancer, she was part of the corps de ballet (the group of dancers) with the Bavarian State Ballet. She has also performed as a guest principal dancer with many famous groups worldwide. These include the Arena di Verona, the Great Russian Ballet, and the National Opera of Ukraine.
Since 2014, Petra Conti has been known as the Ambassador of Italian Ballet around the World. This means she represents Italian ballet globally.
Contents
Early Life and Training
Petra Conti was born on April 30, 1988, in Anagni, Italy. She grew up in Frosinone, Italy. Her father is Italian, and her mother is Polish. Her mother and sister both trained at the Academy of Ballet in Poland.
Petra started her ballet training at the Szewczenko M.M. School of Ballet. Later, she moved to Italy. In 2006, she graduated with high honors from the National Dance Academy in Rome. She became an American citizen in March 2021.
Ballet Career
After graduating from the National Academy of Dance in Rome, Petra Conti joined the Mariinsky Ballet as a trainee. There, she worked with the famous Prima Ballerina Elvira Tarasova.
When she was just seventeen, Petra was invited to be a guest star in the Arena di Verona Ballet's show Cinderella. In 2008, she was a company member of the Bavarian State Ballet. The next year, in 2009, she joined La Scala Theatre Ballet. She quickly became a principal dancer there in 2011.
In 2013, Mikko Nissinen invited Petra to join the Boston Ballet as a principal dancer. She danced with them until 2017. Later that year, she became a resident principal guest dancer with the Los Angeles Ballet.
Petra has danced with many ballet stars. These include Roberto Bolle, Ivan Vassiliev, and Zachary Catazaro. She has also received many awards for her dancing. Some of these include the 2018 Glamour Talent Award and the 2011 Danza e Danza Award for Best Performer.
Her name is often mentioned in ballet magazines and books. She has also appeared in TV shows and documentaries. One documentary on SKY Classica featured her performances in Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, and Don Quixote.
Petra has also modeled for dancewear brands like Discount Dance Supply. She was also chosen to represent fashion brands such as Furla and MAX&Co.
From 2017 to 2019, she worked as an artistic consultant at the State Ballet Academy Educandato agli Angeli in Italy. She is also a ballet coach at Pasadena Civic Ballet. She coaches at other schools like the University of South Carolina and the Orange County School of the Arts. In 2023, she was a judge for the Youth America Grand Prix, a big ballet competition.
From 2009 to 2011, Petra studied acting at the Arsenale Theater in Milan. She has been called the "Anna Magnani of Ballet" for her amazing acting skills in her performances. In 2023, she started her own ballet company, Hollywood Ballet, in Los Angeles.
Documentaries and TV Shows
In 2010, a Sky Italia documentary called Dancers of Tomorrow was made about Petra. It showed her performances in Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, and Don Quixote.
When she was fifteen, Petra was introduced by Italian TV host Raffaella Carrá on her show Sogni. Raffaella called her "the future of Italian ballet in the world." On the show, teenage Petra went on a special trip to Russia. There, she danced with ballet superstar Roberto Bolle.
Personal Life
Petra Conti is married to fellow principal dancer Eris Nezha. They live in Los Angeles with their three rescue cats named Frida, Misiu, and Romeo.
Petra is currently studying for her bachelor's degree in Science of Leadership at Northeastern University.
In 2016, Petra had surgery for kidney cancer. As a cancer survivor, she works with CURE Childhood Cancer. She created a charity called Pointe Shoes for A Cure. This charity raises money by selling her signed pointe shoes to help children with cancer.
Images for kids
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Petra Conti and Eris Nezha
