Interview with Chloë!

Our 10th interview is with:

Chloë

1.  How old are you? 

14

 

2.  How long have you been dancing?  When did you start dancing at SRBA?

I started dancing in a Creative Movement class when I was 2 1/2, but my first ballet class was a year later.  So, I have been dancing for 11 years.  I have danced at SRBA for 3 years (since May 2011).    

3.  What is your favorite ballet?

Gizellle

 

 

4.  What is your favorite style of dance other than ballet?
 

I enjoy Contemporary and I have also just begun Latin dancing at school--and I am having so much fun learning the Salsa (we have already learned the Merengue).

5.  What is your favorite step/position?     

Pirouettes are my favorite--I like to turn . . . and turn . . . and turn.

6.  What is your favorite part of class?

Small jumps (challenges my brain) and Port de Bras in the center.


7.  If you are en pointe, what type of pointe shoes do you wear?

I was in Gaynor Minden for a few months while my toe was healing (it kept dislocating), but now I am wearing Suffolks--they break beautifully. 


8.  What part(s) are you most excited to dance in our upcoming production of Nutcracker?  Why?

I am so excited to be dancing Demi Snow this year--the choreography is difficult but I love the challenge and I am so happy to be dancing the role with Camranh.


9.  What is the most important item in your dance bag?

Hair spray--of course!!!!!  But my foot roller and warm ups comes in at a close second . . . it helps to roll out the cramps in my feet and and keep my muscles warm.


10.  What do you love most about ballet?

I feel I can get lost in the movement of ballet--everything in my day just falls away and I step into my real world.  I can express myself through movement in a way that is completely different to who I am in school, at home and just walking down the street.

 

Interview with Eireann!

Our 9th interview is with:

Eireann

1.  How old are you? 

11

 

2.  How long have you been dancing?  When did you start dancing at SRBA?

2 years       age 9

3.  What is your favorite ballet?

The Nutcracker

 

 

4.  What is your favorite style of dance other than ballet?
 

Tap

5.  What is your favorite step/position?     

Pirouette/Fifth

6.  What is your favorite part of class?

When we go to the center


7.  If you are en pointe, what type of pointe shoes do you wear?

. . . not on pointe yet, but I am hoping.


8.  What part(s) are you most excited to dance in our upcoming production of Nutcracker?  Why?

I am excited to dance as a "Party Girl" this year.  Last year I was a "Party Child" and I was on stage, but didn't get to dance a lot.  "Party Girls" have much more actual ballet dancing!


9.  What is the most important item in your dance bag?

My dance shoes


10.  What do you love most about ballet?

The thing that I love most about ballet is . . . all of it.  Mostly being able to express emotions thru dancing.

Interview with Aubrey!

Our 8th interview is with:

Aubrey

1.  How old are you? 

13

 

2.  How long have you been dancing?  When did you start dancing at SRBA?

I've been dancing since I was six, and I started at SRBA four years ago, when I was nine.

3.  What is your favorite ballet?

Chopiniana and Swan Lake

 

 

4.  What is your favorite style of dance other than ballet?
 

Contemporary

5.  What is your favorite step/position?     

Piqué turns

6.  What is your favorite part of class?

Turns across the floor, and grand allegro.

7.  If you are en pointe, what type of pointe shoes do you wear?

Sanshas


8.  What part(s) are you most excited to dance in our upcoming production of Nutcracker?  Why?

Waltz of the flowers, because I've never performed it before.

9.  What is the most important item in your dance bag?

Altoids and socks.


10.  What do you love most about ballet?

I love the familiarity of ballet, and the fact that you can do the same step over and over again for years, and never perfect it.  You can come into a ballet class anywhere in the world, and usually count on starting with pliés and tendus, and working your way up to pirouettes and grand jetés.  Everything has a name and a correct way to do it.  I love how no matter how long you take ballet, you can always make everything better. 

Interview with Jackie!

Our 7th interview is with:

Jackie

1.  How old are you? 

9 years old

 

2.  How long have you been dancing?  When did you start dancing at SRBA?

I have been dancing for 4 years and I joined SRBA in the summer of 2013.

3.  What is your favorite ballet?

I love to participate in the Nutcracker show.

 

 

4.  What is your favorite style of dance other than ballet?
 

I love hip-hop and contemporary.

5.  What is your favorite step/position?     

Crose

6.  What is your favorite part of class?

I love it when we are in the corner doing steps to the other corner.


7.  If you are en pointe, what type of pointe shoes do you wear?

I am not en pointe yet. 


8.  What part(s) are you most excited to dance in our upcoming production of Nutcracker?  Why?

I REALLY REALLY want to be a party girl and I can't wait to learn our funky dance moves as Polichinelle!

9.  What is the most important item in your dance bag?

My ballet slippers of course. 


10.  What do you love most about ballet?

Whenever I dance, I look so pretty when I glance at myself in the mirror.

Interview with Mia!

Our 6th interview is with:

Mia

1.  How old are you? 

I am 13.

 

2.  How long have you been dancing?  When did you start dancing at SRBA?

Ten years.  I took my first ballet class at age 3 and have never stopped.  I began with Sultanov at age 11.

3.  What is your favorite ballet?

My favorite ballet to dance in so far is Nutcracker.  My other favorite ballets are Swan Lake, Cinderella and Midsummer Nights Dream.  

 

 

4.  What is your favorite style of dance other than ballet?
 

My favorite dance style other than ballet is contemporary. 

5.  What is your favorite step/position?     

My favorite step/position is Pirouettes!

6.  What is your favorite part of class?

My favorite part of class is center work.


7.  If you are en pointe, what type of pointe shoes do you wear?

I wear Bloch Euro balance.


8.  What part(s) are you most excited to dance in our upcoming production of Nutcracker?  Why?

I'm most excited to dance the part of Ballerina Doll in this year's Nutcracker.  I've dreamed of doing this for a long time.  I'm also excited about my other roles of Waltz of Flowers and Chinese.  Chinese is really fun!


9.  What is the most important item in your dance bag?

The most important thing in my dance bag is a water bottle and of course my shoes. 


10.  What do you love most about ballet?

What I love most about ballet is being able to express myself through movement and communicating a story to the audience . . . without words!



 

Interview with Catherine!

Our fifth interview is with:

Catherine

1.  How old are you? 

10

 

2.  How long have you been dancing?  When did you start dancing at SRBA?

I started dancing when I was 2 with local studios in Salem, OR.  At the Salem studios, I took ballet, hip hop, jazz, lyrical, and Irish because I just wanted to move.  Ultimately, I wanted to focus on just ballet, so I joined SRBA when I was 8.

3.  What is your favorite ballet?

My favorite ballets are Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and Midsummer Nights Dream.

 

 

4.  What is your favorite style of dance other than ballet?
 

I love dancing Jazz.

5.  What is your favorite step/position?     

My favorite step is a pirouette, chaines, pique turns . . . anything that allows me to travel and spin.

6.  What is your favorite part of class?

My favorite part of class is across the floor.


7.  If you are en pointe, what type of pointe shoes do you wear?

I'm not on pointe yet, but can't wait to be!


8.  What part(s) are you most excited to dance in our upcoming production of Nutcracker?  Why?

I'm excited to dance the Party Girls because my brother, my dad, and I are all in the same scene, and it's such a special scene.  I also like the Polichennelles because I feel like my job is to bring laughter to the audience.  I am also happy to be a Soldier because I can pretend I am a toy soldier, and it's acting, which I like.


9.  What is the most important item in your dance bag?

The most important item in my dance bag is what I need to dance:  my leotard, tights, and ballet shoes. 


10.  What do you love most about ballet?

Ballet is the start to learning so many other dances.  When I am dancing ballet, I feel like I am completely me, and that there is no one else around me.  When I work hard, I see my accomplishments, and that makes me feel good.  When I dance, I share my happiness. 

Level 2 YAGP Rehearsal

The students are doing well and have been working hard.  The costumes have now been ordered for the dances. 

All YAGP participants will perform their dances in full costume on dress rehearsal night on 12/22 at PSU's Lincoln Hall.  All friends, family, and SRBA students are invited to attend this special performance before the competition in Seattle.  

Interview with Ashley!

Our fourth interview is with:

Ashley

1.  How old are you? 

13 years old

 

2.  How long have you been dancing?  When did you start dancing at SRBA?

3 years

3 years

3.  What is your favorite ballet?

Cinderella/Giselle

 

 

4.  What is your favorite style of dance other than ballet?
 

Lyrical and contemporary

5.  What is your favorite step/position?     

 Plié

6.  What is your favorite part of class?

Across the floor (turns leaps)


7.  If you are en pointe, what type of pointe shoes do you wear?

Grishko 2007


8.  What part(s) are you most excited to dance in our upcoming production of Nutcracker?  Why?


Dolls because it's really fun, and cause I get to do it with my best friend (Mia).


9.  What is the most important item in your dance bag?

Shoes (of course), hairbrush phone


10.  What do you love most about ballet?

Getting to perform on stage with my friends.

Reminder: Studio Closed Today

No classes on Friday, 10/31

Interview with Nieka!

Our third interview is with:

Nieka

1.  How old are you? 

10

 

2.  How long have you been dancing?  When did you start dancing at SRBA?

I have been in ballet classes since I was 4.  I have been dancing at SRBA for 3 years (from September 2011).

 

3.  What is your favorite ballet?

I just watched OBT's new ballet "Never Stop Falling In Love" and I loved that.  I also love The Nutcracker.

 

 

4.  What is your favorite style of dance other than ballet?
 

I like Modern.

5.  What is your favorite step/position?     

Tombe pas de bore

6.  What is your favorite part of class?

I love turning in class.


7.  If you are en pointe, what type of pointe shoes do you wear?

I'm not on pointe YET.


8.  What part(s) are you most excited to dance in our upcoming production of Nutcracker?  Why?

I am so excited about being a Party Girl and dancing in the Party Scene and I love my costume.


9.  What is the most important item in your dance bag?

My ballet slippers and hair spray. 


10.  What do you love most about ballet?

I love the coordination, the music and how we have to work so hard in class.

Interview with Camranh!

Our second interview is with:

Camranh

1.  How old are you? 

15

 

2.  How long have you been dancing?  When did you start dancing at SRBA?

11 Years, SRBA for 3.5 years

 

3.  What is your favorite ballet?

Don Quixote

 

4.  What is your favorite style of dance other than ballet?

Classic Jazz

5.  What is your favorite step/position?     

Renverse

6.  What is your favorite part of class?

Allegro


7.  If you are en pointe, what type of pointe shoes do you wear?

Mirellas


8.  What part(s) are you most excited to dance in our upcoming production of Nutcracker?  Why?

Sugar Plum, because I’ve always wanted to be Sugar Plum!


9.  What is the most important item in your dance bag?

Arnica gel/KT tape


10.  What do you love most about ballet?

I enjoy being able to express myself through movement and the opportunities ballet has given me to grow as an individual and artist.  Furthermore, ballet acts as an universal language and a way for people around the world to connect. Personally, ballet is a stress reliever and extension of life. It allows me to define myself without external conditions.

Interview with Alexia!

 

We thought it would interesting and fun to interview our students about various ballet topics so we can all get to know them better.  We hope you enjoy learning more about the students who train at Sultanov Russian Ballet Academy.


 

Our first interview is with: 

Alexia

1.  How old are you? 

10

 

2.  How long have you been dancing?  When did you start dancing at SRBA?

I have been dancing since I was 4.  I started at SRBA when I was 7.

 

3.  What is your favorite ballet?

Swan Lake and Nutcracker

 

4.  What is your favorite style of dance other than ballet?

Tap or Modern

5.  What is your favorite step/position?     

Glissade

6.  What is your favorite part of class?

Bar/Jumps


7.  If you are en pointe, what type of pointe shoes do you wear?

I am not on pointe.


8.  What part(s) are you most excited to dance in our upcoming production of Nutcracker?  Why?

Party Scene and Polichinelles.  Party Scene because I have always wanted to be a party girl and Polichinelles because it is really fun.


9.  What is the most important item in your dance bag?

My tights and my leotard


10.  What do you love most about ballet?

The dance part.

Happy Birthday to Artur Sultanov!

We would like to wish a very happy birthday today to our Artistic Director, 

Artur Sultanov!

Pre and Beginning Ballet Students Enjoying Class

 

 Nutcracker story time!

 

 

 

 

Partner stretch:

 

 

 

Fun with scarves:

 Beginning Ballet splits:

 

Coneheads!

The Sultanovs and the History of the Studio

If you have had a chance to read Artur's bio under the Faculty Bios section, you know that Artur was born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia, and that he received his training with the famous Vaganova Ballet Academy. 


After dancing with several professional ballet companies, Artur and his wife, Cynthia, came to Portland in 2003 when he joined Oregon Ballet Theatre as a principal dancer.

 

 

 

In 2010 Artur and Cynthia opened Sultanov Russian Ballet Academy, a pre-professional ballet school.  The first studio was located in Cedar Mill on Cornell Road near Bales Findley Market.  It opened with just 20 students.  Artur and Cynthia's son, Shane, was 10 months old.

Artur retired from Oregon Ballet Theatre in 2012 to teach at his ballet academy full time.  In 2012 the Sultanovs expanded by opening a second studio in Lake Oswego.

 

In Fall 2013 they moved from the Cedar Mill location to a beautiful, new facility in Beaverton. 

Artur returned to Oregon Ballet Theatre in February 2014 as a guest performer to reprise Bolero with Alison Roper. 

This fall they began the new year with an enrollment of 118 students between the two studios!

Shane is now 5, and has just begun kindergarten.

  

We are also extremely excited to announce that Artur and Cynthia are expecting their second child in March!  Shane cannot wait to be a big brother!