Yacobson Ballet is a Russian

ballet company A ballet company is a type of dance troupe which performs classical ballet, neoclassical ballet, and/or contemporary ballet in the European tradition, plus managerial and support staff. Most major ballet companies employ dancers on a year-round ba ...

. It was founded in 1969 by Ballet Master and choreographer

Leonid Yacobson Leonid (russian: Леонид ; uk, Леонід ; be, Леанід, Ljeaníd ) is a Slavic version of the given name Leonidas. The French version is Leonide. People with the name include: *Leonid Andreyev (1871–1919), Russian playwright and ...

. It was the first Russian independent company which gained prominence within the

Russian ballet Russian ballet (russian: Русский балет) (french: Ballet russe) is a form of ballet characteristic of or originating from Russia. Imperial Russian Ballet Until 1689, ballet in Russia was nonexistent (ballet has its origins in the cour ...

landscape and received the title of "Miniature Company", referring to the short lengths of the pieces created by its founder. During seven years as a director, Yacobson worked on the development of dance in Russia and collaborated with dancers including

Natalia Makarova Natalia Romanovna Makarova (russian: Ната́лия Рома́новна Мака́рова, born 21 November 1940) is a Russian prima ballerina and choreographer. ''The History of Dance'', published in 1981, notes that "her performances set ...

Alla Osipenko Alla Yevgenyevna Osipenko (Russian:Алла Евгеньевна Осипенко , born 16 June 1932 in Leningrad) is a retired Soviet ballerina. She studied at the Leningrad Choreographic School (now Vaganova Academy) in the class of Agrippina ...

Maya Plisetskaya Maya Mikhailovna Plisetskaya (russian: link=no, Майя Михайловна Плисецкая; 20 November 1925 – 2 May 2015) was a Soviet and Russian ballet dancer, choreographer, ballet director, and actress. In post-Soviet times, she he ...

and

Mikhail Baryshnikov Mikhail Nikolayevich Baryshnikov ( rus, Михаил Николаевич Барышников, p=mʲɪxɐˈil bɐ'rɨʂnʲɪkəf; lv, Mihails Barišņikovs; born January 28, 1948) is a Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet Latvian-born R ...

. After Yacobson's death in 1976, his closest collaborator opened the repertoire to Russian and foreign choreographers, developing a repertoire of creations based on the founding technique of ballet. The company also began to work outside of Russia.

Under Andrian Fadeev's direction

Since 2011, the Yacobson Ballet has been directed by Andrian Fadeev, ex-principal dancer of the

Mariinsky Ballet The Mariinsky Ballet (russian: Балет Мариинского театра) is the resident classical ballet company of the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Founded in the 18th century and originally known as the Imperial Russ ...

. Fadeev wanted to bring the company's 75 dancers to an international level. He rejuvenated ballets from the classical repertoire. And following tradition, he commissioned and updated stage productions and costume designs. He shortened and modernized traditional pieces, keeping their essentials. Fadeev was born October 22, 1977 in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg). He graduated from Vaganova Ballet Academy (class of Prof. Vladilen Semenov). He joined the Mariinsky Theatre (Saint Petersburg) in 1995 and became its principal dancer in 1997.

Works

Andrian performed the main parts in ''

La Sylphide ''La Sylphide'' ( en, The Sylph; da, Sylfiden) is a romantic ballet in two acts. There were two versions of the ballet; the original choreographed by Filippo Taglioni in 1832, and a second version choreographed by August Bournonville in 1836. Bo ...

'', ''

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

'', '' Le Corsaire'', ''

La Bayadere LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figur ...

'', ''The Sleeping Beauty'', ''Awakening of Flora'', ''

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

'', ''

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 Mariinsky ...

'', ''Don Quixote'', ''Le spectre de la rose'', ''Petrushka'', ''The fountain of Bakhchisarai'', ''

Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetim ...

''. He performed in the company of George Balanchin: ''Apollo'', ''Ballet Imperial'' (later referred to as Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2), ''

Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux ''Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux'' is a ballet choreographed by George Balanchine to a composition by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky originally intended for act 3 of ''Swan Lake'' (Op. 20, 1875–76). With costumes by Barbara Karinska and lighting by Jack Owe ...

'', ''Jewels'', in the ballets of

John Neumeier John Neumeier (born February 24, 1939) is an American ballet dancer, choreographer, and director. He has been the director and chief choreographer of Hamburg Ballet since 1973. Five years later he founded the Hamburg Ballet School, which also inc ...

: ''Spring and Fall and Now and Then''. Specifically for him Neumeier created the main part in the ballet ''The sounds of the empty pages''.

Recognition

* Vaganova-prix competition (St Petersburg, 1995), * Baltika Prize (1998), * St Petersburg Golden Sofit theatre prize (1999, 2000), * Spirit of Dance prize in the category Star by Ballet magazine (2000), * Leonide Massine Prize (Italy, Positano, 2006).

References

{{reflist * * * * Ballet companies in Saint Petersburg 1969 establishments in the Soviet Union Performing groups established in 1969 Cultural heritage monuments of regional significance in Saint Petersburg