Gracheva, Nadezhda
Nadezhda Gracheva Photos
Nadezhda Gracheva Biography
Notable: Born 1969; Bolshoi Ballet
Nadezhda Gracheva was born in Semipolatinsk (Kasakhstan) in 1969 . She studied first at the Alma-Ata Choreography School from 1978-84. In 1984 she began at the Moscow Academic Choreography School, training under Sofia Golovkina. She graduated in 1987 and joined the Bolshoi Theatre. She was first coached by Galina Ulanova, who prepared most of her repertoire, and now by Marina Kondratieva. She dances all the leading in the classical reportoire and also created the leading parts in many premieres of contemporary choreographers. Thanks to her unique talent and superb technique, she immediately became the company’s leading dancer, and following her brilliant debut as Nikiya in the Bolshoi’s new production of La Bayadere in 1991, she was recognised as the company’s prima ballerina.
Repertoire includes:
- La Bayadere (Nikiya)
- Don Quixote (Kitri)
- Giselle (Giselle and Myrtha)
- Le Corsaire (Medora)
- La Sylphide (Sylph)
- The Nutcracker (Masha)
- Sleeping Beauty (Aurora)
- Swan Lake (Odette-Odile)
- Stone Flower (Mistress of Copper Mountain)
- Legend of Love (Mekhemene Banu)
- Spartacus (Aegina)
- Paquita (Paquita)
- La Fille Mal Gardee (Lise)
- The Last Tango (Jeanne)
- Symphony in C (1st Movement) (the soloist)
- La Fille du Pharaon (Aspicia)
Awards:
- Silver Medal at the Varna International Ballet Competition 1986 and 1988 (junior category)
- Gold Medal at the Moscow International Ballet Competition 1988 (junior category)
- International Ballet Prize Benois de la Dance 1992
- Gold Medal at the International Ballet Competition in Japan 1995
- People’s Artist of Russia 1996
Received the State Prize of Russia 1997
