Principal dancer with Dutch National Ballet, Amsterdam, Larisa Lezhnina was born in St Petersburg, Russia, and graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy there.

She joined the Kirov Ballet in 1987, and was promoted to First Soloist with the company in 1990, and continued to dance there until 1994 when she joined Dutch National Ballet as a principal. She has guested in the US, Europe, Japan and South America, and features in the Kirov's recently released films of The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty.

Photo: Marc Haegeman

Her repertoire includes:

The Sleeping Beauty (Aurora)
Cinderella (Cinderella)
Giselle (Giselle)
Swan Lake (Odette/Odile)
Romeo and Juliet (Juliet
The Nutcracker (Clara)
The Fountain of Bakhchisarai
La Sylphide (the sylph)
Onegin (Tatiana)
Coppélia (Swanilda)
La Fille Mal Gardée
Legend of Love
Paquita
Etudes
Diana & Acteon
Grand Pas Classique
In the Night
The Leaves are Fading
In the Upper Room
Balanchine: Serenade Diamonds, Rubies, Violin Concerto, Concerto Barocco, Apollo, Symphony in C, Theme and Variations, Duo Concertante
Hans van Manen: Five Tangos, Trois Gnossiennes, Metaforen, Four Schumann Pieces.

Interview with Larissa Lezhnina