Russian dancer and choreographer Yana Volkova was born in Voronezh, Russia. She dances principal roles with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet at Lincoln Center.
Prior to that, she was a featured dancer with her husband, Andrei Kisselev, in “Riverdance on Broadway” as well as the touring production. Yana has appeared on television here and abroad and she has extensive teaching experience. She was trained in the Vaganova Ballet Method in her native Russia by Valentina Narozhnaya and she holds a B.A. in Choreography, Ballet, and Character Dance from the Russian Academy of Theatrical Arts in Moscow. In 2012 she started to work with New York based Russian dance and music ensemble Barynya led by Mikhail Smirnov
Yana Volkova and Andrei Kisselev were a part of “Aleko” production at the New York City Opera. Andrei and Yana choreographed and performed Gypsy dance that was one of the highlights of the production and received many raving reviews in the media.
Signs of Rebirth at New York City Opera
The New York Times review by ANTHONY TOMMASINI.
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“Aleko” was Rachmaninoff’s graduation piece for the Moscow Conservatory. Assigned the stilted libretto by his composition teacher, he wrote the 60-minute score in three weeks, including the orchestration. (He had just turned 19.) Besides earning the highest possible grade, Rachmaninoff got his first publication and announced himself a great hope of Russian music.
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Read full "Signs of Rebirth at New York City Opera" article by ANTHONY TOMMASINI at the THE NEW YORK TIMES website.
NYC Opera's Double Bill: Stick Around After Intermission
New York Public Radio review by David Patrick Stearns
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Though the City Opera has used scenery borrowed from elsewhere, this new production is self-originated. John Farrell's design serves both works in a set dominated by a railroad box car that resembled a make-shift residence for the Aleko Gypsies and unfolded into a commedia dell'arte stage for the Pagliacci theater troupe. The chorus and orchestra in Aleko were reasonably good under conductor James Meena. Scene-setting dance interludes — choreographed in authoritative quasi-folk Moiseyev Dance Company style by Andrei Kisselev — were perhaps the best part. But while the singers could all do the job, especially Jason Karn and Kevin Thompson as Gypsies, one crucial scene after another with the leading characters failed to generate any heat or theatrical conviction. Stefan Szkafarowsky as the aging murderer Aleko, and Inna Dukach as his younger faithless wife Zemfira, often seemed a bit lost while executing the necessary physical aspects of their roles
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Read full "NYC Opera's Double Bill: Stick Around After Intermission" article by David Patrick Stearns at the New York Public Radio website.
In “Aleko” and “Pagliacci,” New York City Opera finds its stride
New York Classical review by Bruce Hodges
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The opera has a substantial dance sequence, choreographed by Andrei Kisselev for himself and Yana Volkova, who intertwined beautifully with each other (and eventually, some of the chorus). The duo’s handsome costumes were the most explicitly exciting work of designer Ildiko Debreczeni, who dreamed up different-but-somehow-related costumes for each opera.
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Read full "In “Aleko” and “Pagliacci,” New York City Opera finds its stride" article by Bruce Hodges at the New York Classical review website.
NYCO Takes a Stab at Some Violent Operas … And Misses
The New York Observer review by James Jorden
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The only bright spots were Kevin Thompson’s sonorous Old Gypsy and a flashy turn by Andrei Kisselev as a flamboyant gypsy dancer whose next stop on his journey was surely a bus and truck tour of Chorus Line.
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Read full "NYCO Takes a Stab at Some Violent Operas … And Misses" article by James Jorden • 09/09/16 at the The New York Observer website.
Aleko/Pagliacci, New York City Opera, New York — review
A curious double bill from the nomadic opera company
The Financial Times review by Martin Bernheimer
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Aleko turned out to be a rather tawdry exercise in folksy-theatrical cliche, written in 1892 while the ambitious composer was still a student. It lumbers, ponderously and thunderously, for a formulaic hour, pausing amid its predictable portrayal of love, hate and death for an annoyingly irrelevant, old-fashioned, arty-smarty pas de deux a la Russe. Andrei Kisselev and Yana Volkova, grinning visitors from another expressive planet, made the least of it on this irrationally pretentious occasion.
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Read full "Aleko/Pagliacci, New York City Opera, New York" article by Martin Bernheimer at the The Financial Times website.
Cuts Like A Knife
Parterre Box review by John Yohalem
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"The dancers, Andrei Kisselev and Yana Volkova, gave the occasion its liveliest and most authentic-seeming moments, and they had the most atmospheric music, too. The City Opera Chorus also danced as well as sang"
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Read full "Cuts Like A Knife" article by John Yohalem at the Parterre Box website.
Russian festival at the New Russia Cultural Center in Rensselaer, New York
Ensemble Barynya (from left to right) Andrei Kisselev, Elina Karokhina, Yana Volkova, Alisa Egorova, Aleena Kisselev, Mikhail Smirnov, New Russia Cultural Center, Rensselaer, New York click image above to see more photos from New Russia Cultural Center in Rensselaer, New York
School performance in Queens, New York
Performance during festival of international dance and music on Wednesday, November 23rd, 2016 at the Public School # 186 (Castlewood School), 252-12 72 Ave, Queens, NY 11426. Dancers Andrei Kisselev, Yana Volkova. Musicians Elina Karokhina (balalaika), Mikhail Smirnov (guitar).
Petroushka Ball - 2013, The Plaza Hotel, New York City
Russian dance, song and music ensemble Barynya provided Russian folk dancers and live music entertainment for the Annual Petroushka Ball, a traditional Russian ball held annually in New York City. Petroushka Ball (Russian: Áàë Ïåòðóøêà) is the primary fundraising event for the Russian Children's Welfare Society, organization which is dedicated to assisting disadvantaged Russian children to improve their health, education and social welfare. First Petroushka Ball took place in 1965 as a small Tea Dance by a group of descendants of Russian families whose intent was to raise funds to help Russian children. Since then, the Ball has become one of New York Society's most vibrant and anticipated annual events, attracting upwards of 700 dinner and dancing guests. Petroushka Ball-2013 took place at The Plaza Hotel, 768 5th Ave, New York, NY 10019 on Friday, February 8, 2013. Ensemble Barynya cast included: Mikhail Smirnov (guitar, garmoshka, vocals), Lev Zabeginsky (balalaika), Leonid Bruk (balalaika-contrabass), singer Alexander Menshikov, Sergey Gurbeloshvili (saxophone), Igor Lutsev (drums), Vlad Barskiy (keyboard), Andrei Kisselev (dancer), Yana Volkova (dancer).
The Barynya Balalaika Orchestra and dancers of ensemble Barynya led by Mikhail Smirnov were performing at the Petroushka Balls for number of years: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2007.
Ensemble Barynya, dancers Andrei Kisselev, Yana Volkova, Petroushka Ball 2013, The Plaza Hotel, New York City, USA, Photo credit :: Maike Schultz
Ensemble Barynya, dancers Andrei Kisselev, Yana Volkova, Petroushka Ball 2013, The Plaza Hotel, New York City, USA, Photo credit :: Maike Schultz
Ensemble Barynya, dancers Andrei Kisselev, Yana Volkova, Petroushka Ball 2013, The Plaza Hotel, New York City, USA, Photo credit :: Maike Schultz