Program

In Appreciation of our Patrons

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our Founding Patrons, Drs. Sun Myung Moon & Hak Ja Han Moon for your continued support. Indeed, for 30 years, your unwavering devotion and commitment to the Kirov Academy has allowed our students to flourish in their endeavors of becoming the best dancers in the world.

Now, our commitment to excellence continues with the new Kirov Academy, which houses the best of dance and the best of music. Moving forward, we know that our dancers and musicians will grace the world’s stage with truth, beauty and the love of humanity expressed through their artistry.

Our President, Dr. Tatiana Moon, and the Kirov Family join in our pledge to do our part in providing the needed care and guidance for the success of each Kirov Academy’s students. We appreciate those who have come before us and honor their investment in the pursuit of artistic excellence.

We look forward to Kirov Academy’s next chapter with great love and admiration for both of you. Thank you once again.

The Kirov Academy

PRESIDENT Message

Distinguished Guests, Parents, Friends of the Kirov and Students,

Welcome to the Winter Gala and tonight’s performance of The Nutcracker. It is my great honor to serve as President of the Kirov Academy of Washington DC and to steward the vision of our founding patrons, Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon to “Create a World of Beauty through Heavenly Art.” The artistic excellence on display in this performance is a testimony to our incredible faculty of instructors and the hard work and dedication of our students in learning their craft.

The wonder and delight of the holiday season is personified in The Nutcracker Ballet. Our highly talented instructors have meticulously guided each dancer as they worked tirelessly to create a flawless performance, and a night of beauty and magic for you to enjoy.

2020 has been a year of significant development for the New Kirov Academy. We now have a world class music program, in collaboration with the Moscow Music Conservatory and the St. Petersburg Conservatory, in support of the ballet dancers that you see on stage tonight.

We are also looking forward to 2021 and celebrating our 30th anniversary in May. True art knows no bounds and we are excited to expand our offerings over the next decade and connect internationally with artists from around the world.

We congratulate each dancer on a successful fall semester at the Kirov Academy. Again, my special thanks to our dedicated faculty and to the parents who entrusted your children into our care.

Happy Holidays,

Tatiana Moon

Chair & President

Pamela Gonzales de Cordova

Executive Director

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Message

I have served as a Board member of Universal Ballet Foundation, Inc. since 2012 and, more recently, as the Executive Director of Kirov Academy since 2016. I have grown to love this school and its remarkable teachers and students. It has been a great honor and challenge to work with the staff here at the Academy.

Our talented teachers and musicians have brought all the best parts of Russian tradition and discipline to our school complementing our existing staff. Parents have entrusted us with providing their children with the finest education that any arts school could offer. Thank you to all the parents who have trusted us with their children.

Under the leadership of President Moon, we are preserving the tradition of discipline and excellence and applying this with the same priority and enthusiasm to our Music Program. The results are, in just two short years, impressive, as evidenced by our recent partnership with Steinway & Sons and the Embassy Series.

For 30 years, we have educated rising talented young dancers in the tradition of classical ballet. Now we will, modelled after the Vaganova Academy, include music. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is quoted to have said “A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine painting every day of his life. . .” Tonight you will hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see the live painting of classical ballet before your eyes in hopes that it will “obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul”.

Enjoy!

Program

Excerpts from The Little Humpbacked Horse

Choreography: Marius Petipa
Music: Cesare Pugni
Teacher: Mme. Valeria Ivleva
Students: Lola Lybarger, Chloe Bang, Amira Tulegenova, Yiran Wei, Alexis Udovenova, Kelsey Swire
The Ocean and Pearls From The Tsar Maiden

Choreography: Marius Petipa
Music: Cesare Pugni
Teacher: Mr. Runqiao Du, Mr. Vladimir Djouloukhadze
Students:
Dec 28th - Justin Pidgeon with Audrey Black, Tiffany Son
Dec 29th - Kuan-Lun Li with Kimberly Weng, Gianna Morette
Dec 30th - Ryan Robinson with Ava Joseph, Kasumi Nunomura.
Excerpts from Fadetta

Choreography: Lavrovsky, reproduction of Nikolai Boyarchikov
Music: Leo Delibes
Teacher: Mme. Marianna Rozanova
Students: Claire Richards, Soojin Robert, Edaline Tan, Valeria Franco, Kallie Green, Paola Cervantes, Sarah Richter, Elizabeth Vinokurov

In Memory of the Artistic Director of Mikhailovsky Theatre, Mr. Nikolai Boyarchikov
Non, Je Ne regrette Rien (Contemporary)

Choreographer/Teacher: Mme. Adrienne Canterna
Music: Edith Piaf
Students: Gianna Morette, Vannessa Labbee, Natalia Velarde, Karis Lim, Kasumi Nunomura, Audrey Black, Victoria Gorokhova, Lydia Van Boxtel. Eshli Misuk. Nora Yun Schaefer, Chloe Han
Swanhilda and Girlfriends Dance from Coppelia

Choreography: Arthur Saint-Leon
Music: Leo Delibes
Teacher: Mme. Valeria Ivleva

Dec 28th - Nissa Wood with Stephanie Drenckhahn, Nyah Abdullah, Tiffany Son, Kimberly Weng, Kalan Rang, Andromache Notis.

Dec 29th - Nyah Abdullah with Nissa Wood, Stephanie Drenckhahn, Tiffany Son, Kimberly Weng, Kalan Rang, Andromache Notis.

Dec 30th - Nissa Wood with Stephanie Drenckhahn, Nyah Abdullah, Tiffany Son, Kimberly Weng, Kalan Rang, Andromache Notis.
Ballet Variation for Two

Choreography by: Mr. Vladimir Djouloukhadze
Music by: Offenbach
Teacher: Mr. Vladimir Djouloukhadze
Students:
Dec 28th - Alexander Nicolosi, Kuan-Lun Li
Dec 29th - Justin Pidgeon, Antony Holshouser
Dec 30th - Piotr Peczkowski, Nasrullah Abdur-Rahman
Classical Variations

“Flame of Paris”
Student: Soojin Luna Robert
Teacher: Mme. Marianna Rozanova

“Don Quixote”
Student: Valeria Franco
Teacher: Mme. Marianna Rozanova

“La Fille Mal Gardee”
Student: Edaline Tan
Teacher: Mme. Marianna Rozanova

“Esmeralda”
Student: Kallie Green
Teacher: Mme. Marianna Rozanova
Le Travail from Coppelia

Choreography: Arthur Saint-Leon
Music: Leo Delibes
Teacher: Mme. Valeria Ivleva
Students:

Dec 28th - Nissa Wood with Stephanie Drenckhahn, Andromache Notis, Tiffany Son, Kalan Rang

Dec 29th - Nyah Abdullah with Jody Gahn, Emma-Claire Vanderslice, Alyssa Kopczynski, Fallon Chicosky

Dec 30th - Ava Joseph with Jody Gahn, Emma-Claire Vanderslice, Alyssa Kopczynski, Fallon Chicosky
Work Song (Contemporary)

Choreography/Teacher: Mme. Adrienne Canterna
Music: Hozier
Students: Andromache Notis, Kalan Rang, Nissa Wood, Emma-Claire Vanderslice, Nyah Abdullah, Piotr Peczkowski, Kuan-Lun Li.
Waltz from Coppelia

Choreography: Arthur Saint-Leon
Music: Leo Delibes
Teacher: Mme. Marianna Rozanova
Students: Gianna Morette, Vannessa Labbee, Natalia Velarde, Karis Lim, Kasumi Nunomura, Audrey Black, Victoria Gorokhova, Lydia Van Boxtel. Eshli Misuk
Venetian Carnival, Pas de Deux from Satanella

Choreography by: Marius Petipa
Music by: Cesare Pugni
Teacher: Mr. Vladimir Djouloukhadze
Student: Nissa Wood with Piotr Peczkowski, Nyah Abdullah with Justin Pidgeon
Menuet (Historical)

Choreography: M.Petipa.
Music: W.A. Mozart
Students: Lola Lybarger, Chloe Bang, Amira Tulegenova, Yiran Wei, Alexis Udovenova, Kelsey Swire. Claire Richards, Soojin Robert, Edaline Tan, Valeria Franco, Kallie Green, Paola Cervantes, Sarah Richter, Elizabeth Vinokurov.
Teacher: Mme. Anastasia Vasileva
Pas Zéphyr (Historical)

Choreography: N.Yakovlev.
Music: A.Czibulka
Students: Lola Lybarger, Chloe Bang, Amira Tulegenova, Yiran Wei, Alexis Udovenova, Kelsey Swire. Claire Richards, Soojin Robert, Edaline Tan, Valeria Franco, Kallie Green, Paola Cervantes, Sarah Richter, Elizabeth Vinokurov.
Teacher: Mme. Anastasia Vasileva
Another Twisted Rock (Contemporary)

Choreography/Teacher: Mr. Anton Wilson
Music By: Bessie Smith, Jessy Norman (Composer Richard Strauss)
Students: Amira Tulegenova, Yiran Wei, Alexis Udovenko, Kelsey Swire, Lola Lybarger, Claire Richards, Soojin Robert, Edaline Tan, Valeria Franco, Kallie Green, Paola Cervantes, Sarah Richter, Elizabeth Vinokurov.
Reflection (Contemporary)

Music: Sergei Prokofiev
Choreographer/Teacher: Mr. Vladimir Djouloukahdze
Students:
(Dec 28) Stephanie Drenckhahn, Victoria Gorokhova, Natalia Velarde, Andromache Notis, Nora Yun Schaefer, Tiffany Son, Nissa Wood, Andrey Black

(Dec 29) Stephanie Drenckhahn, Victoria Gorokhova, Nyah Abdullah, Andromache Notis, Nora Yun Schaefer, Tiffany Son, Nissa Wood, Andrey Black

(Dec 30) Lydia Van Boxtel, Alyssa Kopczynski, Emma-Claire Vanderslice, Kalan Rang, Vanessa Labbee, Kasumi Nunomura, Gianna Morette, Ava Joseph
Men’s Classical Variation (Ballet)

“Harlequinade”
Student: Ryan Robinson
Teacher: Mr. Vladimir Djouloukhadze

“Esmeralda”
Student: Kuan- Lun Li
Teacher: Mr. Vladimir Djouloukhadze

“Swan Lake”
Student: Nasrullah Abdur-Rahman
Teacher: Mr. Vladimir Djouloukhadze
Waltz (Historical)

Music: A.Glazunov
Choreographer/Teacher: Mme. Anastasia Vasileva
Students: Lola Lybarger, Chloe Bang, Amira Tulegenova, Yiran Wei, Alexis Udovenova, Kelsey Swire. Claire Richards, Soojin Robert, Edaline Tan, Valeria Franco, Kallie Green, Paola Cervantes, Sarah Richter, Elizabeth Vinokurov
Don’t Mean a Thing (Jazz)

Music: The Musical “Play On”
Choreographer/Teacher: Mme. Courtney Washington
Students: Lola Lybarger, Chloe Bang, Amira Tulegenova, Yiran Wei, Alexis Udovenova, Kelsey Swire. Claire Richards, Soojin Robert, Edaline Tan, Valeria Franco, Kallie Green, Paola Cervantes, Sarah Richter, Elizabeth Vinokurov
Le Corsaire Pas de Deux (Ballet)

Choreography: Marius Petipa
Music: Adolphe Adam
Teacher: Mr. Runqiao Du, Mme. Marianna Rozanova, Mr. Vladimir Djouloukhadze
Students:

(Dec 28) Chloe Han, Alexander Nicolosi

(Dec 29) Chloe Han, Nasrullah Abdur-Rahman

(Dec 30) Chloe Han, Alexander Nicolosi
Contemporary Solos (Contemporary)

“Sayuri’s Theme”
Choreographer/Teacher: Mme. Adrienne Canterna
Student: Edaline Tan

“Forever”
Choreographer/Teacher: Mme. Adrienne Canterna
Student: Victoria Gorokhova

“Get the Child”
Choreographer/Teacher: Mme. Adrienne Canterna
Student: Nasrullah Abdur-Rahman
Moment (Ballet)

Music: Antonin Dvorak
Choreography/Teacher: Mme. Ninel Cherevko
Students: Andromache Notis, Kalan Rang, Nissa Wood, Emma-Claire Vanderslice, Nyah Abdullah, Piotr Peczkowski, Kuan-Lun Li
Women’s Classical Variation (Ballet)

“Don Quixote”
Student: Stephanie Drenckhahn
Teacher: Mme. Valeria Ivleva

“Don Quixote”
Student: Nyah Abdullah
Teacher: Mme. Valeria Ivleva

“Don Quixote”
Student: Nissa Wood
Teacher: Mme. Valeria Ivleva
Contemporary Solos (Contemporary)

“This Place is a Shelter”
Choreographer/Teacher: Mme. Adrienne Canterna
Student: Natalia Velarde

“A Dream Discarded”
Choreographer/Teacher: Mme. Adrienne Canterna
Student: Andromache Noti

“When the Party’s Over”
Choreographer/Teacher: Mme. Adrienne Canterna
Student: Ava Joseph
Fade (Jazz)

Music: Kanye West
Choreographer/Teacher: Mme. Courtney Washington
Students: Nissa Wood, Nyah Abdullah, Gianna Morette, Nora Yun Schaefer, Natalia Velarde, Ava Joseph, Vanessa Labbee, Andromache Notis, Matteo Ghidoli, Nasrullah Abdur-Rahman. Justin Pidgeon, Alexander Nicolosi
Contemporary Solos (Contemporary)

“Cinderella”
Choreographer/Teacher: Mr. Runqiao Du
Student: Valeria Franco

“Rachmaninov Fantasy”
Choreographer/Teacher: Mr. Runqiao Du
Student: Stephanie Drenckhahn

“Dawn”
Choreographer/Teacher: Mr. Runqiao Du
Student: Soojin-Luna Robert

“Madam Butterfly”
Choreographer/Teacher: Mr. Runqiao Du
Student: Kasumi Nunomura
Trucks in Place (Contemporary)

Music: Ludwig Goransson
Choreographer/Teacher: Mme. Adrienne Canterna
Students: Stephanie Drenckhahn, Tiffany Son, Kimberly Weng, Ava Joseph, Fallon Chicosky, Alyssa Kopczynski, Jody Gahn, Justin Pidgeon, Antony Holshouser, Piotr Peczkowski, Kuan-Lun Li. Ryan Robinson, Alexander Nicolosi, Matteo Ghidoli, Nasrullah Abdur-Rahman.
Women’s Classical Variation (Ballet)

“Awakening of Flora”
Student: Victoria Gorokhova
Teacher: Mme. Marianna Rozanova

“Awakening of Flora”
Student: Kasumi Nunomura,
Teacher: Mme. Marianna Rozanova

“Talisman”
Student: Nora Yun Schaefer
Teacher: Mme. Marianna Rozanova

“Awakening of Flora”
Student: Chloe Han
Teacher: Mme. Marianna Rozanova
Etudes for Men (Ballet)

Music: Knudage Riisager
Choreographer/Teacher: Mr. Runqiao Du
Students: Justin Pidgeon, Antony Holshouser, Piotr Peczkowski, Kuan-Lun Li. Ryan Robinson, Alexander Nicolosi, Matteo Ghidoli, Nasrullah Abdur-Rahman.
Contemporary Solos (Contemporary)

“The Spring Waltz”
Choreographer/Teacher: Mr. Runqiao Du
Student: Lola Lybarger

“Moments in Time”
Choreographer/Teacher: Mr. Runqiao Du
Student: Kallie Green

“Cascade”
Choreographer/Teacher: Mr. Runqiao Du
Student: Kuan-Lun Li

“Timelapse”
Choreographer/Teacher: Mr. Runqiao Du
Student: Chloe Han
Pas de Sclave (Ballet)

Choreography: Marius Petipa
Music: Adolphe Adam
Students: Nora Yun Schaefer,, Matteo Ghidoli
Teacher: Mr. Vladimir Djouloukhadze
Contemporary Solos (Contemporary)

“Winter”
Choreographer/Teacher: Mme. Adrienne Canterna
Student: Nora Yun Schaefer

“Trans-Siberian Diary”
Choreographer/Teacher: Mme. Adrienne Canterna
Student: Gianna Morette

“Cello Suite”
Choreographer/Teacher: Mme. Adrienne Canterna
Student: Alexander Nicolosi
Mazurka (Character)

Music: S. Monushko
Choreographer/Teacher: Mme. Anastasia Vasileva
Students: Gianna Morette, Vannessa Labbee, Natalia Velarde, Karis Lim, Kasumi Nunomura, Audrey Black, Victoria Gorokhova, Lydia Van Boxtel. Eshli Misuk. Nissa Wood with Stephanie Drenckhahn, Nyah Abdullah, Tiffany Son, Kimberly Weng, Kalan Rang, Andromache Notis, Ava Joseph, Fallon Chicosky, Alyssa Kopczynski, Emma-Claire Vanderslice, Jody Gahn, Nora Yun Schaefer, Chloe Han, Justin Pidgeon, Antony Holshouser, Piotr Peczkowski, Kuan-Lun Li. Ryan Robinson, Alexander Nicolosi, Matteo Ghidoli, Nasrullah Abdur-Rahman