Meet Russia’s new prima ballerina, Anastasia Limenko (PHOTOS)

On March 30, Anastasia Limenko made her debut in the title role of the ‘Esmeralda’ ballet on the stage of the Moscow Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theater. After the performance, she was announced as the newest prima ballerina of the ballet company.

Anastasia Limenko and Osiel Gouneo, the premier of the Bavarian State Ballet during the Kremlin Gala concert 'Ballet stars of the 21st century'

Vladimir Vyatkin/Sputnik

Originally from Minsk, Belarus, Anastasia studied ballet at the Moscow Academy of Choreography. Immediately after graduating in 2012, she was enrolled in the company of the Moscow Musical Theater. At that time, she was only 18 years old. She rose from a corps de ballet dancer to a leading soloist and, now, to prima (there were only four in the theater before).

Anastasia is remembered for such roles as Gamzatti in ‘La Bayadere’, Marie in ‘The Nutcracker’, Kitri in ‘Don Quixote’, title roles in the ballets ‘The Snow Maiden’ and ‘La Sylphide’, as well as many other vivid performances.

Anastasia Limenko in 'La Sylphide'

Karina Zhitkova/Moscow Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theater

Anastasia studied on the same course with American Joy Womack, who, later, danced at the Bolshoi Theater and in the company of the Kremlin Ballet.

The girl considers honesty to be the main value in life. "When I was choosing between the Bolshoi and the Stanislavsky Theater, I chose the second, because I believed that I could honestly work my way up the career ladder. Without intrigue," she once said in an interview (link in Russian). 

Anastasia Limenko and Yevgeny Zhukov

Alexander Filkin/Moscow Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theater

Limenko is a vegetarian and is known for advocating healthy eating habits for ballerinas. Anastasia is against diets and starvation that young ballerinas used to go through in attempt to get a better shape. She was also one of the first to speak openly about the problem of eating disorders in the ballet sphere. "I wouldn’t put everything on the altar of art, it shouldn’t be this way."

In her free time, Anastasia has a creative hobby and, despite a busy schedule of rehearsals, performances and tours, she manages to paint oil paintings. The ballerina is also active on social networks, where she shares the life of the theater from the first person, with all its drama and humor.

Anastasia Limenko as Gerda in 'The Snow Queen' ballet

Karina Zhitkova/Moscow Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theater

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