Dance Unites: Ballet Masterclass with Zenaida Yanowsky

This October, Hong Kong Ballet will stage ‘the ballet of all ballets’ Swan Lake, which always sweeps audiences off their feet with its beautifully tragic romance and its theme of ultimate redemption. The Royal Ballet’s former principal ballerina Zenaida Yanowsky will come coach our dancers in this showcase of classical ballet’s most demanding techniques and expressive artistry.

Her masterful performances in Swan Lake have been hailed by critics as ‘electrifying, exquisite…her phrasing preternaturally responsive to the expressive possibilities of the choreography’. Zenaida will teach a public ballet masterclass on 9 Oct, and we are thrilled to offer this very unique opportunity for ballet bunheads and fans to learn from her expert coaching and experience!

*About Zenaida Yanowsky*

Zenaida Yanowsky is a former Principal of The Royal Ballet. She joined the Company in 1994, was promoted to Principal in 2001 and retired from the Company in 2017.

Born in Lyon and raised in Spain, Yanowsky trained with Anatol Yanowsky and Carmen Robles. After winning a silver medal at Varna in 1991, she joined Paris Opera Ballet. She has performed leading roles in classical, dramatic and contemporary repertories and has created roles for choreographers like Nacho Duato, Mats Ek, William Forsythe, Alexei Ratmansky, Twyla Tharp, Will Tuckett and Christopher Wheeldon, among others. 

Yanowsky is featured in the short dance films Duet and The Sandman, Riot at the Rite and BBC’s documentary The Dying Swan, and she has collaborated with Tuckett to create work for Whitechapel Gallery and Tate Modern. Her accolades include gold medals at the 1993 European Young Dancers Competition and the 1994 Jackson International Ballet Competition, Outstanding Female Performance (Classical) at the 2016 National Dance Awards for Elizabeth and the Grishko Award for Best Female Dancer at the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards 2017.

*Conducted in English. Participants must be at least twelve years old with at least five years of ballet training.