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Galena Panova
- By Galena Panova
- Published 01/31/2009
- PCWJ Archive
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Russian-born Galina Panova is currently an Assistant Professor of Dance at ECU, Ballet Mistress and Choreographer for NC Academy of Dance, guest teacher for the NC Ballet, Raleigh.
Galina dance since six, in ten was chosen by one of the top dance schools in the world, the Perm Choreograph Academy (Russia, Ural), where during 8 years she studied ballet, French, piano.
In 1968 Galina earn the Gold Medal in the Varna International Ballet Competition. The Varna jury included the famous Galina Ulanova, Alicia Alonso, Birgit Culberg.
In twenty-one Galina is a rising star in the famed Kirov Ballet Company, (now Maryinsky, St. Pitersburg.) Galina’s teachers were glorious Lidmila Sacharova, Natalia Kamkova, Natalia Dudinskaya, Ninel Kurgapkina.
In 1991 award for best performance and interpretation of Igor Stravinsky “Pulcinella” in Varona, Italy.
Once out of Russia, Galina, sharing her artistry with audiences in Europe, United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, and the Mid-East.
She has danced under 22 ballet companies - London Festival Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Deutsche Opera in Berlin, the Australian Ballet, The Cullberg Ballet (Sweden), the Metropolitan Opera House in New York
Some of the greats of the 20th century have partnered Panova, including Michail Baryshnikov, Rudolf Nureyev, Fernando Buiones, Cyril Atanassoff, Vilen Galstian, Valery Panov
Her thirty-eight roles spanned centuries: from the traditional Romantic ballets such as "La Bayadere," "Coppelia," "Chopiniana," "The Sleeping Beauty," and on through the Soviet "Spartacus," and "Bronze Horseman," to the dramatic ballets of John Cranko, the neo-classical Balanchine ballets and the dramatic ballets of her husband, Valery Panov.
She likes teaching at ECU, and she finds fulfillment in nurturing the young talent here as well as choreographing the shows for the Theatre and Dance Department.
One of Panova's students, Crystal Wellman, a senior at ECU said: "I have been fortunate to study with Galina Panova for the last two years. I came to ECU from Gastonia, NC, where I studied at Gaston Dance Theatre. Here at ECU, Panova has really helped me not only continue growing
in my technique but as a person and an artist. She has encouraged me to be myself and bring my own personality to every role I do. Her energy level and enthusiasm have really lifted my confidence as a dancer. She is very inspirational, and I cannot begin to express the thanks I owe to her.”
Galina Ulanova arrange for her to go to Leningrad. With such an extraordinary range of experiences and challenges, it's difficult for Galina to choose a favorite role. She thought for a moment when I asked, but shook her head. "Each role offers something special," she finally acknowledged, "but, perhaps, I was most challenged by the ballets of Birgit Cullberg. "Miss Julie" and "Pulcinella" were dramatically fascinating and posed a different approach in technique and emotion from my other roles. The ballets I did with The Cullberg Ballet (Sweden) were seen on telev-ision. And only a few years ago, I danced in the "Dreyfus Affair," a ballet choreographed by my husband that was also televised in Europe. And as for partners, it's even more difficult to name favorites; but of course it was fantastic to dance with Nureyev, there'sPaolo Bartolucci, and in France, Erik Vuan, and George de la Penna who was my partner on Broadway in a production of "On Your Toes."
"I would take class with The New York City Ballet when I was in New York and so George Balanchine knew me. He wanted a Russian in the role and I auditioned. I was asked to sing and of course, they didn't ask me to dance. We had had drama classes in school and so I had no trouble memorizing and speaking the lines.
Panova, a bright, spunky lady has had quite a career. Before dancing with the Kirov, she'd won the Gold Medal at the Varna International Ballet Competition in 1968. The Varna jury included the famous Galina Ulanova, Alicia Alonso and Birgit Culberg. In 1991 she won the award for best performance and interpretation of Igor Stravinsky's "Pulcinella" in Varona, Italy.
Some of the greats of the 20th century have partnered Panova, including her husband, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Fernando Bujones and Rudolf Nureyev, and she danced in many countries. George Balanchine, artistic director of the New York City Ballet, selected her to star in the Broadway musical "On Your Toes," which he choreographed. Panova did a straight run of over 500 performances. She has been on television in Russia, the U.S., New Zealand, Sweden and England.
Galina dance since six, in ten was chosen by one of the top dance schools in the world, the Perm Choreograph Academy (Russia, Ural), where during 8 years she studied ballet, French, piano.
In 1968 Galina earn the Gold Medal in the Varna International Ballet Competition. The Varna jury included the famous Galina Ulanova, Alicia Alonso, Birgit Culberg.
In twenty-one Galina is a rising star in the famed Kirov Ballet Company, (now Maryinsky, St. Pitersburg.) Galina’s teachers were glorious Lidmila Sacharova, Natalia Kamkova, Natalia Dudinskaya, Ninel Kurgapkina.
In 1991 award for best performance and interpretation of Igor Stravinsky “Pulcinella” in Varona, Italy.
Once out of Russia, Galina, sharing her artistry with audiences in Europe, United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, and the Mid-East.
She has danced under 22 ballet companies - London Festival Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Deutsche Opera in Berlin, the Australian Ballet, The Cullberg Ballet (Sweden), the Metropolitan Opera House in New York
Some of the greats of the 20th century have partnered Panova, including Michail Baryshnikov, Rudolf Nureyev, Fernando Buiones, Cyril Atanassoff, Vilen Galstian, Valery Panov
Her thirty-eight roles spanned centuries: from the traditional Romantic ballets such as "La Bayadere," "Coppelia," "Chopiniana," "The Sleeping Beauty," and on through the Soviet "Spartacus," and "Bronze Horseman," to the dramatic ballets of John Cranko, the neo-classical Balanchine ballets and the dramatic ballets of her husband, Valery Panov.
She likes teaching at ECU, and she finds fulfillment in nurturing the young talent here as well as choreographing the shows for the Theatre and Dance Department.
One of Panova's students, Crystal Wellman, a senior at ECU said: "I have been fortunate to study with Galina Panova for the last two years. I came to ECU from Gastonia, NC, where I studied at Gaston Dance Theatre. Here at ECU, Panova has really helped me not only continue growing
Galina Ulanova arrange for her to go to Leningrad. With such an extraordinary range of experiences and challenges, it's difficult for Galina to choose a favorite role. She thought for a moment when I asked, but shook her head. "Each role offers something special," she finally acknowledged, "but, perhaps, I was most challenged by the ballets of Birgit Cullberg. "Miss Julie" and "Pulcinella" were dramatically fascinating and posed a different approach in technique and emotion from my other roles. The ballets I did with The Cullberg Ballet (Sweden) were seen on telev-ision. And only a few years ago, I danced in the "Dreyfus Affair," a ballet choreographed by my husband that was also televised in Europe. And as for partners, it's even more difficult to name favorites; but of course it was fantastic to dance with Nureyev, there'sPaolo Bartolucci, and in France, Erik Vuan, and George de la Penna who was my partner on Broadway in a production of "On Your Toes."
"I would take class with The New York City Ballet when I was in New York and so George Balanchine knew me. He wanted a Russian in the role and I auditioned. I was asked to sing and of course, they didn't ask me to dance. We had had drama classes in school and so I had no trouble memorizing and speaking the lines.
Panova, a bright, spunky lady has had quite a career. Before dancing with the Kirov, she'd won the Gold Medal at the Varna International Ballet Competition in 1968. The Varna jury included the famous Galina Ulanova, Alicia Alonso and Birgit Culberg. In 1991 she won the award for best performance and interpretation of Igor Stravinsky's "Pulcinella" in Varona, Italy.
Some of the greats of the 20th century have partnered Panova, including her husband, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Fernando Bujones and Rudolf Nureyev, and she danced in many countries. George Balanchine, artistic director of the New York City Ballet, selected her to star in the Broadway musical "On Your Toes," which he choreographed. Panova did a straight run of over 500 performances. She has been on television in Russia, the U.S., New Zealand, Sweden and England.