Dance Teachers
VICTORIA MIRONOVA, M. Ed., the Founder, Artistic Director
Victoria Mironova (Evdokimova), founder of Victoria Ballet Academy, 2003
Victoria Mironova (Evdokimova), M. Ed. – Russian ballerina, instructor of ballet, choreographer, a teacher with the highest qualifications, founder of the Victoria Ballet Academy. In 1977, she graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy of St. Petersburg with the diploma of a ballet dancer (Artiste de Ballet). She then upgraded her skills at the one year Master Class of the great Natalia Dudinskaya, People’s Artist of the USSR, to become a Principal Dancer. Victoria has 21 years of professional dance experience. In 1995, after 4 years of university studies, she graduated from the Pedagogical (Teachers’) Department of the Vaganova Academy majoring in teaching choreographic disciplines and choreography (the famous Vaganova syllabus). Since 1991, she has taught classical ballet, character and historic dances in Russia and Canada. She teaches in English, French and Russian. Presently, she is the Artistic Director, Teacher and Choreographer of the Victoria Ballet Academy.
Victoria‘s photo album:
The Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia has given the world the brightest stars in the history of ballet: Anna Pavlova, Vaslav Nezhinski, Galina Ulanova, Nataliya Dudinskaya, Rudolf Nureyev, and Mikhail Baryshnikov among many others.
Victoria Ballet Academy not only seeks to maintain and improve the quality of ballet, but also to bring excitement to all its students. Your children will learn to develop self-confidence, posture, coordination, listening skills, and the discipline required to excel in every aspect of life. The calibre of teaching at this academy will enhance your child‘s grace and general potential.
About ballet, theatre and the school (by Victoria Mironova on the grand opening of the Academy):
Today, as I open the doors of my school, I want to introduce myself to my future students and their parents, and I would like to talk a little bit about ballet, theatre and about myself.
I was born in Germany to the family of a military doctor. Neither my mother, nor my father had anything to do with ballet, but when my family moved to St. Petersburg, Russia, my mother, influenced by the capital’s craze for ballet, took me to choreography classes.
My first teacher was a former dancer of the Imperial Theatre. Although she was about 80 years old at that time, she was still a very strong, cheerful, and strict lady. I have to admit that she never had to be strict with me for I was a disciplined and hard-working student.
A year had passed when my teacher invited my mother into her office and said “Your daughter is very gifted. You should take her to the Academy of Ballet.” It didn‘t take long for my mother to take me by the hand and lead me there. By the age of 11, I had passed the competitive examination and, along with 16 other talented students out of the 600 that were competing for the coveted positions, was enrolled into the Vaganova Ballet Academy.
Then came eight years of hard but delightful work, sometimes taking parts in performances in the Mariinsky (formerly the Kirov) Theatre, where we had rare opportunities to observe the performances of professional ballet stars. It took our breath away to watch such stars as Irina Kolpakova and Mikhail Baryshnikov in “The Sleeping Beauty”, to be close to the artists, to touch the dress of a ballerina. It was hard to believe that they were people just like us, because it seemed to us that they had just come down from heaven. We could see their perspiration and felt their heavy breathing after every dance, but we understood “To be a ballet dancer is so hard, but so wonderful!” We would give up anything in order to become so beautiful, light and out-of-reach, just like deities.
Eight years went by like one day. (Everyday there were classes of classical ballet, choreography, music, the history of ballet and the world of dance.)
Also, we were not excused from academic courses such as physics, math, history, and languages, even though at that time they seemed useless and boring. Later, we understood how lucky we were as students of the Academy of Russian Ballet, and what a good education we had received behind the walls of this excellent and acclaimed school.
So, by the age of 18-19 we took a step into a mature life called the Theatre of Opera and Ballet. The 21 years spent in the professional theatre in St. Petersburg was a remarkable time filled with hard work, interesting roles, and unforgettable tours all around the world. However, the professional life of a ballet artist is really short (about 20 years). I had to return to the school desk, this time as a student of the Pedagogical Faculty.
Five more years of learning and then, probably the most interesting for me, teaching. I began to teach little, fragile and talented girls the art of ballet. With them I waited in anticipation for their examinations, for it is known that every year the school excludes a lot of children and only the best of them may stay.
Five more years of learning and then, probably the most interesting for me, teaching. I began to teach little, fragile, and talented girls the art of ballet. With them I waited in anticipation for their examinations, for it is known that every year the school excludes a lot of children and only the best of them stay.
Today, my girls and boys are studying in the pre-graduating classes of the Academy of Russian Ballet and very soon they are going to be true artists of ballet and maybe even stars. And now they call me here, in Canada, and tell me all about their successes and new roles, delights, and problems; and I feel very pleased that they have not forgotten their first ballet teacher. The relationship of teacher to student is crucial to me for I always remember and adore my teachers (I was very fortunate to work with such talented people). I was a student of the great Russian artists of ballet, renowned all over the world, such as Natalia Dudinskaya and Konstantin Sergeev. They are the people who have had a significant impact on 20th century culture.
For instance, in 1995, in the USA, Natalia Dudinskaya (in the picture above, Victoria Mironova is to her left) was awarded the honour of being named “Outstanding Woman of the 20th century”. She was one of Agrippina Vaganova’s favourite students, in whose honour was re-named, and, of course, a zealous guardian of the tradition of her famous teacher. Those traditions were passed from her to us, her students, and now we share our knowledge with our students. Of course, this is an honour and it takes a lot of responsibility to be a student of a ballerina of such fame.
Still, I feel the same when I think about my “non-celebrity” but absolutely amazing teachers: Irina Trofimova, Eleonora Kokorina, Bella Ozhegova, Nikolai Konishev and many others. They have not only given me a profession, but also taught me to be disciplined, hard working, serious and responsible in the career I decided to follow.
They trained me to be patient and righteous—all the qualities that I am trying to teach my students. Here in Canada, I have worked in ballet schools and taught in rhythmic gymnastics and figure skating clubs. I feel delighted that the profession that I love so much is also respected and sought after in this wonderful country.
I have had many students. So many, that I came up with the idea of opening my own school. I want to allow my “own” children to grow with me, to allow them the fullest development in ballet, to “show and to tell” that ballet is a noble art. I really want to see my students dancing on the best stages of the world. I wish that my students will acquire my rich experience, pick up my knowledge and pass it on to the next generation of artists of ballet. That‘s why today I say: “Welcome to Victoria Ballet Academy”.
Victoria Mironova (Evdokimova), April 5, 2003
ELENA DMITRIEVA, M. Ed.
Elena Dmitrieva, M. Ed. – Russian ballerina, instructor of ballet and character dance, choreographer, a teacher with the highest qualifications. In 1978, she graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia with the diploma of a ballet dancer (Artiste de Ballet) and practiced for one year at the Master Class of the People’s Artist of the USSR Natalya M. Dudinskaya. She has 25 years of professional dance experience. In 2001, after 5 year of university studies, she graduated from the Pedagogical (Teachers’) Department of the Vaganova Ballet Academy majoring in teaching choreographic disciplines and Choreography (Vaganova syllabus). Since then, she has taught ballet, character and historic dances in Russia, Japan and Canada. She has received awarded in Japan for her creation of a new ballet work-out program for adults. She teaches in English, French, Russian and Japanese. Presently, she is a Teacher and Choreographer at the Victoria Ballet Academy, principal instructor of Character and Historic Dances and Ballet for Adults. Helen‘s photo album
DMITRY SYCHIKAU
Dmitry Sychikau is a professional contemporary dancer and teacher. Dmitry was raised to appreciate music which also instilled in him a love for dance. He was only 8 years old when he started dancing; later on he became a professional Hip-Hop dancer after graduating from a worldwide famous dance school “TODES”.
Soon after, he found himself immersed in a very interesting career not only as a dancer but also as a choreographer. He has worked for television, on stage, and on competitive dance circuits. After founding his “VIP” dancing team he has danced in multiple events including the Eurovision Song Contest, Star Factory, New Wave, etc. Currently he works as a teacher and choreographer at Victoria Ballet Academy. His classes are offered for both children and adults. There is a class dedicated to boys only.
Note: We have provided only information on teachers who agreed to have it placed on this page.
