What is Vaganova Ballet?

The Russian Ballet Style "Vaganova" is recognized as the best form of ballet exercise in the dance world. It has its name from a Russian dancer with the Imperial Ballet, Agrippina Vaganova, who was know as the "queen of variations", renowned for her jumps.

She began teaching in 1919 and is most remembered for taking the best of the old imperial style, Romantic plasticity, Italian bravura and blending it with a more athletic movement, to form what became known as the Vaganova system.

It is a method that does not isolate one particular part of the body, but trains it into one harmonious whole. It focuses on body, balance, coordination and pointe work, and helps to create strength, develop muscles to create a truly elegant dancer.

The method is taught in ballet schools in many countries and is the method which produced dancers such as Rudolph Nureyev, Mihail Baryshnikov, Galina Ulanova and many others.

This is the method which we now are introducing to Victoria, B.C.!