Irina Dvorovenko
A principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, Irina Dvorovenko was born in Kiev, Ukraine, and began her ballet training at the Kiev Ballet School at the age of ten. She joined the National Opera Ballet of Kiev in 1990 as a soloist, rising to the rank of principal dancer in 1992. A dancer of infinite range, her repertoire with the National Opera Ballet included leading roles in many of the great classics: Gamzatti in "La Bayadère;" Kitri, the Queen of the Driads and Mercedes in "Don Quixote;" Giselle and Myrta in "Giselle;" Princess Aurora and Princess Florine in "The Sleeping Beauty;" Odette-Odile in "Swan Lake;" the Sugar Plum Fairy in "The Nutcracker;" and the title roles in "Cinderella" and "Paquita." She also performed pas de deux from "Le Corsaire," "Diana and Acteon" and "La Sylphide," as well as the "Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux."
Ms. Dvorovenko's superlative style and technique have been recognized in numerous ballet competitions throughout the world. Her most notable awards include the 1994 Grand Prix at the International Ballet Competition Serge Lifar in the Ukraine, the 1992 Gold Medal and "Anna Pavlova" Prize at the International Ballet Competition in Moscow, the 1991 Bronze Medal at the International Ballet Competition in Osaka, Japan, and the 1990 Silver Medal at the International Competition in Jackson, Mississippi.
Joining American Ballet Theatre in 1996, Ms. Dvorovenko was made a soloist in 1997 and was appointed principal dancer in 2000, following a stunning season which won her widespread critical and popular acclaim. Anna Kisselgoff, writing in The New York Times, said "19th century ballets are built around ballerinas, and they offered a showcase for Irina Dvorovenko, who had a breakthrough season, usually in tandem with her husband, Maxim Belotserkovsky." Her portrayal of Kitri in "Don Quixote" continued to set the stage afire: "The last 'Don Quixote' of the season ... had Irina Dvorovenko and (Maxim) Belotserkovsky in a stunning display of integrated artistry and technique, a truly flawless and exciting performance." (Kisselgoff, The New York Times.) Ms. Kisselgoff's review of Ms. Dvorovenko's 1999 "Don Quixote" hailed it as "a perfect performance, unsurpassed in its attention to classical form while infused with verve."
Ms. Dvorovenko's Odette-Odile in Ballet Theatre's new "Swan Lake" also brought critical acclaim: "Ms. Dvorovenko's Odette was hypnotic." "To see Irina Dvorovenko and Maxim Belotserkovsky step into the leading roles of 'Swan Lake' was to see two outstanding dancers outdo themselves and enhance a 19th century classic with a splendid and mature performance." "It is up to the principals to bring depth to the plot through their dancing. This is what Ms. Dvorovenko and Mr. Belotserkovsky did with unusual technical polish." (The New York Times.) Equally dazzling in modern works, she was hailed for her debut as Katherina in John Cranko's "The Taming of the Shrew:" "Ms. Dvorovenko's dynamism defined her spirited heroine; every arrow-sharp jeté added to the brio of her comic acting." (Kisselgoff, The New York Times.) Jennifer Dunning, reviewing "Etudes" in The New York Times, noted that "Ms. Dvorovenko's dancing had a weight that made it regal." And Anna Kisselgoff called her Siren (in "Prodigal Son") "a masterpiece of detail and projection."
A virtuoso ballerina, Ms. Dvorovenko brings a radiant beauty and serene elegance to all of her performances, and as one of American Ballet Theatre's most lyrical dancers, she is renowned for both her musicality and dazzling technique. She is married to ABT principal dancer Maxim Belotserkovsky.