Alyona Yakovleva, Artistic Director
Ms. Yakovleva is a highly-degreed, award-winning ballet dancer, choreographer, teacher, and artistic director. Ms. Yakovleva began her training at the Academy of Ballet in Novosibirsk and continued to St. Petersburg State University of Culture and Art in Russia, graduating in 1999 with a degree certifying her in Professional Ballet Dance Performance; Choreography; and Ballet, Character, and Historical Dance Instruction. In the summers of 2006, 2007, and 2010 she completed seminars at the Vaganova Ballet Academy of St. Petersburg, Russia, on the preservation and uniformity of the Vaganova Method of ballet instruction. She is currently working on a Masters Degree in Choreography at the Vaganova Academy as part of a special competitive program that was offered to only four choreographers worldwide.
As a Professor of Performance Arts at Dong Duk's Women's University in Seoul, Korea, Ms. Yakovleva performed, taught, and choreographed for such renowned organizations as Universal Ballet Company, Chong-Dong Theatre and MadeInDance Company. In 2001, Ms. Yakovleva began teaching for the Clara R. Noyes Academy of Ballet Internationale, in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA where she was an instructor of Ballet, Pointe, Variations, Character and Historical Dance for four years. In 2005, Ms. Yakovleva was named Artistic Director of the Russian Ballet Academy of Indiana and later the Indiana Ballet Company. Following the closing of RBAI, Ms. Yakovleva then worked with her artistic staff and a new business and legal team to form the Indiana Ballet Conservatory in 2010.
Ms. Yakovleva's classical repertoire includes Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Don Quixote, Paquita, The Nutcracker, Chopiniana, and La Esmeralda. Her contemporary repertoire includes much choreography by Leonid Jacobsen, of St. Petersburg, Russia. She also worked with Indra Reinholde of Riga, Latvia — who was choreographing exclusively for Ms. Yakovleva, Vivaldi's Duet for Violin and Orchestra, and several others. She also worked with MadelnDance Company, Seoul, Korea, in the production Floating & Walking.
In Indianapolis, Ms. Yakovleva danced many leading roles in productions for Gregory Hancock Dance Theater, including It's all Greek to Me, Dracula, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. In 2007, she danced featured roles in the Indiana Ballet Company's On Earth We Stand and Love and Gravity (choreography by Nicholas Owens).
Ms. Yakovleva has produced the original ballets, Phantom of the Opera-- named one of the “Top Fall Events to See” by the Indianapolis Star in 2008, and From Shakespeare with Love, for the Indiana Ballet Company, and has also choreographed numerous pieces for her students at the Russian Ballet Academy of Indiana and the Indiana Ballet Conservatory.
Ms. Yakovleva’s students have won numerous awards at competition throughout the years, including the "Hope Award" (Demitra Bereveskos) and "Youth Grand Prix" (Timoor Afshar) at the Youth America Grand Prix 2011 Indianapolis Regional Competition. In addition, the Indiana Ballet Conservatory won 1st Place in the Ensembles category and IBC students won 1st Place Senior Contemporary, 1st Place Junior Classical, 2nd Place Junior Classical, and 3rd Place Senior Classical, among other awards.
Out of 42 schools competing in Indianapolis including local schools and those from as far away as Texas, Canada, and Florida, Indiana Ballet Conservatory also won the prestigious “Outstanding School" award.
Ms. Yakovleva continues teaching, choreographing, and dancing in IBC’s annual Nutcracker in the highly-anticipated and audience-acclaimed "Spanish" dance.
Awards:
- 2011 Outstanding School & 1st Place Ensembles, Indiana Ballet Conservatory, Youth America Grand Prix
- 2010 Outstanding School & 1st Place Ensembles, Russian Ballet Academy of IN, Youth America Grand Prix
- 2009 Outstanding School & 1st Place Ensembles, Russian Ballet Academy of IN, Youth America Grand Prix
- 2007 Outstanding School & 1st Place Ensembles, Russian Ballet Academy of IN, Youth America Grand Prix
- 2009-2010 Recipient of the Arts Council of Indianapolis Artist Fellowship Renewal
- 2006 Outstanding Teacher, Youth America Grand Prix
- 1999 Grand Ballerina of Russian Conference for Young Scientists and Specialists
Irina Kolpakova, Academy Mentor & Guest Instructor
Ms. Kolpakova was born in St. Petersburg and studies under the great pedagogue Agrippina Vaganova as an outstanding member of Vaganova's last graduating class (1951). Ms. Kolpakova entered the Kirov Ballet at 18 and danced her first leading role, Cinderella, at age 22. She was honored with the title of Merited Artist of the R.S.F.S.R in 1957 and People's Artist of the R.S.F.S.R in 1960. She is married to Vladilen Semenov, who partnered her in many of her most famous roles. Ms. Kolpakova taught and coached with American Ballet Theater in 1989, during the company's 50th Anniversary Season, and joined ABT as Ballet Mistress the following year.
Vladilen Semenov, Academy Mentor & Guest Instructor
Mr. Semenov, recipient of the People's Artist of the Soviet Union award, the former U.S.S.R's highest honor for artists, was a Premier Danseur with the Kirov Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia from 1950-1966. From 1970-1972, Mr. Semenov was the Artistic Director of the Kirov Ballet. When he retired from the stage, he became a pedagogue at the Kirov Theater (now known as the Mariinsky Theatre) in St. Petersburg. He also taught at the Vaganova Ballet Academy (1964-1977). Mr. Semenov later worked as teacher and Ballet Master for Ballet Internationale. Currently, he teaches ballet company classes for the American Ballet Theater during the Metropolitan Season.
