Daria Pavlenko

Of all the Mariinsky Theatre’s prima ballerinas, Daria Pavlenko is, arguably, the most mysterious and unpredictable. (…) At a time of great changes in St Petersburg ballet she burst forth to the front of the stage and became a symbol of the Mariinsky’s new “modernism”. But in the West, however, Daria is considered to be an heiress of the Kirov Ballet style.

Itogi

She dances the role of Nikia as a delicate, fragile and deceived child. The statuesque nature and refinement of the ballerina’s poses bring old illustrations and engravings to mind.

Izvestia

• Honoured Artist of Russia (2010)
• Awarded the Spirit of Dance prize by Ballet magazine (2000) and the Golden Mask (2001).

Born in Moscow.
Graduated from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet (class of Elena Yevteyeva).
With the Mariinsky Ballet from 1996 to 2017.

Repertoire at the Mariinsky Theatre:
Giselle (Giselle, Monna, Zulma); choreography by Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot, Marius Petipa,
Le Corsaire (Trio of Odalisques); production by Pyotr Gusev after the composition and choreography by Marius Petipa,
La Bayadère (Nikia); choreography by Marius Petipa, revival of the 1900 production,
La Bayadère (Nikia, Gamzatti, Trio of Shades); choreography by Marius Petipa, revised version by Vladimir Ponomarev and Vakhtang Chabukiani,
“Paquita” Grand pas (Variation); choreography by Marius Petipa,
The Sleeping Beauty (Princess Aurora, Princess Florine, Lilac Fairy); choreography by Marius Petipa, revival of the 1890 production,
Swan Lake (Odette-Odile, Swans, Pas de trois); choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, revised version by Konstantin Sergeyev,
Raymonda (Raymonda, Clémence, Grand pas); choreography by Marius Petipa, revised version by Konstantin Sergeyev,
Don Quixote (Street Dancer); choreography by Alexander Gorsky,
Michel Fokine’s ballets The Dying Swan, Chopiniana (Mazurka, Prelude, Seventh Waltz), Schéhérazade (Zobeide), The Firebird (Firebird),
Le Sacre du printemps (the Chosen One); choreography by Millicent Hodson inspired by Vaslav Nijinsky,
Spartacus (Phrygia, Aegina); choreography by Leonid Yakobson,
The Fountain of Bakhchisarai (Maria, Zarema); choreography by Rostislav Zakharov,
The Legend of Love (Mekhmeneh Bahnu); choreography by Yuri Grigorovich,
Leningrad Symphony (the Girl); choreography by Igor Belsky,
George Balanchine’s ballets Apollo (Terpsichore, Calliope), Prodigal Son (the Siren), Serenade, Symphony in C (IV. Allegro vivace), La Valse, Jewels (Emeralds, Rubies, Diamonds) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Titania, Hermia),
Études; choreography by Harald Lander,
Manon (Manon); choreography by Kenneth MacMillan,
Le Jeune Homme et la mort; choreography by Roland Petit,
The Nutcracker (Masha, Queen of the Snowflakes, Eastern Dance); production by Mihail Chemiakin, choreography by Kirill Simonov,
Alexei Ratmansky’s ballets Cinderella (Cinderella, Stepmother), Le Poème de l’extase, Middle Duet and Anna Karenina (Anna Karenina),
William Forsythe’s ballets Steptext and In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated,
Sacre; choreography by Sasha Waltz,
Symphony in Three Movements (the Fate of Old Age); choreography by Radu Poklitaru
and Yaroslavna. The Eclipse (Yaroslavna); choreography by Vladimir Varnava.

Repertoire also includes:
The Golden Age (Sophie); choreography by Noah D. Gelber,
Pas de quatre (Lucile Grahn, Marie Taglioni); choreography by Anton Dolin.

First performer of the ballets:
Come in!; choreography by Kirill Simonov,
Reverence; choreography by David Dawson,
Wie der Alte Leiermann and The Ring; choreography by Alexei Miroshnichenko,
Presentiment of Spring (Fertility); choreography by Yuri Smekalov.

Made her debut with the Royal Ballet, Covent Garden in 2003 in Natalia Makarova´s La Bayadère (Nikia).

Performed at an AIDS sufferers in Brussels in 2005.

Specially for Daria Pavlenko´s gala performance (2005) choreographer Kirill Simonov and designer Nikola Samonov staged the ballet Daphnis and Chloé.

Has performed in productions of the ballets Raymonda (Raymonda) by the New National Theatre in Tokyo, Giselle (Giselle, Murtha) by the Arena di Verona and Sounds of Empty Pages by the Hamburg Ballet – John Neumeier.