Leonid Sarafanov and Denis Matvienko in Quatro

Leonid Sarafanov (Mikhailovsky Theatre) and Denis Matvienko (Mariinsky Theatre)  in Quatro, choreography by Edward Clug, music by M. Lazar. This is the piece almost impossible to embrace and capture by camera. Hope give you some flavor of that amazingly choreographed complication. Dance Open Savonlinna 2013.

Leonid Sarafanov and Denis Matvienko in Quatro, choreography by Edward Clug, music by M. Lazar. This is the piece almost impossible to embrace and capture by camera. Hope give you some flavor of that amazingly choreographed complication. Dance Open Savonlinna 2013.

Leonid Sarafanov was born in Kiev, Ukraine. In 2000 Sarafanov graduated from the Kiev State School of Choreography and in 2002 joined the Mariinsky Ballet Company. He’s a guest principal with the Teatro alla Scala (Milan), Tokyo Ballet, The Vienna State Opera. He performs principal roles in classical and contemporary repertory. In 2006 he was awarded the International Benois de la Danse Prize.

Denis Matvienko was born on February 23, 1979 in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. Since 1989 to 1997 he was studied at Kiev state choreographic school. Being a last year student of the Kiev state choreographic school Denis made his debut on the stage of National opera and ballet theatre of Ukraine at Sleeping Beauty as Desire. At June 1997 became the principal ballet-dancer of National opera and ballet theatre of Ukraine. Since March 2001 to March 2002 worked at Mariinsky Theatre (St. Petersburg) as the leading ballet-dancer. At January 2003 Denis retuned to Kiev state theatre of opera and ballet as principal dancer. From October 2007 to March 2009 Denis was a principal dancer of Mikhailovsky Theatre, St Petersburg, Russia. Starting from March 2009 – principal dancer of Mariinsky Theatre, St.Petersburg, Russia.

Edward Clug (born in 1973 in Beiuș, Romania) is an independent dance choreographer in the field of contemporary ballet and a director of Maribor Ballet. Clug studied classical ballet in Cluj-Napoca.

Photos by Jack Devant © with kind permission of the Dance Open, special thanks to Ekaterina Galanova, Julia Martina, Daria Donova and Adelia Mukhamedzhanova.