Elena Yevseyeva and Alexey Timofeyev in Sagalobeli

Elena Yevseyeva and Alexey Timofeyev (both with Mariinsky Theatre) in Sagalobeli, Georgian folk music, choreograhy by Yuri Possokhov. Russian Ballet Festival Lahti 2013.

Elena Yevseyeva was born in Izhevsk. In 2001 she graduated from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet (class of M. A. Vasilieva). From 2001 to 2008 she was a soloist with the Mikhailovsky Theatre, joined the Mariinsky Ballet Company in 2008.

Alexey Timofeyev was born in Leningrad (St petersburg). Graduated from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in 2004 (class of Gennady Selyutsky). Joined the Mariinsky Ballet in 2004.

Sagalobeli (religious hymn), ballet in one act on Georgian Folk Melodies and Music by Ioseb Kechakmadze, Revaz Laghidze, Giorgi Tsabadze and Merab Merabishvili. Chroreographed by Yuri Possokhov.

Yuri Possokhov is currently choreographer at San Francisco Ballet. After receiving his dance training at the Moscow Ballet School, Yuri danced with the Bolshoi Ballet for ten years, working primarily with Ballet Master Yuri Grigorovich. During this decade, he was promoted through the ranks to principal dancer. In 1992, he joined the Royal Danish Ballet as a principal dancer. The following December, Possokhov was cast as Prince Desiré in Helgi Tomasson’s The Sleeping Beauty and after being invited to perform in San Francisco Ballet’s opening night gala, he moved West. In 1994, he joined San Francisco Ballet as a principal dancer.

Photos by Jack Devant © with kind permission of the Russian Ballet Festival 2013, special thanks to Natalia Nefedova.