Polina Semionova
born in Moscow, Russia
Ballet Education
Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Moscow
Engagements
2002–2012 Principal Dancer, Staatsballett Berlin
2012–2016 Principal Dancer, American Ballet Theater
Since 2014, Principal Guest, Staatsballett Berlin
Repertory
Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov, Patrice Bart, Yuri Grigorovich, Kevin McKenzie: Swan Lake (Odette-Odile); John Cranko: Onegin (Tatyana); John Neumeier: The Lady of the Camellias (Marguerite Gautier); Kenneth MacMillan: Manon (title role); John Cranko, Kenneth MacMillan, Vladimir Fyodorovich Lwowitsch, Nacho Duato: Romeo and Juliet (Juliet); Marius Petipa, Natalia Makarova, Vladimir Malakhov, Elisha Willis, Alexei Ratmansky: La Bayadere (Nikiya); Marius Petipa, Alexander Gorsky, Victor Ullate, Kevin McKenzie: Don Quixote (Kitri); Roland Petit: Carmen (Carmen); Patrice Bart, John Neumeier: The Nutcracker (Marie, Louise); Marius Petipa, Rudolf Nureyev, Nacho Duato, Vladimir Malakhov: The Sleeping Beauty (Princess Aurora); Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot: Giselle (Giselle, Myrtha); Frederick Ashton: Sylvia (Sylvia); Heinz Spoerli: Peer Gynt (Anitra); Michel Fokine: Scheherazade (Zobeide); Gyula Harangozó: Coppelia (Swanilda); Vladimir Malakhov: Cinderella (Title role); Maurice Béjart: Ring Around the Ring (Sieglinde, Brunhilde); Michel Fokine: Les Sylphides; John Neumeier: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Titania); Pina Bausch: The Rite of Spring; Sol León: Stars Like Moths; William Forsythe: Approximate Sonata 2016, Blake Works I, In the Middle Somewhat Elevated (Excerpt, 20 Years of Staatsballett Berlin); Crystal Pite: Angels' Atlas;
Principal Roles
Maurice Béjart: Bolero; Jerome Robbins: Afternoon of a Faun; George Balanchine: Ballet Imperial, Diamonds / Jewels, Terpsichore / Apollo, Symphony in C, Theme and Variations, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux; William Forsythe: The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, Herman Schmerman; Nacho Duato: Multiplicity. Forms of Silence and Emptiness, White Darkness, Arcangelo; Jiří Kylián: Return to the Strange Land; Michael Tippett: Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1; Uwe Scholz: Symphony No. 2, A Linden Dream; Marius Petipa: Paquita; Mauro Bigonzetti: Caravaggio, Cinque; David Dawson: Voices; Christian Spuck: Messa da Requiem,Bovary (Emma Bovary);
Competitions | Awards
Gold Medal Laureate Moscow International Ballet Competition (Russia 2001) /// Anna Pavlova Award Moscow International Ballet Competition (Russia 2001) /// First Prize Vaganova Prix International Ballet Competition (St. Petersburg / Russia 2002) /// Junior Prize Nagoya International Ballet Competition (Japan 2002) /// Daphne Prize (Germany 2004) /// German Dance Prize Future (Germany 2005) /// Female Dancer of the Year Tanz-Magazine (Germany 2007) /// Heinz Spoerli Prize (Switzerland 2008) /// Dance Open Award (Russia 2010) /// Honorary Professor Berlin State Ballet School (Germany 2013) /// Prix Benois de la Dance (Russia 2014) /// Berliner Kammertänzerin (Germany 2017) /// Female Dancer of the Year Tanz-Magazine (Germany 2018)
Other Achievements
Partners: Roberto Bolle, Friedeman Vogel, Marcello Gomes, Leonid Sarafanov, David Hallberg, Vladimir Malakhov, Igor Zelensky, Denis Matvienko, Corry Sterns, Dmitry Semionov and others.
2002 Polina Semionova was invited to join the Berlin State Ballet at the age of 17 as a Principal Artist, becoming the youngest Principal Dancer in the company’s history.
2003 Polina Semionova featured as the Ballerina in the music video Demo (Letzter Tag) of German rock/pop artist Herbert Grönemeyer.
2006 Polina Semionova was included in 100 Minds of Tomorrow – The Future in the Country of Ideas, a project of the German Historical Museum and the tabloid Bild.
2010 Release of own book Polina (Author: Gerhard Haase-Hindenberg). 2012 Polina Semionova appeared in the movie Passion (Director: Brian de Palma).
2013 /// Polina Semionova appeared in the movie The Girl from Nagasaki (Director: Michel Comte) /// A new breed of the rare ornamental plant from the Rehmannia family was named "Polina S." in the Berlin Botanical Garden /// Polina Semionova was appointed Honorary Professor at the Berlin State Ballet School.
2013-2015 Polina Semionova became the official face of the fashion brand Uniqlo.
2014 Polina Semionova presented the Ballet Gala Polina Semionova & Friends at Lincoln Theatre Yountville (California / USA).
2015 Polina Semionova together with perfumer Geza Schoen created and released the perfume Precision and Grace (The Beautiful Mind Series - Volume 2).
2018 Polina Semionova presented the Ballet Gala Polina & Friends at State Opera Berlin (Germany)