Artist In Residence From Russia at Kingsport Ballet

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE FROM RUSSIA WILL TEACH
ONGOING CLASSES at KINGSPORT BALLET

Fall classes at Kingsport Ballet will feature several new professional instructors, including artist in residence, Rostislav Dzabraev.  Mr. Dzabraev arrived in Kingsport in April and has been performing, as well as teaching in the company’s summer workshop intensive.

Mr. Dzabraev began his training in Ufa, at the school where the famed Rudolph Nureyev began his career.  He was an apprentice with the Kirov Ballet in St. Petersburg, prior to beginning his performing career.  He performed with the Ufa Ballet and the Saint Petersburg Ballet Theatre of Marina Medvetskaya, and has toured extensively throughout Russia, Finland, Canada, North America, Egypt and Bermuda.  He has been recipient of numerous awards at national and international dance competitions including the Second International Festival of Moscow where he was awarded first place, and the Rudolph Nureyev Ballet Competition where he was a finalist.  He is also winner of the Pearl Krima prize.

Mr. Dzabraev will be teaching ballet and partnering, boys classes and outreach ballet classes at Kingsport Ballet this year.  He is also involved in community outreach education, including ETSU’s baroque music workshop and Arts 4 Kids workshops in September, and will be performing extensively in Kingsport Ballet productions during the 07-08 season.  Kingsport Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker at th e Niswonger Performing Arts Center in Greeneville, November 30 and December 1, 2007, will feature Mr. Dzabraev in several lead roles.

In addition to Mr. Dzabraev, the company will be welcoming back to their teaching staff Tamlyn Bernshausen, who previously taught at KB for several years.  Other new teachers include Mary Lou Hensley and Rachel Copenhaver.  All of these instructors have extensive professional performance and teaching experience in various parts of the country.  Ms. Erika Ballard will begin her third year as ballet and modern teacher, Becky Hall as jazz teacher, Cara Harker as Ballroom teacher and Gigi Boggan as Pilates teacher. 

Kingsport Ballet is under the artistic direction of Valeria Sinyavskaya, and is funded by the Tennessee Arts Commission under an agreement with the National Endowment for Arts and outreach programs are funded by the City of Kingsport and the  Kingsport Community Foundation.