Zdenek Konvalina

Zdenek Konvalina (born 1979)[1] is a Czech ballet dancer. After dancing with the Houston Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada, he joined the English National Ballet in 2011 as lead principal.[2]

Personal life

Konvalina was born in 1979 in Brno, Czech Republic. He married ballerina Ksenia Ovsyanick in 2014.[3]

Career

Konvalina began training at the Brno Conservatory at age nine.[4] After graduating in 1997, he joined the National Ballet of Moravia-Silesia and became a principal dancer in 1998 when only 19.[5] In 2001, he joined the Houston Ballet where he danced until 2006.[6] After dancing for five years as a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada, in 2011, he joined the English National Ballet in London as lead principal.[2]

Konvalina has danced the leading roles in most of the popular classical ballets and in a number of George Balanchine's works. While he was with the National Ballet of Canada, he performed leads in several premieres including Chroma and The Seagull (2008), still one of his favourites.[2] While in Canada, he also danced Jack/The Knave of Hearts in Christopher Wheeldon's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.[7]

Konvalina has made numerous guest appearances around the world including performances with the Slovak National Theatre, Inoue Ballet, Tokyo, National Ballet of Cuba, Bayerisches Staatsballett and Dutch National Ballet.[2] He has also performed at galas in Montreal, Saint Petersburg, Tokyo and Tapei.[5]

Awards

Konvalina's many awards include the gold medal at the Helsinki International Ballet Competition in 2001 and UK National Dance Award 2012. [2]

References

  1. ↑ "Czech dancer Konvalina joins National Ballet". "The Globe and Mail". 25 May 2006. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Zdenek Konvalina". English National Ballet. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  3. ↑ Brown, Ismene (8 October 2014). "In praise of #WorldBalletDay, Ivan Vasiliev and beautiful butts". spectator.co.uk.
  4. ↑ Crabb, Michael (June 2010). "Northern Lights". Dance Magazine.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Zdenek Knvalina". Dans Festival. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  6. ↑ Molly Glentzer (20 April 2006). "Houston Ballet star files sex harassment suit". Chron. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  7. ↑ "Zdenek Konvalina". The National Ballet of Canada. Retrieved 14 May 2014.

External links

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