With her soulful presence and elegant manner onstage, Yulia Stepanova was touted as a major talent when she graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in 2009. She joined the Mariinsky Ballet, where her sensitive phrasing as Odette/Odile confirmed her potential. Stuck for a promotion, however, she made a bold move to Moscow, and it paid […]

Vladimir Urin (left) and Makhar Vaziev (right) in the Bolshoi studios. Photo by Damir Yusupov, courtesy Bolshoi. Earlier this year, the Bolshoi Ballet saw yet another regime change: Makhar Vaziev, the former La Scala and Mariinsky artistic director, took over Sergei Filin’s job. Not many insiders were surprised when Filin got pushed out, since he […]