- Birth nameSvetlana Yuryevna Zakharova
- Nickname
- The Tsarina of the Dance
- Height5′ 8½″ (1.74 m)
- Russian ballet dancer born from Ukrainian parents in Lutsk (Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic) in 1979. From 10 to 16 years old she studied at the Kyiv Choreographic College. In 1995, following a second prize at the International Young Dancers' Competition of St. Petersburg, she entered the Vaganova Academy. For the first time in the school's history, a student skipped two grades and passed directly to the final class directed by Yelena Yevteyeva. After graduation, in 1996, she joined the Mariinsky Ballet with the role of Maria in Rostislav Zakharov's "The Fountain of Bakhchisarai". One year later, aged 18, she was appointed Prima Ballerina. In 2003, she left the Mariinsky to become étoile of the Bolshoi Ballet, after a longstanding offer and the personal invitation from Vladimir Vasiliev. Her coach was Ludmilla Semenyaka. Since 1999, she's been dancing for the most prestigious ballet companies across the globe, taking part to several cultural events such as the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014: XXII Olympic Winter Games (2014). Starting from l'Opéra de Paris in 2009, she worked as a principal guest artist in Milan, London, Vienna, New York, Munich, Rio, Hamburg and Tokyo. In 2008, she became the first not-Italian étoile at La Scala of Milan.
In addition to her career as a dancer, she's a member of the Presidential Council for Culture and Art and served one term in the Russian parliament from 2008 to 2012. Her many awards include the special prizes "Our Hope" and "People of Our City" in Saint Petersburg, a "Golden Sophit" and a "Golden Mask" for "Serenade" and "Sleeping Beauty" in 1999-2000; a Danza & Danza 2002 award in Italy; two "Benois de la danse" for the roles of Titania in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (2005) and Marie in Bolshoi Ballet: The Lady of the Camellias (2015). She's also recipient of the title of "Artist Emeritus of the Russian Federation", followed by the "People's Artist of Russia" in 2008, and other dance magazines prizes such "Soul of Dance" and "Queen of the Dance".
- IMDb mini biography by: anonymous
- SpouseVadim Repin(2011 - present) (1 child)
- Her ideal features and body for ballet
- Big blue eyes
- She is a recipient of the Golden Mask Award (best female role in ballet) in 1999 for her performance in George Balanchine's "Serenade" and in 2000 for her interpretation of Aurora in "The Sleeping Beauty". She also received nominations in 1998 for "Giselle" and in 2002 for "Now and Then".
- A daughter, Anna (born on February 17, 2011), with violinist Vadim Repin.
- As of October 2003 she started dancing as a principal with the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow.
- Critics have called her the greatest ballerina of her time world-wide. She has been said to have everything a woman in ballet could possibly want.
- Zakharova entered the Vaganova-Prix Young Dancers' Competition in St. Petersburg after six years at the Kiev School in 1995. As the youngest contestant, she took second prize and was invited to continue her training in the graduating course of St Petersburg's Vaganova Academy. It was the first time in the school's history a student was able to skip two grades.
- "At first, it took a few years to get used to the ballet - my child's body was not able to handle such heavy loads".
- "Ballet is not just my profession, it is my life... it is horrible to think that one day it will all finish".
- "When you have been performing the same ballets for many years, the movements become automatic. You don't not think about the order, about where to run or what movement to make".
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
