Yulia Makhalina


Yulia Makhalina is almost like a woman’s love story. She is the embodiment of what women dream of for themselves and what they can empathise with: a victress and a femme fatale who knows how to suffer; a victim of intrigues and circumstances; despairing, vulnerable and yet powerful and stylish. She is not always correct, but she is always sincere and honest with her audience. She has repaid all of the ‘advance fees’ given her by destiny with interest. Makhalina’s greatest achievement was becoming the face of the ballet generation ‘after’ Mezentseva and ‘before’ Lopatkina. And not every ballerina, not even an outstanding one, has the right to her own time in the history of theatre.

Nezavisimaya gazeta

Yulia Makhalina’s creative individuality is defined by her abundant temperament and attraction towards extremes. The tremendous inner message inherent in her nature thirsts to be free and flow liberally and mightily. The naturally huge pas, the flying leaps and the super-dynamic spins facilitate this.

Moskovsky muzykalny vestnik

• People’s Artist of Russia (2008)
• Honoured Artist of Russia (1995)
• Recipient of the Benois de la dance award (Moscow, 1998)
• Recipient of the Golden Sofit, St Petersburg’s most prestigious theatre prize (1993)
• Prize-winner at the International Ballet Competition (Grand Prix and Gold Medal; Paris, 1990)
• Recipient of the Lumière Brothers’ Centre for Photography prize (Paris, 1990)

Born in Leningrad (St Petersburg).
Graduated from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet (class of Marina Vasilieva).
Joined the Mariinsky Ballet in 1985.

Repertoire includes:
La Sylphide (the Sylph); choreography by August Bournonville, revised version by Elsa-Marianne von Rosen,
Giselle (Giselle, Myrtha); choreography by Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot, Marius Petipa,
The Sleeping Beauty (Aurora, Lilac Fairy); choreography by Marius Petipa, revised version by Konstantin Sergeyev,
Swan Lake (Odette-Odile); choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, revised version by Konstantin Sergeyev,
La Bayadère (Nikia, Gamzatti); choreography by Marius Petipa, revised version by Vladimir Ponomarev and Vakhtang Chabukiani,
Raymonda (Raymonda); choreography by Marius Petipa, revised version by Konstantin Sergeyev,
“Paquita” Grand pas (Soloist); choreography by Marius Petipa,
Le Corsaire (Medora); production by Pyotr Gusev after the composition and choreography by Marius Petipa,
Don Quixote (Kitri, Queen of the Dryads, Street Dancer); choreography by Alexander Gorsky after motifs of the production by Marius Petipa,
Michel Fokine’s ballets Schéhérazade (Zobeide), The Fire Bird (Fire Bird) and The Swan,
Le Sacre du printemps (the Chosen One); choreography by Millicent Hodson after motifs of the choreography by Vaslav Nijinsky,
The Fountain of Bakhchisarai (Maria); choreography by Rostislav Zakharov,
The Nutcracker (Masha); choreography by Vasily Vainonen,
Romeo and Juliet (Juliet); choreography by Leonid Lavrovsky,
Spartacus (Aegina); choreography by Leonid Yakobson,
The Legend of Love (Mekhmeneh Bahnu); choreography by Yuri Grigorovich,
Pas de quatre (Marie Taglioni); choreography by Anton Dolin,
George Balanchine’s ballets Theme and Variations, Scotch Symphony, Apollo (Terpsichore), Prodigal Son (the Siren) and Symphony in C (II. Adagio),
In the Night (3rd movement); choreography by Jerome Robbins,
Roland Petit’s ballets Carmen (Carmen) and Le Jeune Homme et la mort (the Girl),
Manon (Manon); choreography by Kenneth MacMillan
and Alexei Ratmansky’s ballets Le Poème de l’extase and Cinderella (the Stepmother).

Repertoire also includes:
Anna Karenina (Anna); choreography by André Prokovsky,
Cinderella (Fairy Godmother); choreography by Oleg Vinogradov,
Goya-Divertissement (the Duchess of Alba); choreography by José Antonio,
Last Horizon; choreography by Vladimir Angelov,
Méditation, choreography by Yevgeny Kliavine
and Two on a Swing; choreography by Radu Poklitaru.

As a guest soloist she has danced with the Danish Royal Ballet and the Deutsche Oper in Berlin. She has appeared in La Bayadère at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires (Argentina), Swan Lake in Boston (USA), Paquita at the Opéra de Paris and Swan Lake, La Bayadère and The Firebird at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.

In 2022, she was invited to take part in Valery Suanov's ballet Perfume: The Story of a Love at the branch of the Mariinsky Theatrе in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania.

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