Anastasia Demianova Interview
Q. Your ballet journey began at a very young age. What first inspired you to pursue ballet professionally, and when did you realize it would become your life’s calling?
I have been connected with art even before my birth, as my entire family comes from an artistic background. My mother worked in a symphony orchestra, and my father was a bass guitarist in a rock band. During her pregnancy, my mother continued performing in the orchestra and participating in productions.
I personally began studying ballet at the age of five after being invited by the director of a ballet school. I first appeared on stage at the age of six in the opera Eugene Onegin. From early childhood, I already understood what theater was and how responsible, exciting, and magical it could be. I spent almost all my days either in the theater or in the ballet wing - attending classes, rehearsals, performances, or accompanying my mother. I truly believe I had the best childhood because the entire academic theater felt like my own world, and I explored every corner of it. My imagination had no limits. Sometimes I even used theatrical props, like the artificial horse from Don Quixote, imagining I was going on incredible adventures.
At times, this caused problems for my mother because she never knew where in the theater to find me. I could be sitting in the audience hall, visiting the prop department, watching costume makers sew, or observing artists painting costumes by hand.
I think it was only around the age of 13 or 14 that I realized ballet would stay with me forever - that it was truly my path. I attended regular school, music school, ballet school, and even swimming training in the evenings. But out of everything in my life, ballet won my heart completely. I realized it was love from the very first step, and for a lifetime.
Q. You trained at the prestigious Vaganova Ballet Academy, which is known worldwide for its discipline and excellence. How did that experience shape you both as a dancer and as a person?
I have two ballet degrees. My first education was as a professional ballet dancer, and my second was as a professional ballet teacher from the Vaganova Ballet Academy. It is an incredibly strong and demanding school of life - that is how I would describe it. It is exactly there that your character and endurance are truly formed. At the academy, I learned discipline and how to overcome difficulties, and this has helped me tremendously throughout life. One story immediately comes to mind about how we trained to perform 32 fouettés. It is an extremely difficult technical element, and when we practiced it in class, my teacher would not allow us to stop until she said, “Stop.”
One day, we performed 128 fouettés continuously on one leg. Some students stopped because it became unbearable. But my teacher said, “Whoever stops now will never become a real ballerina.” I remember how much pain I was in - my leg hurt terribly, my muscles cramped, tears were running down my face - but I refused to stop. In the end, only a few students managed to finish: myself and two other girls.
That experience truly hardened my character and made my endurance feel like steel. When I joined the theater at the age of 19, I was able to withstand enormous physical and emotional demands. I danced everything - from corps de ballet roles to solo parts. It was the most difficult period in the theater, but I endured it because I was strong, technically prepared, and a very good jumper. Later, I became a soloist. That kind of strict discipline also helps greatly in life, especially during the hardest moments. Last year, my best friend passed away, and it was an enormous emotional blow for me. Only stable discipline brought me back to life after two months. Ballet forced me to feel life again. No matter what was happening in my personal life, I still had to go on stage and perform. Those thoughts push you to keep working physically, and in many ways they help carry you out of crisis. That is why I am deeply grateful for my education. At the academy, there are not only wonderful teachers of classical dance, historical dance, and character dance, but also remarkable professors of pedagogy and philosophy.
Q. Having performed as a soloist with Universal Ballet in South Korea, how did that all happen and what were some of the most memorable moments from your stage career?
In 2016, I was invited to join Universal Ballet in Seoul. I performed many solo roles there and truly fell in love with South Korea and with my theater. It feels very special for me to call it my theater - I worked there for ten years, and in my heart, Universal Ballet will always remain something deeply close and dear to me.
At first, it was a little unusual because the Korean ballet theater had a completely different style of movement and artistic expression. However, very quickly I blended into it naturally while always preserving my Russian classical ballet training and identity. I danced the entire classical repertoire of the theater, but I was especially happy to perform in productions such as Oneginby John Cranko and Romeo and Juliet by Kenneth MacMillan.
The Korean stage also has incredibly magical ballets based on Korean legends, such as Shim Chung and ChunHyang. These productions are not performed anywhere else in the world, and they became some of my favorite ballets. But what I am most proud of is that I was the only foreign dancer entrusted to perform a solo role in the ballet Korean Emotions. It is an extremely difficult ballet in both choreography and style because it combines classical ballet, neoclassical ballet, and traditional Korean dance. The Korean national style is very difficult to master authentically. We rehearsed for hours before the premiere, and in the end, I was able to achieve it. It was an unforgettable and truly incredible experience.
Q. Ballet is often seen as graceful on stage, but not the sacrifices behind it. What is one reality about a professional ballet career that people rarely talk about?
In reality, a ballerina sacrifices a great deal. But when you truly understand that ballet is your life, those sacrifices begin to feel meaningful and even joyful.
When I speak about discipline, I mean maintaining a healthy and consistent lifestyle. It is not always about strict dieting - in fact, most of the time we are not “on a diet.” Healthy nutrition is essential because it helps the body recover properly and gives us strength to perform again the next day. In addition to rehearsals and daily classical classes, we constantly do extra training such as Pilates, yoga, and conditioning. This strengthens muscles that are not always fully engaged during ballet training and helps improve technique and physical endurance.
But if we are speaking about real sacrifice, it is the time spent away from family, loved ones, and friends. Ballerinas have very little free time, and sometimes you cannot even attend a close friend’s birthday celebration. I did not see my mother very often because I was working in South Korea. Usually, either I traveled home during vacations, or she came to visit me instead. I am very grateful for modern technology and video calls because they allow me to stay connected with the people I love every day. But in real life, seeing each other happens far less often.
There is actually a funny truth about the ballet world: very often a ballerina’s husband is either a dancer or a doctor - simply because those are the people we see most often in our daily lives.
Q. What does your ideal “day in your life” look like away from the spotlight?
Probably the most important thing would be not having to wake up to an alarm clock and rush to a classical ballet class. I have strong muscles, but they are not naturally very flexible, so every day before class I had to spend extra time stretching and working in the gym. Honestly, doing that early in the morning was never the most pleasant feeling, and every day I had to push myself mentally and physically.
I think my ideal day would look something like this: waking up slowly, taking a shower, doing a gentle stretch so the body immediately feels relaxed, preparing a beautiful breakfast, going for a walk in the fresh air near a river or peaceful place, meeting friends, watching an interesting film in the evening, cooking dinner, taking a long bath, calling my mother, doing my skincare routine - which is probably my favorite part -and then peacefully going to sleep.
It sounds like a very ordinary day, but I think these are exactly the kinds of simple days that ballerinas miss the most.
Q. As someone who has experienced ballet cultures across different countries, how do you think the appreciation and training styles for ballet differ internationally?
I am very grateful that life gave me the opportunity to personally experience different ballet cultures. Since childhood, I traveled across many European countries with concert tours and performed in various ballet schools. Later, together with the theater, I toured across Europe and danced on many famous stages. I also spent ten years working in South Korea.
Much of this difference is connected to the history of ballet itself and how it developed in each country. In Europe, ballet history spans around 350 years, while in Korea, ballet has only been actively developing for about 40 years. Every country where ballet was born developed its own artistic identity and methodology. Italy, France, and England all have unique traditions and stylistic features. Korea, however, received ballet as an already fully formed art form, and naturally this influences both the dancing style and the teaching methods. Many people ask why the Russian Vaganova method is considered one of the best in the world. More than 100 years ago, Agrippina Vaganova created a system that combined elements from nearly all existing ballet schools at the time. She carefully analyzed the weaknesses of different methods and addressed them within her own teaching system.
That is why, even today, the Russian classical ballet school continues to be considered one of the strongest in the world.
Q. Before stepping onto the stage, did you have any personal rituals or routines that helped you calm your nerves and fully connect with the performance?
For me, the most important thing before a performance was having a delicious meal - but always at least three or four hours beforehand, otherwise I would not be able to jump properly on stage.
During makeup and hairstyling, I loved listening to podcasts or interviews. It helped distract me from stress and anxious thoughts while also allowing me to learn new and useful things. About two days before performances, I also loved going to a spa or sauna. In South Korea, this culture is especially popular, and I absolutely adore Korean saunas. After the sauna and massage, the muscles become deeply relaxed and all tension disappears.
In the evenings before sleep, I always do gentle stretching so that the next morning I wake up with warm, flexible joints and a body that already feels prepared for movement.
Q. Ballet is often seen as something people must start very young to pursue seriously. What would you say to people in their 20s or even 30s who still dream of learning ballet?
If we are speaking about professional ballet, then yes - it is best to begin around the ages of 9 or 10. At that age, the body becomes stronger, and the mind is more prepared for discipline and responsibility. I know cases where people started ballet at 13 or 14, often coming from folk dance backgrounds without classical training at all, and later became ballet soloists. One famous example is Mikhail Baryshnikov. But these are truly exceptional cases. At the same time, people who want to start ballet from zero at the age of 20 or even 30 absolutely can do it for themselves and may even perform on stage one day. The most important thing is to find a knowledgeable and professional teacher who can help develop the body correctly and safely.
Anything is possible. The most important thing is to believe in yourself and continue moving toward your dreams.
Q. You are now teaching and mentoring aspiring dancers through Osipova Ballet Academy in Silicon Valley. What do you enjoy most about teaching the next generation of ballet students?
Yes, since January 2026, I have been working at Osipova Ballet Academy, and I truly enjoy being there. I am deeply impressed by how professional the school is in every detail - from costume selection to choosing the right repertoire individually for each student.
The academy is filled with true professionals, and I am very happy to be part of this team. For me, it is also a new experience to teach several classes of different levels at the same time, but I have already become very attached to my students. I especially love how attentively they listen to every word and how dedicated they are during classes and rehearsals. Together, we have already gone through three major competitions and the production of Thumbelina. I worried about every student and was always there beside them.
Even though I no longer perform on stage myself, I stand backstage and still feel the same excitement and emotions. On competition days, I help warm them up before performances, assist with costumes and makeup, and mentally prepare them before they go on stage. I truly love this atmosphere, and I am very happy to be here.
Q. What are your future aspirations - either as a performer, educator, or someone contributing to the global ballet community?
Because I worked in South Korea for ten years while remaining a Russian ballerina with a classical Russian education and training, I realized that I would like to combine the Russian ballet school with Asian technical precision in my own teaching method. I find this idea incredibly interesting, although it is a very long and meticulous process. My dream is to preserve the classical ballet tradition and the Russian artistic soul while teaching my students flawless technique.
Bio:
From performing on some of the world’s most prestigious stages to now mentoring the next generation of dancers in Silicon Valley, Anastasia Demianova has lived a life deeply intertwined with ballet. From Russian Ballet Roots to Seoul Stages: A Conversation with Ballerina & Educator Anastasia Demianova. Trained in the legendary Russian ballet tradition and shaped by years as a soloist in South Korea, she opens up about discipline, sacrifice, artistry, and finding purpose beyond the spotlight.
Interviewed by: Gunjan Joshi
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