Irma Nioradze

Biography

Irma Nioradze was born in Tbilisi (Georgia).

1987 - the graduation of Tbilisi Choreographic School. Her teachers were Serafima Vekua and Vakhtang Chabukiani.

1987-1988 - study on probation at Saint Petersburg Choreographic School named after Vaganova. The teacher was Ludmila Safronova.

1989-1990 - the ballet dancer of Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre named after Z.P. Paliashvili. Her repertoire included the leading parts in Giselle, Serenade and one-act ballets of G. Alksidze.

1990 - the prize-winner of the International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi, USA. The tutor was Natalia Zolotova.

1991 - private theatrical concern Nina Ananiashvili and Her Friends. Work on probation in Dutch Royal Ballet (Copenhagen).

Since 1992 the soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre Ballet Company. The teachers are Olga Moiseeva and Ninel Kurgapkina (since 1994).

Nioradze toured extensively all over the world with the Mariinsky Ballet Company, she danced in Great Britain, USA, Holland, Japan, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Taiwan, Argentina, Brazil, Israel, Chile, Greece, Cyprus and Austria.

Her repertoire includes the leading roles in Giselle, Raymonda, The Firebird, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Medora in Le Corsaire, Mekhmene-Banu in The Legend of Love, Kitri in Don Quixote, Zarema in The Fountain of Bakhchisarai, Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty, Nikiya in La Bayadere, the soloist in Symphony in C, the leading part in Paquita, Zobeide in Scheherazade, Baja in Goya Divertissement.

From the very beginning of her career it was evident that Irma Nioradze possesses all qualities to become the classical ballerina in the best meaning of this word. Indeed, her talent was so outstanding that her future was being discussed with great interest even while she was still a student of the Ballet Academy.

As the years passed her technical and artistic development has come up to expectations. Irma Nioradze's technique in such masterly ballets as Giselle, Don Quixote, Symphony in C is irreproachable. Thus, her talent extends beyond the mere virtuosity and although she is often described as a pure classical ballerina, she is also magnificent both in romantic and dramatic roles. Nioradze's strong, well-shaped legs, fine lines and endurance allow her to possess all the set of modern ballet technique - secure turns, an excellent jump and steadiness. According to the words of many critics, Nioradze has great stamina and extraordinary virtuosity. In romantic ballets, such as, for example, Giselle, the ballerina's silhouette reminds the lithographs with Marie Taglioni. Irma Nioradze's dances are expressive, laconic and have no vanity at all.

Irma Nioradze is one of the four best ballet dancers of Mariinsky Theatre together with Ulyana Lopatkina, Yulia Makhalina and Diana Vishneva. She is famous in theatrical circles of Saint Petersburg not only as an astonishing ballet dancer, but also as a talented singer and violin player.

Repertoire

Awards