In 2004, Nina Ananiashvili, then a principal ballerina with the Bolshoi and performing as a guest with the American Ballet Theatre in New York, received an unexpected request to meet with the newly elected President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, in her hometown of Tbilisi. With a busy performance schedule, she did not meet him until two months later. To her surprise, he offered her the position of artistic director of the State Ballet of Georgia and requested she start immediately. Despite lacking prior experience, she accepted the role. This August, 20 years on, Ananiashvili and her acclaimed dancers will perform in London for the first time in the company’s 175-year history.
Speaking from her home in Tbilisi, Ananiashvili recalls with a laugh her response to the President’s offer. “It was a huge surprise. I never anticipated it, but I realised I was needed to support my country and was eager to do so. Having danced around the world, I was still enjoying my career, but upon returning, I saw the urgent need to assist not just my country but particularly the ballet company in regaining its former glory.
The previous 13 years had been extremely challenging for Georgia politically, physically, and financially. The country had endured war and severe hardships, affecting everyone, especially the dancers. The theatre had been closed due to damage, with no water, showers, lighting, and dusty, unkempt studios. There was a severe shortage of food and transportation to the theatre was mostly on foot, making proper rehearsal virtually impossible. Consequently, I agreed to take on the role.”
The transition from being a prima ballerina at an internationally renowned company to managing every aspect of a large performing arts organisation must have been quite dramatic. Ananiashvili explains how she managed the change. “When I returned, I told the President that if I were to take on the role of director, I would need my own administration for the ballet company. I insisted on proper salaries for the dancers and required financial guarantees for at least two years for new productions. The government agreed.
“I promised them they would see a significant difference within three years, so we began our work. At the end of those three years, we boldly embarked on a tour to the Spoleto Festival in America, where failure could have resulted in severe criticism. However,” she adds with a broad smile, “we received excellent reviews!”
Nina Ananiashvili began her artistic journey at the age of nine as Junior Figure Skating Champion of Georgia, where her innate grace led her to study ballet. She trained at the State Choreographic School of Georgia before moving to the Moscow Choreographic School at 13, where she quickly excelled. After achieving considerable success in international ballet competitions, she joined the Bolshoi Ballet upon graduating in 1981.
Ananiashvili quickly established herself as one of the most sought-after ballerinas of the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s, initially as a Bolshoi prima ballerina and later as a highly regarded guest performer worldwide. Her flawless technique, stunning bravura, and dramatic artistry were evident in performances such as the delicate footwork of Swan Lake and the powerful, spirited roles in Don Quixote, earning her acclaim from audiences globally.
Reflecting on her first morning in Tbilisi, she shares, “I outlined my plans to the company, explaining that I would continue performing with them while reducing my international guest appearances to focus on rebuilding the company. I stressed that if we aimed to be a world-class organisation, we had to start immediately. However, we faced a challenge: there was no funding for the first two months, which meant no pay. It was a shock, but everyone was committed to the company’s success. We worked tirelessly during those early years. Having received exceptional coaching from Raisa Struchkova and Marina Semyonova during my time with the Bolshoi Ballet, I wanted to impart their meticulous teaching to my dancers. In that first year, we managed five new productions, which initially seemed impossible.”
She continues enthusiastically, “I also invited guest artists from various companies around the world to perform with us. We have staged works by Alexei Ratmansky, Yuri Possokhov, Trey McIntyre, Frederick Ashton, and over ten ballets by George Balanchine, who was Georgian by birth,” she adds with pride. “We will also present a new work by Jiří Kylián in Dublin this autumn. We now have 90 productions in our repertoire—both full-length ballets and one-act works—which I find very satisfying. We recently premiered a new classic, La Bayadère, re-staged by my former dance partner, Alexei Fadeyechev. I am incredibly proud of this production, and it has been a significant success.”
Curious about the composition of the company, I ask how many dancers are from Georgia. “We currently have 72 dancers, and we will be bringing 65 to London,” she replies. “All but twelve are Georgian; the rest come from Japan, Turkey, Italy, and Ukraine. Ballet is popular in Georgia, and our performances are always well attended. Our ticket prices are reasonable.”
When asked what makes the company unique, Ananiashvili reflects for a moment. “Our history is distinctive. Georgian ballet blends the Italian and Russian schools with our national Georgian identity of beauty and spirit. Ballet was first performed in Tbilisi in 1851, and the first Georgian company was founded by Maria Perini, an Italian dancer and pupil of Enrico Cecchetti, providing the Italian influence. One of her students, Vakhtang Chabukiani, a Georgian who later studied the Vaganova technique in Leningrad, became a prominent figure in male dancing. He eventually returned to Tbilisi and taught me in my early years at the school.”
“Today, I also oversee the ballet school,” Ananiashvili explains. “However, we face challenges with limited studio space and lack of dormitories, so we cannot currently accommodate young dancers from abroad. The school has produced many renowned dancers, such as Irma Nioradze, Igor Zelensky, Elena Glurjidze, David and Maia Makhateli, and recently, the exceptional Giorgi Potskhishvili. Although they have joined companies overseas, they continue to showcase their Georgian heritage through their dancing and teaching, as does my company today. I believe you will be impressed by the dancers we are bringing to London this summer.”
Ananiashvili will always be remembered for her remarkable performances as Odette/Odile. At just 22, she first performed this role on a Bolshoi tour to Hamburg, where she received a 26-minute ovation. When asked what London audiences can expect from the company’s performances of Swan Lake, she shares, “This ballet holds a special place for me as it was the first I danced as a Bolshoi ballerina. My final performance of Swan Lake was with the American Ballet Theatre in 2009, marking the end of 16 seasons as their guest prima ballerina.”
“Our production of Swan Lake, choreographed by Alexei Fadeyechev, will certainly reflect the quality and spirit of our company today, infused with Georgian heritage. We are naturally inclined towards singing and dancing, and it is evident in our performances. I am particularly proud of our corps de ballet, who truly love what they do. While I am aware of the intense competition and the many versions of Swan Lake performed by different companies, I hope you will notice the unique qualities of our production. We are very excited to share it with you all.”
The State Ballet of Georgia performs Swan Lake at the London Coliseum from 28th August to 8th September.
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