(Posted 2 p.m., Sept. 7)
World-renowned ballet instructor drops by Orléans dance school
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

Students at Leeming Danceworks in Orléans were recently treated to a special master class given by a special guest with an lengthy resume.

Igor Petrov is a former dancer with the world-renowned Kirov Ballett in Russia and is now the personal coach to some of the greatest dancers in the world including Alexander Sergeyev, Ilya Kuznetsov, Konstantin Zverev, and Coryphey Grigoriy Popov who currently performing with "Ballet Jorgen Canada" as a special guest dancer.

World-renowned ballet instructor Igor Petrov leads a master class at Leeming Danceworks during a recent visit to the Orléans dance school. Photo courtesy of Leeming Danceworks

Mr. Petrov was born in Leningrad and graduated from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in 1981. He joined the Kirov (now Mariinsky) Ballet Company the same year.

His dancing repertoire included "Don Quixote" (Basilio), "Giselle" (Pas de deux), "The Fountain of Bakhchisarai" (Vaslav), "Scheherazade" (Eunuch) as well as every major ballet performed by the Kirov until 2005.

Mr. Petrov started coaching in 1996 and has been coaching full time since 2005. He now runs Master classes for the students of Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet on a regular basis.

He was awarded with the Medal of the Government of Russia "For Great Contribution to Arts and Culture" and is recognized as one of the top ballett instructors in the world.

Having someone with Mr. Petrov's stature drop by the dance school was somewhat of a coup for Leeming Danceworks, which has enjoyed a great deal of success on the competitive dancing circuit in recent years.

During his visit he taught two master classes and choreographed a ballet group and two solos for the senior dancers on the competitive team. His classes were challenging and inspiring.

Afterwards he told the students they were the strongest he had taught in the city and commended their teachers Sharon Leeming Mann and Tricia Bouvier Harps for their solid technical training.

Leeming-Mann said Mr. Petrov's visit was a tremendous honour.

"To have someone with his background and incredible experitse and knowledge grace our studio was an absolute privilege," says Leeming-Mann.

(This story was made possible thanks to their generous support of our local business partners.)

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