Svetlana Zakharova and Mikhail Lobukhin in Distant Cries

Svetlana Zakharova (Rus. Светлана Захарова) and Mikhail Lobukhin (Rus. Михаил Лобухин) in Distant Cries adagio. Music by Tomaso Albioni, choreography by Edwaard Liang. Violin by Vadim Repin. Pas de deux for Toes and Fingers, shot on 21th and 22.12.2015 in Auditorium Conciliazione, Rome.

Check out all galleries from PDD for Toes and Fingers

Check out all galleries from PDD for Toes and Fingers

Svetlana Zakharova (Rus Светлана Захарова) is currently principal with Bolshoi Theatre and Teatro Alla Scala (La Scala). Svetlana was born in Lutsk, in the Ukraine, on 10 June 1979. She joined the Kiev Choreographic School where she trained mainly with Valeria Sulegina. Svetlana was allowed to continue her training at the Vaganova Academy in St. Petersburg. Instead of the expected second course, she was admitted directly to the third, the graduating course (in the class of Yelena Yevteyeva, the distinguished Kirov ballerina of the previous generation). While still a student at the Vaganova Academy Svetlana already performed on the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre. In June 1996 Svetlana graduated from the Vaganova Academy, she was just 17. A year later she was promoted to principal dancer. In the Mariinsky company Svetlana was taken under the experienced wings of Olga Moiseyeva, with whom she would build a lasting rapport. Preparing all the new roles with her, Moiseyeva quickly became the key-figure in Svetlana’s artistic development. As of October 2003 Svetlana started dancing as a principal with the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow. At the Bolshoi she is rehearsing her roles with Ludmilla Semenyaka.

Mikhail Lobukhin (Rus. Михаил Лобухин) is principal dancer with Bolshoi Theatre Ballet, Moscow, Russia. He was born in Saint Petersburg (then Leningrad). In 2002, he graduated from the the Vaganova Ballet Academy (Saint Petersburg). Received a Diploma Certificate Bachelor of Arts with honors (teacher Boris Bregvadze), that same year he was admitted to the ballet of the Marinsky Theatre. In January 2010, joined the Bolshoi Ballet Company (teachers Mikhail Lavrovsky and Valery Lagunov).

Edwaard Liang (born 1975 or 1976) is a Taiwanese-born American dancer and choreographer. He grew up in California. Liang began studying dance at the age of 5. He entered the School of American Ballet in New York City in 1989, joined New York City Ballet in 1993 and was promoted to the rank of soloist in 1998. In 2001, Liang left the New York City Ballet to dance in Fosse on Broadway. He returned to New York City Ballet from 2004-2007 where he danced in ballets by Jorma Elo (Slice to Sharp) and Mauro Bigonzetti (In Vento). Liang began choreographing around 2003. He created FLIGHT OF ANGELS for Nederlands Dans Theatre and in 2005 his pas de deux DISTANT CRIES was premiered at the Joyce Theatre, NYC, by Peter Boal and Wendy Whelan and was later performed by the same dancers at the New York State Theater. In July 2013 Liang became artistic director of BalletMet.

Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni (8 June 1671 – 17 January 1751) was an Italian Baroque composer. While famous in his day as an opera composer, he is mainly remembered today for his instrumental music.

Photos by Jack Devant ballet photography © with kind permission of Daniele Cipriani Entertainment and Auditorium Conciliazione, special thanks to Mrs. Simonetta Allder and Mr. Daniele Cipriani.