Iana Salenko (; born 19 July 1983) is a Ukrainian-German ballet dancer. She is a

principal dancer A principal dancer (often shortened to principal) is a dancer at the highest rank within a professional dance company, particularly a ballet company. A principal may be either gender. The position is similar to that of ''Soloist (ballet), solois ...

at the

Berlin State Ballet The Berlin State Ballet () is the principal ballet company in the German capital of Berlin. It was created in 2004 through a merger of the separate ballet companies of the city's three opera houses at a time when the city was going through a fina ...

Early life

Salenko was born and raised in

Kyiv Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...

, USSR. She has five siblings, and her parents worked in a restaurant. She started with gymnastics and folk dancing. When she was 12, her father took her to a ballet school. Though it was a late start, Salenko began to focus on ballet. In 1995, at age 14, she was invited to attend 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 h ...

in St. Petersburg, but her mother believed it was too far away, so she trained at Vadim Pisarev's school in

Donetsk Donetsk ( , ; ; ), formerly known as Aleksandrovka, Yuzivka (or Hughesovka), Stalin, and Stalino, is an industrial city in eastern Ukraine located on the Kalmius River in Donetsk Oblast, which is currently occupied by Russia as the capita ...

, which is 400 miles away from Kyiv. At age 15, became one of Pisarev's dance partners, and danced at his company, Donetsk Opera and Ballet Theatre. She had an eating disorder, which led to her becoming very weak and injured. Pisarev's sister, who was the director of the school, fed her and took her to therapy, and she soon recovered. She graduated in 2000.

Career

Salenko became a soloist at Donetsk Opera and Ballet Theatre after she graduated. Two years later, in order to be closer to her family, she moved to Kyiv Ballet as a principal dancer. After meeting her future-husband Marian Walter, Salenko auditioned for the

, where he was based. She was initially rejected by Vladimir Malakhov, the company's director.

Diana Vishneva Diana Viktorovna Vishneva (''also Romanization of Russian, trans.'' Vishnyova; ; born 13 July 1976) is a Russian ballet dancer who performs as a principal dancer with the Mariinsky Ballet (formerly the Kirov Ballet). Personal life Vishneva wa ...

convinced Malakhov to let Salenko to join the company. She was offered a demi-soloist contract in 2005, and became a soloist the following year. After dancing the title role in ''

Cinderella "Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...

'', Salenko became a principal dancer in 2007. As a principal, she danced lead roles in many productions including ''

Swan Lake ''Swan Lake'' ( rus, Лебеди́ное о́зеро, r=Lebedínoje ózero, p=lʲɪbʲɪˈdʲinəjə ˈozʲɪrə, links=no ), Op. 20, is a ballet composed by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1875–76. Despite its initial failu ...

'' and ''

The Nutcracker ''The Nutcracker'' (, ), Opus number, Op. 71, is an 1892 two-act classical ballet (conceived as a '; ) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, set on Christmas Eve at the foot of a Christmas tree in a child's imagination featuring a Nutcracker doll. Th ...

''. She originated the role of Aurora in

Nacho Duato Juan Ignacio Duato Barcia, also known as Nacho Duato (born 8 January 1957) is a Spanish modern ballet dancer and choreographer. Since 2014, Duato has been artistic director of the Berlin State Ballet. He is openly gay. Career Nacho Duato st ...

's reconstruction of '' The Sleeping Beauty''. Her frequent partners include Walter and

Daniil Simkin Daniil Dmitrievich Simkin (; born 12 October 1987 in Novosibirsk, Russia), known as Daniil Simkin, is a ballet dancer and entrepreneur. He was formerly a principal dancer with both American Ballet Theatre and Berlin State Ballet. Simkin is ba ...

. In 2013, she made her

Royal Ballet The Royal Ballet is a British internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England. The largest of the five major ballet companies in Great Britain, the Royal Ballet was founded ...

debut as ''

Don Quixote , the full title being ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'', is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, the novel is considered a founding work of Western literature and is of ...

'', partnering

Steven McRae Steven McRae (born 19 December 1985) is an Australian ballet dancer and tap dancer. He is a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet, London.

. Salenko said was offered a full-time contract at The Royal Ballet, but declined it in order to let her son finish school in Germany, but she became a regular guest, and returned to dance in other productions, such as ''

Tchaikovsky Pas de deux Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer during the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most popular ...

'', ''

The Two Pigeons ''The Two Pigeons'' (original French title: ''Les deux pigeons'') is a fable by La Fontaine's Fables, Jean de la Fontaine (Book IX.2) that was adapted as a ballet with music by André Messager in the 19th century and rechoreagraphed to the same mu ...

'' and ''

Giselle ''Giselle'' ( , ), originally titled ''Giselle, ou les Wilis'' (; ''Giselle, or The Wilis''), is a romantic ballet () in two acts with music by Adolphe Adam. Considered a masterwork in the classical ballet performance canon, it was first perfor ...

''. As a guest artist, Salenko has also performed in galas and companies in Croatia, Russia, Italy, Poland, The Netherlands, Taiwan, Germany, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Repertoire

Berlin State Ballet

Source: *''

La Bayadère ''La Bayadère'' ("the temple dancer") ( ru. «Баядерка», ''Bayaderka'') is an 1877 ballet, originally staged in four acts and seven tableaux by the French choreographer Marius Petipa to music by Ludwig Minkus and libretto by . The ba ...

'' (Malakhov) - Pas de djambé *''

'' (Ratmansky) - Nikiya *''

'' - titular role *''

- Kitri *''

Le Corsaire ''Le Corsaire'' is a ballet typically presented in three acts, with a libretto originally created by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges loosely based on the poem '' The Corsair'' by Lord Byron. Originally choreographed by Joseph Mazilier to ...

'' *''

'' - Peasant pas de deux *''

Jewels A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, semiprecious stone, or simply gem) is a piece of mineral crystal which, when cut or polished, is used to make jewellery, jewelry or other adornments. Certain Rock (geology), rocks (such ...

'' - Rubies Pas de deux, Diamonds Pas de deux *''

'' (Bart) - Marie *''

'' (Duato) - Clara *'' Onegin'' - Tatiana, Olga *''

Romeo and Juliet ''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...

- Juliet *''

Sleeping Beauty "Sleeping Beauty" (, or ''The Beauty Sleeping in the Wood''; , or ''Little Briar Rose''), also titled in English as ''The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods'', is a fairy tale about a princess curse, cursed by an evil fairy to suspended animation in fi ...

'' (Duato) - Aurora *''

'' (Malakhov) - Princess Aurora, Princess Florine, Fairy Canari qui chante *''

'' - Odette/Odile *'' Sylvia'' - dance of goats *''

Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer during the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most popular ...

The Royal Ballet

Source: *''

'' - Kitri *''

'' - Odette/Odile *''

'' - Juliet *'' The Sleeping Beauty'' - Princess Aurora *''

'' *''

'' - Young Girl *''

'' - Sugar Plum Fairy *''

'' - Giselle *‘Diamonds’ from ''

Awards

Source: *2002 1st Prize and Diaghilew-Price Serge-Lifar-Competition Kyiv *2004 1st Prize ÖTR Contest Vienna *2004 1st Prize and Makharova-Price at the Arabesque-Competition *2004 3rd Prize at the International Ballet Competition in Varna *2005 1st Prize at the International Ballet Competition in Helsinki *2005 1st Prize at the International Ballet Competition in Nagoya

Personal life

Salenko is married to Marian Walter, also a principal at Berlin State Ballet, whom she met at a competition. They are parents of three children. Salenko is a citizen of both Ukraine and Germany.

Filmography

*''The Nutcracker'' (choreography: Vasily Medvedev and Yuri Burlaka, after

Lev Ivanov Lev Ivanovich Ivanov (; 2 March 1834, Moscow – 24 December 1901, Saint Petersburg) was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer and later, Second Balletmaster of the Mariinsky Ballet, Imperial Ballet. As a performer with the Mariinsky Ballet, ...

), Berlin State Ballet, 2014: as Clara, with Marian Walter *''Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux'' (choreography: George Balanchine), Royal Ballet, 2015, with

Steven McRae Steven McRae (born 19 December 1985) is an Australian ballet dancer and tap dancer. He is a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet, London.

*''The Sleeping Beauty'' (choreography:

), Berlin State Ballet, 2015: as Princess Aurora, with Marian Walter

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Salenko, Iana Ukrainian ballerinas 1983 births Living people Dancers from Kyiv 21st-century ballet dancers Prima ballerinas Ukrainian emigrants to Germany Naturalized citizens of Germany