Polina Semionova

Polina Alexandrovna Semionova (Russian: Полина Александровна Семионова; born 13 September 1984) is a Russian ballet dancer and model for Uniqlo[1] who was a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre in New York and with the Berlin State Ballet.[2] She is a professor at the Berlin State Ballet School.[3]

Polina Semionova
Semionova in Making of Caravaggio documentary, 2019
Born (1984-09-13) 13 September 1984
Moscow, Russia
OccupationBallet dancer
External image
image icon Photo, bolshoi.ru

Early life

Semionova was born in and grew up in Moscow, Russia. She attended Ballet school with her older brother Dmitry Semionov, who is now a principal dancer with the Staatsballett Berlin. Studying at the Bolshoi Ballet School in Moscow, she won awards in the top ballet competitions; including a gold medal at the Moscow International Ballet Competition 2001,[4] First Prize at the Vaganova-Prix Ballet Competition in St Petersburg 2002,[5] and Junior Prize at the Nagoya (Japan) International Ballet Competition 2002.

Graduating in 2002, Semionova joined the Berlin State Ballet as a principal upon the invitation of its artistic director Vladimir Malakhov,[6] becoming the youngest principal in the company's history at the age of 18. She toured Japan as Malakhov's partner, the reason he had invited her to be a principal in the company. He gave her the lead roles in The Nutcracker and La Bayadère during her first season, following with the role of Tatiana in Onegin, which became her favourite role. In 2003, at the age of 19, Semionova performed with the English National Ballet in Swan Lake, receiving approving reviews from English critics. The following year she joined the California Ballet in their production of The Sleeping Beauty, again impressing critics despite what they termed a disappointing overall ballet.[7]

Appearing in Herbert Grönemeyer's 2003 music video "Demo (Letzter Tag)", which was later uploaded to YouTube, brought her to the attention of both the dance community and the general public. Semionova is one of the featured artists on EuroArts DVD "Divine Dancers Live from Prague", in which she dances a pas-de-deux from the ballet "Manon".

In 2009 Semionova participated with the Berlin State Ballet at which she choreographed with Vladimir Malakhov.[8]

In 2012, after a conflict with Malakhov,[9] she moved to New York and became a principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre.[10] In the same year she appeared in Brian de Palma's film Passion as a ballet dancer. In 2013 she was named professor at the Berlin State Ballet School.[3] In 2014, she returned to Berlin Staatsballett with her return-performance which was Maurice Bejart's iconic Bolero.

In 2018 Semionova had appeared in Alexei Ratmansky's La Bayadère.[11]

In 2018 Semionova had helped The Beautiful Mind Series company to develop a perfume which will come with the smell of fresh fruits like pear and mandarin as well as freesia and white blossom.[12] The same year she also was voted as Female Dancer of the Year by Tanz magazine.[13]

Personal life

Semionova is married to Mehmet Yümak who is also a dancer with the Berlin State Ballet.[9] Together they had a baby which was born in January 2017[14] and for whom Semionova needed to leave and cancel any future performances with ABT.[15][16][17]

See also

References
  1. "Backstage with Polina Semionova". Pointe. 28 March 2014.
  2. "The return of Berlin's ballet princess". Exberliner. 11 December 2014.
  3. "Staats Ballett Berlin: Polina Semionova". Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  4. admin (25 May 2012). "Polina Semionova to Join ABTas Principal Dancer". American Ballet Theatre. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  5. "Vaganova Ballet Academy PRIX 2016". Danza Ballet (in Spanish). 25 October 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  6. Alovert, Nina. On the rise: Polina Semionova: destiny's Ball-a young ballerina's journey from student to Cinderella, Dance Magazine, October 2004. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  7. Steinberg, Janice. California Ballet Company, Dance Magazine, 5–6 March 2005. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  8. "The Cinderella Story". Dance Magazine. 24 February 2009.
  9. "Ein Schwan im Kükenstall". Tagesspiegel (in German). 4 January 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  10. "Polina Semionova to Join ABT as Principal Dancer". American Ballet Theatre. 25 May 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  11. Mccaulay, Alistair (5 November 2018). "Review: In Alexei Ratmansky's 'Bayadère,' Mostly Good Revelations". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  12. DeSantis, Marissa (18 January 2018). "Polina Semionova Helped Create a New Fragrance Inspired by Dancers". Dance Magazine.
  13. "Polina Semionova voted Female Dancer of the Year". Deutsche Welle. 21 December 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  14. Kent G. Becker (3 February 2017). "Social Media News: Megan Fairchild, Polina Semionova". Ballet Focus. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  15. "Polina Semionova to Withdraw from Performances with ABT at Metropolitan Opera House". American Ballet Theatre. 2 May 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  16. "Polina Semionova Withdraws from ABT". 3 May 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  17. Cooper, Michael (4 May 2016). "Polina Semionova Withdraws From American Ballet Theater's 2016 Spring Season". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
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