Kirov Academy of Ballet
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The Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington, D.C. is a ballet school that serves students in grades 7 through 12 and offers a high school diploma in addition to its dance instruction.
It was founded in 1990 by Rev. Sun Myung Moon under its original name, The Universal Ballet Academy, due to its affiliation with The Universal Ballet in Seoul, South Korea, which gets its name from the Unification Church. The name was changed to Kirov when Oleg Vinogradov (former director of the Mariinsky Theatre also known as the Kirov Theater after a Soviet politician Sergey Kirov) became the artistic director. The name was recently changed back to The Universal Ballet Academy, and effective September 2006 the name again became The Kirov Academy.
The Academy trains students in the Vaganova method since its faculty consists entirely of former Soviet dancers and teachers. The Academy has its own in-house academic and residence program. Students at the Academy can live, eat and attend school, all in the same facility, while focusing primarily on their dance training.
The current faculty includes Oleg Vinogradov (Artistic Director), Yelena Vinogradova (Deputy Artistic Director), Jacqueline Akhmedova, Ludmila Morkovina, Lyubov Fominich, Vladimir Djouloukhadze, Anatoli Kucheruk, Angelina Armeiskaya.
Previous instructors include Rudolph Kharatian, Nikolai L. Morozov, Adrienne Dellas Thornton, Andrei Garbouz and Alla Sizova.
Graduates of The Kirov Academy include Sascha Radetsky, Rasta Thomas, Michelle Wiles, Danny Tidwell, Tyler Nelson, Oscar Hawkins, Maria Bystrova, Adrienne Canterna and Ashley Canterna.
