The Rock School

The Rock School enjoyed having Gennadi Saveliev as a guest instructor last week. Mr. Saveliev taught a combined level master class, a men’s class, and coached our male students competing in this year’s YAGP finals coming up next week.

Born in Moscow, Russia, Gennadi Saveliev began his ballet studies at the Bolshoi Ballet School at the age of nine. At 18 he joined the Bolshoi Ballet Grigorovich Company where his repertoire included the Chinese Doll inThe Nutcracker, one of the four cavaliers in Raymonda and the pas de trios in Swan Lake. Saveliev has also danced with the Nevada Dance Theatre, Tulsa Ballet, Los Angeles Classical Ballet and the New Jersey Ballet. Saveliev won the Silver Medal at the 1996 New York International Ballet Competition and was a finalist at the Nagoya Ballet Competition in 1999.

Saveliev joined American Ballet Theatre as a member of the corps de ballet in January 1996. His repertoire with the Company includes the Bronze Idol, the Head Fakir and the Rajah in La Bayadère, Accordionist in The Bright Stream. the first movement in Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1, the Lead Mazurka/Czardas Dancer inCoppélia, Conrad, Ali, the slave and Lankendem in Le Corsaire, the pas de deux Diana and Acteon, a leading role in Diversion of Angels, Espada in Don Quixote, Demetrius in The Dream, Henry in Christopher Wheeldon’s VIII, the Pastor in Fall River Legend, the pas de deux Flames of Paris, Albrecht, Hilarion and the peasant pas de deux in Giselle, Gaston in Lady of the Camellias, Lescaut in Manon, Camille in The Merry Widow, the Nutcracker-Prince and the Cavalier in Kevin McKenzie’s The Nutcracker, the Painter in Offenbach in the Underworld, Prince Gremin in Onegin, Sergei in On the Dnieper, a Friend of the Family in Pillar of Fire, the Warrior Chieftain in Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor, Beranger and the Lead Hungarian Dancer inRaymonda, Paris and Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (Romeo’s Farewell to Juliet), Prince Désiré and the Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty, Prince Siegfried, Benno, von Rothbart (Act III) and the Lead Czardas Dancer in Swan Lake, Orion in Sylvia, Lucentio in The Taming of the Shrew, leading roles inBallet Imperial, The Brahms-Haydn Variations, In the Upper Room, The Leaves Are Fading, Les Sylphides, Symphonie Concertante, Theme and Variations and Without Words, as well as roles in Black Tuesday, Clear, The Garden of Villandry, HereAfter, Jabula, Overgrown Path, Petite Mort and Symphony in C. He created leading roles in Rabbit and Rogue and Seven Sonatas.

Saveliev is a member of Angel Corella and Friends and Stiefel and Stars touring companies and is also the founder and artistic director of Youth America Grand Prix, America’s first student ballet scholarship competition.

Saveliev was promoted to Soloist in August 2002.

Mr. Savaliev’s performances at American Ballet Theatre are sponsored by Brian and Darlene Heidtke.

It is with regret and sadness that we share the recent news. 
 
Polina Kadiyska, a 22-year old student from Bulgaria had been studying ballet at The Rock School for three years.  Polina was a beautiful dancer on her way to a wonderful professional career.  While she lived in The Rock School’s residence location at the Marine Club her first year, Polina had been living on her own for the past two years.
 
To the best of our knowledge, Sunday morning between 4:00am and 5:00am Polina was struck by a drunk driver who ran a red light. The driver was arrested for DUI, leaving the scene, and other related causes including aggravated assault.
 
Polina was in a coma at the ICU at Jefferson Hospital. The Directors and Polina’s loved ones stayed at the hospital until her parents arrived from Bulgaria around 1:30 this morning.  Polina passed on a few hours later.

Our hearts and love go out to Polina and her family. She was a beautiful person in every way.

Please check back for more information on a memorial service. We are collecting any flowers, cards, or kind words for Polina’s family on the 2nd floor by the elevator under her photo.

Thank you for all of your love and support throughout this horrible tragedy.

Congratulations to former Rock School student/teacher Gleidson Vasconcelos!

Mr. Vasconcelos will be performing at the Joyce Theater in New York City with Ballet Arizona this week from February 22-26, 2012! Ballet Arizona is making their Joyce Theater debut with the production of Ib Andersen’s “Play.”

Gleidson Vasconcelos is a talented young dancer/teacher who is gifted in both arenas. Among his credits are Cuban Classical Ballet, Principal Dancer. New Jersey Ballet, Guest Artist, Company Member, Royal Winnepeg Ballet. He won the Gold Medal at World Ballet Competition. Silver Medal, YAGP Finals, New York. Rudolf Nureyev Award. Best Male Dancer Russian Pointe Ballet Competition.

The photos above are from Mr. Vasconcelos teaching and dancing with The Rock School.

Congratulations and Merde!