MILENA SIMEONOVA

Prima ballerina of the National Opera and Ballet Theater in Sofia. She is a classical dance, historical dances and repertoire teacher in the National Choreographic school in Sofia.

She has graduated from the ballet academy “Agripina Vaganova” in Petersburg. She is a laureate of the International Ballet Contests in Varna and Osaka and of the development meeting of young ballet performers in Dobrich.

She has been awarded a Silver lyre – a prize awarded by the Union of musical and dance performers in Bulgaria.

She has performed in four continents – Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.

She has accomplished her higher education and graduated in ballet pedagogy from the National Music Academy “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” with Ass. Prof. Kalina Bogoeva as art advisor.

Ballet dancer, graduated from the State Choreographic School in Sofia, the class of “Classical dance” of Ana Pancheva and Lyuba Kolchakova (1969).

Immediately after that she starts her career as a ballet dancer in Varna Opera Theater.

Since 1978 she is a premier dancer of the ballet company in Varna, and since 1982 – prima ballerina. Since 1994 she is a tutor of the ballet company of Varna Opera Theater.

In 1995 under the tuition of Kalina Bogoeva she got her master degree as a “ballet master – tutor and pedagogue” in the National Music Academy “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov”. She has performed in Spain, Greece, Egypt, Italy, India, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Turkey, etc.

She has worked as a teacher in the ballet school of Varna Opera Theater and since 1990 she is a teacher in the National Art School “D.Hristov”.

In 1992 she joined as a teacher the ballet academy “Varna”, the president of which is Kalina Bogoeva.

She is a distinguished expert in the field of character dance.

She was born in Sofia. In 1972 she graduated from the State Academic Choreography School in Sankt Petersburg in Alla Osipenko’s class.

She became a laureate of the International Ballet Contest in Varna in 1976 and a prima ballerina of Sofia Opera Theater.

Pavlina Geleva started practicing as a teacher in 1992. She has worked as a tutor-pedagogue in Sofia Opera Theater and ballet group “Arabesque”.

Currently she is working as a ballet tutor in Italy.

She speaks fluently Italian, Russian and French language.

Nikolay Boyanov Iliev has received his Dance education at The Ailey School in New York.

He graduates The National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts (NAFTA) – Dance Theatre & Pantomime in 2009.

A premier dancer of the ballet group “Arabesque” in Sofia since 2005. Nowadays he works as a teacher at the National School for dance Arts (NSDA) - contemporary technique.

He had received a number of international awards. One of the latest is the Alvin Ailey at the International Ballet Contest in Seoul (South Korea).

A laureate of the International Ballet Contests in Kiev (Ukraine), Vienna (Austria), Dresden (Germany).

As a ballet dancer Nikolay Iliev has worked together with:

• Tony Powel: Pulse;
• Judith Jamison: Love Stories;
• Boriana Sechanova: Carmina Burana;
• Konstantin Uralski: Doctor Zhivago;
• Mila Iskrenova: Taste of Your Body;
• Liz Lea: Seen Unseen, Claude;
• Claude Brumachon: L'envol (Taking Flight);
• Jiri Kylian and many others.

Georgi Elkin has received his Classical Dance education at The State Ballet School in Sofia, Bulgaria, and the last three years at The Moscow Academic Ballet School.

His Classical Repertory includes a wide range of roles which he performed both in Bulgaria and abroad.

Following his interest in Contemporary Dance, he joined the “Arabesque” dance company in Sofia and later on The Cullberg Ballet Company in Stockholm, Sweden, where he pursued an international career with the unique art of Mats Ek and internationally known choreographers such as Jiri Kylian, Nacho Duato, Christopher Bruce, Ohad Naharin, Bill Forsythe, Carolyn Carlson, Philip Taylor and many others.

George Elkin is currently active as Classical Technique Coach, conducts Contemporary Dance Workshops and composes music for stage,film and expositions.

• Started her dancing at the the National Ballet School in Bulgaria.
• In 1999 she graduates BA in ballet pedagogy at the National Music Academy-Sofia.
• In 2001 she graduates the PDDS at Laban Centre London, UK.
• She is a choreographer of a numder of performances among which are - “Aquarelles“ for Arabesque Dance Company and the musicals for the National Musical Theatre -“Cats”, “Miss Saigon”, “Evita”, “Sugar”, “Jesus Christ Superstar”.
• She had received the award “Cristal Lira” twice for “Best stage production” and in 2007 for “Best choreography”.
• Since 2001 she is teaching at the National School of Dance Art contemporary technique classes and repertory.
• She is one of the members of the team, which established the first Contemporary Dance Department at the National School of Dance Art in 2004.
• She regurarly gives classes at Ballet Academies and is a member of the jury of Ballet Competitions in Bulgaria and Italy. Since 2008.
• Anna is a partner and presenter for Bulgaria at the Europian Dance Organisation “AEROWAVES”.

Prima ballerina of the State Opera and Ballet Theater in Sofia.

She is a recognized authority in the field of teaching techniques for classical dance and classical repertoire (Russian school of dancing).

She is a graduate of the State Choreography School in Sofia and of the Academic Ballet School in Moscow.

She is a certified ballet master and a stage director of the State Institute of Theater in Moscow.

She is a laureate of the International Ballet Contests in Varna.

She has been a member of international jury many times, She is the head of the department of Ballet in the National Music Academy “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov”.