Kyiv State Choreographic College, also called Kyiv State Ballet College (sometimes Kyiv State Ballet School), is associated with the National Ballet of Ukraine, and was established in 1949, with its first graduation in 1951. The school had begun in 1934 as a children's ballet studio within the Kyiv Opera House. [1]
Started as a children's ballet studio within the Kyiv Opera House in 1934 by Leonid Zhukov. In 1935, it became a three-year choreographic technical school, in 1938 was reorganized into a seven-year school, and in 1940 became a ten-year school. [1] In 1941 it was given the name Kyiv State Choreographic School. Following the conclusion of war in 1944, it operated first as a department of a music school named after Mykola Lysenko, then in 1949 was designated as an independent educational institution for the training of classical ballet artists. The first graduating class consisted of 18 students, with the qualification "ballet artist." [1]
In the period 1961–1962, 60 graduates of the school received four year diplomas certifying them as instructors. In 1966, a boarding school was opened at the school to permit enrollment of students from across Ukraine. Also in 1966, Antonina Vasiliev became the school's artistic director, during which time the school was initiating contact with schools in other countries. In the period 1973–1991, the school graduated 274 individuals as folk dance ensemble artists. Students and graduates often performed at the Kyiv Opera House. [1]
The school now confers bachelor level choreographic degrees. [1]
The school has traditionally used the Vaganova method of Soviet ballet training. [2] [3]
Kateryna Kukhar, an artistic director at the school, has performed with the Grand Kyiv Ballet to raise funds for the school. [4] [5] [6]
Artistic directors of the school include: