Ekaterina Kondaurova (russian: Екатерина Кондаурова; born 20 August 1982) is a Russian ballet dancer, currently one of the stars of the Mariinsky Ballet from

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

Early life

Born in Moscow, Kondaurova is the daughter of an optician. She showed an early interest in gymnastics, piano and dance. After she failed to gain admission to the Bolshoi Ballet School, her mother was successful in having her accepted by the

Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet The Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet is a school of classical ballet in St Petersburg, Russia. Established in 1738 during the reign of Empress Anna, the academy was known as the Imperial Ballet School until the Soviet era, when, after a brief hi ...

in Saint Petersburg. After graduating in 2001, she immediately joined the Mariinsky.

Career

While on tour to

Frankfurt Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , " Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on it ...

in 2003, Kondaurova was noticed by the choreographer William Forsythe who the following year invited her to dance in the Mariinsky premiere of his ''In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated''. As a result of the excellent reviews she received, she soon starred in other contemporary works by Forsythe,

Alexei Ratmansky Alexei Osipovich Ratmansky (russian: Алексей Осипович Ратманский, born August 27, 1968) is a Russian-American choreographer and former ballet dancer. From 2004 to 2008 he was the director of the Bolshoi Ballet. He left Rus ...

and Kirill Simonov. Olga Chenchikova, her coach until 2007, ensured her success in classical ballet roles, for example with her personalized interpretation of Nikiya in ''

La Bayadère ''La Bayadère'' ("the temple dancer") ( ru. «Баядерка», ''Bayaderka'') is a ballet, originally staged in four acts and seven tableaux by French choreographer Marius Petipa to the music of Ludwig Minkus. The ballet was staged especiall ...

''. Since 2007, her coach has been Elvira Tarasova. Kondaurova has also danced in several of George Balanchine's ballets including '' Symphony in C'' and ''

Jewels (ballet) ''Jewels'' is a three-act ballet created for the New York City Ballet by co-founder and founding choreographer George Balanchine. It premièred on Thursday, 13 April 1967 at the New York State Theater, with sets designed by Peter Harvey and lighti ...

''. In 2008, Kondaurova married Islom Baimuradov, her frequent Mariinsky dancing partner. She shares his interests in walking, gastronomy and interior decoration. She became a principal dancer at the Mariinsky Ballet in 2012. Repertoire *'' Giselle'' (Myrtha, Zulma); choreography by

Jean Coralli Jean Coralli (15 January 1779 – 1 May 1854) was a French ballet dancer and choreographer, best known for collaborating with Jules Perrot in creating ''Giselle'' (1841), the quintessential Romantic ballet of the nineteenth century. Early life ...

Jules Perrot Jules-Joseph Perrot (18 August 1810 – 29 August 1892) was a dancer and choreographer who later became Ballet Master of the Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia. He created some of the most famous ballets of the 19th century including ...

, and Marius Petipa *'' Le Corsaire'' (Medora); choreography by Marius Petipa *''

'' (Nikiya, Gamzatti); choreography by Marius Petipa, revised version by Vladimir Ponomarev and

Vakhtang Chabukiani Vakhtang Mikheilis dze Chabukiani (Russian: Вахта́нг Миха́йлович Чабукиа́ни, ka, ვახტანგ ჭაბუკიანი) (March 12, 1910 – April 6, 1992) was a Soviet and Georgian ballet dancer, choreogra ...

* ''The Sleeping Beauty'' (Lilac Fairy); choreography by Marius Petipa, revised version by

Konstantin Sergeyev Konstantin Mikhaylovich Sergeyev (russian: Константин Михайлович Сергеев; 5 March 1910 (20 February Old Style) – 1 April 1992) was a Russian danseur, artistic director and choreographer for the Kirov Theatre. When th ...

*''The Sleeping Beauty'' (Lilac Fairy); choreography by Marius Petipa, revised version by

Sergei Vikharev Sergei Vikharev (Russian: Сергей Геннадьевич Вихарев) (15 February 1962 – 2 June 2017) was a Russian ballet dancer, choreographer and historian. Biography Sergei Vikharev was born in Saint Petersburg and trained at the ...

*'' Swan Lake'' (Odette-Odile); choreography by Marius Petipa and

Lev Ivanov Lev Ivanovich Ivanov (russian: link=no, Лев Ива́нович Ива́нов; 2 March 1834, Moscow – 24 December 1901, Saint Petersburg) was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer and later, Second Balletmaster of the Imperial Ballet. ...

, revised version by Konstantin Sergeyev *''

Raymonda ''Raymonda'' (russian: Раймонда) is a ballet in three acts, four scenes with an apotheosis, choreographed by Marius Petipa to music by Alexander Glazunov, his Opus 57. It was first presented by the Imperial Ballet at the Imperial Mariinsk ...

'' (Raymonda, Henrietta, Grand pas); choreography by Marius Petipa, revised version by Konstantin Sergeyev * ''Paquita Grand Pas'' (variation); choreography by Marius Petipa, revised version by Konstantin Sergeyev *''

Paquita ''Paquita'' is a ballet in two acts and three scenes originally choreographed by Joseph Mazilier to music by Édouard Deldevez and Ludwig Minkus. Paul Foucher received royalties as librettist. History ''Paquita'' is the creation of French comp ...

'' (Paquita); choreography by Yuri Smekalov * ''Don Quixote'' (Queen of the Dryads, Street Dancer); choreography by

Alexander Gorsky Alexander Gorsky (August 6, 1871 – 1924), a Russian ballet choreographer and a contemporary of Marius Petipa, is known for restaging Petipa's classical ballets such as ''Swan Lake'', ''Don Quixote'', and ''The Nutcracker''. Gorsky “sought grea ...

*''

The Firebird ''The Firebird'' (french: L'Oiseau de feu, link=no; russian: Жар-птица, Zhar-ptitsa, link=no) is a ballet and orchestral concert work by the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. It was written for the 1910 Paris season of Sergei Diaghilev' ...

'' (Firebird); choreography by

Michel Fokine Michael Fokine, ''Mikhail Mikhaylovich Fokin'', group=lower-alpha ( – 22 August 1942) was a groundbreaking Imperial Russian choreographer and dancer. Career Early years Fokine was born in Saint Petersburg to a prosperous merchant an ...

Scheherazade Scheherazade () is a major female character and the storyteller in the frame narrative of the Middle Eastern collection of tales known as the '' One Thousand and One Nights''. Name According to modern scholarship, the name ''Scheherazade'' de ...

(Zobeide); choreography by Michel Fokine * Dyin''The Swan''; choreography by Michel Fokine * ''Prodigal Son'' (the Siren); choreography by George Balanchine * ''Serenade''; choreography by George Balanchine * ''Symphony in C'' (Second Movement); choreography by George Balanchine * ''The Four Temperaments'' (Choleric); choreography by George Balanchine * ''Jewels'' (Emeralds, Rubies, Diamonds); choreography by George Balanchine *'' La valse''; choreography by George Balanchine * ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' (Titania, Hippolyta); choreography by George Balanchine *'' Marguerite and Armand'' (Marguerite); choreography by Frederick Ashton *''

Le jeune homme et la mort ''Le Jeune Homme et la Mort'' is a ballet by Roland Petit, choreographed in 1946 to Bach's Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor, BWV 582, with a one-act libretto by Jean Cocteau. It tells the story of a young man driven to suicide by his faithless ...

'' (the Girl); choreography by

Roland Petit Roland Petit (13 January 192410 July 2011) was a French ballet company director, choreographer and dancer. He trained at the Paris Opera Ballet school, and became well known for his creative ballets. Life and work The son of shoe designer Ros ...

* ''The Fountain of Bakhchisarai'' (Zarema, Maria); choreography by

Rostislav Zakharov Rostislav Vladimirovich Zakharov (russian: Ростислав Владимирович Захаров; September 7, 1907 – January 15, 1984) was a Soviet and Russian choreographer, ballet dancer and opera director. He was a professor at the Russia ...

* ''Spartacus'' (Phrygia, Aegina); choreography by

Leonid Yakobson Leonid Veniaminovich Yakobson (russian: Леонид Вениаминович Якобсон; January 2 (15), 1904 — October 17, 1975), whose last name is sometimes spelled Jacobson, was a Jewish ballet choreographer from Russia ...

* ''Pas de quatre'' (Marie Taglioni); choreography by Anton Dolin *''The Legend of Love'' (Mekhemene Banu); choreography by

Yuri Grigorovich Yury Nikolayevich Grigorovich (russian: Ю́рий Никола́евич Григоро́вич; born 2 January 1927 in Leningrad) is a Soviet and Russian dancer and choreographer Igor Belsky Igor Dmitrievich Belsky (russian: Игорь Дмитриевич Бельский; 28 March 1925, Saint Petersburg, Russia – 3 July 1999, Saint Petersburg) was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer. After 20 years of solo work (1942–62) h ...

* ''Romeo and Juliet'' (Juliet); choreography by

Leonid Lavrovsky Leonid Mikhailovich Lavrovsky (1905–1967) was a Russian ballet choreographer, most famous for choreographing the first full version of Sergei Prokofiev's ''Romeo and Juliet''. Early life Lavrovsky was born in 1905 in St. Petersburg, the son ...

* ""Walpurgisnacht" (Nymphs); choreography by Leonid Lavrovsky * ''Carmen Suite'' (Carmen); choreography by

Alberto Alonso Alberto Julio Rayneri Alonso (22 May 1917 – 31 December 2007) was a Cuban dancer and choreographer, the brother of Fernando Alonso and brother-in-law of Alicia Alonso (née Martinez). He was influential in the development of the Cuban sty ...

* ''In the Night''; choreography by

Jerome Robbins Jerome Robbins (born Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz; October 11, 1918 – July 29, 1998) was an American dancer, choreographer, film director, theatre director and producer who worked in classical ballet, on stage, film, and television. Among his nu ...

*''5 Tangos''; choreography by

Hans van Manen Hans Arthur Gerard van Manen (; born 11 July 1932) is a Dutch ballet dancer, choreographer and photographer. He studied under Sonia Gaskell and Françoise Adret. Van Manen wrote many ballets. He worked for the Dutch National Ballet from 1973 ...

*''Simple Things'' (soloist); choreography by Emil Faski *''Without''; choreography by

Benjamin Millepied Benjamin Millepied (; born 10 June 1977) is a French dancer and choreographer, who has lived and worked in the United States since joining the New York City Ballet in 1995, where he became a soloist in 1998 and a principal in 2002. He has also ...

*''La Nuit S'acheve''; choreography by Benjamin Millepied *''Steptext''; choreography by William Forsythe *'' In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated''; choreography by William Forsythe *''Approximate Sonata''; choreography by William Forsythe *''The Magic Nut'' (Temptress); choreography by Donvena Pandoursky and

Mihail Chemiakin Mihail Mikhailovich Chemiakin (or Shemyakin, russian: Михаил Михайлович Шемякин, born 4 May 1943) is a Russian painter, stage designer, sculptor and publisher, and a controversial representative of the nonconformist ar ...

*''

The Nutcracker ''The Nutcracker'' ( rus, Щелкунчик, Shchelkunchik, links=no ) is an 1892 two-act ballet (""; russian: балет-феерия, link=no, ), originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchai ...

'' (Queen of the Snowflakes, Oriental Dance); choreography by Mihail Chemiakin and Kirill Simonov *''Cinderella'' (Stepmother); choreography by

*''The Little Humpbacked Horse'' (Mare, Sea Princess); choreography by Alexei Ratmansky *''Anna Karenina'' (Anna); choreography by Alexei Ratmansky *'' Concerto DSCH''; choreography by Alexei Ratmansky *''Ondine'' (Queen of the Sea); choreography by

Pierre Lacotte Pierre Lacotte (born 4 April 1932) is a French ballet dancer and choreographer who specialised in the reconstruction of lost choreographies of romantic ballets. His mother was an affirmed musician and he manifested very early his interest for da ...

*''Le Parc'' (Soloist); choreography by

Angelin Preljocaj Angelin Preljocaj (; born 19 January 1957) is a French dancer and choreographer of contemporary dance. Early life Angelin Preljocaj was born in 1957 in Sucy-en-Brie, France. He is of Albanian descent. Career His choreographic work is steeped ...

*''Gentle Memories''; choreography by Jiri Bubenicek *''Sacre''; choreography by Sasha Waltz *''Infra''; choreography by

Wayne McGregor Wayne McGregor, CBE (born 12 March 1970) is a multi award-winning British choreographer and director. He is the Artistic Director of Studio Wayne McGregor and Resident Choreographer of The Royal Ballet. McGregor was appointed Commander of the ...

*''The Bronze Horseman'' (Queen of the Ball); choreography by Yuri Smekalov *''Choreographic Game 3x3''; choreography by Anton Pimonov *''Inside the Lines''; choreography by Anton Pimonov *''The Cat on the Tree''; choreography by Anton Pimonov *''The Four Seasons''; choreography by Ilya Zhivoi *''Reverence''; choreography by David Dawson *''Le Bourgeois gentilhomme'' (Marchioness Dorimene); choreography by Nikita Dmitrievsky *''Glass Heart'' (Alma); choreography by Noah D. Gelber *''SeasonS''; choreography by Ilya Zhivoi *''The Dreamers: Within''; choreography by Vladimir Varnava *''Motherboard''; choreography by Ilya Zhivoi *''Lose Yourself to Dance''; choreography by Maxim Petrov and Ilya Zhivoi

Awards

Ekaterina Kondaurova has received the following awards: *2006:

Prix Benois de la Danse The Benois de la Danse is a ballet competition held annually in Moscow. Founded by the International Dance Association in 1991, it takes place each year on or around April 29 and it's judged by a jury. The members of this jury change every year and ...

*2008: St. Petersburg's Golden Sofit award (Alma, Glass Heart) *2010: St Petersburg's Golden Sofit award (Anna Karenina) *2011: Golden Mask for her title role in ''

Anna Karenina ''Anna Karenina'' ( rus, «Анна Каренина», p=ˈanːə kɐˈrʲenʲɪnə) is a novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, first published in book form in 1878. Widely considered to be one of the greatest works of literature ever writt ...

'' *2011: Recipient of'' Ballet ''magazine's ''Spirit of Dance'' award in the category “Star”

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kondaurova, Ekaterina 1982 births Living people Prima ballerinas Russian ballerinas Mariinsky Ballet principal dancers Dancers from Moscow Prix Benois de la Danse winners Recipients of the Golden Mask 21st-century Russian ballet dancers