About the college

The Belarusian State Choreography Gymnasium-College is a unique educational establishment, a world famous ballet school. Its long-standing traditions, prominent teachers, and renowned graduates have become the heritage, pride and glory of the Belarusian art.Zoria P. Dusenko is currently the head of the college.

Being established more than 70 years ago, the gymnasium-college has brought up a galaxy of outstanding performers, stars of the world ballet art. It gives birth to the marvelous art of dancing which primary aim is to communicate the whole range of human feelings and emotions by means of choreography and plasticity.

The foundation of choreographiceducation in Belarus was laid in 1928 when the first choreographic class was opened at the College of Music. A short time later the choreographical class was used as a base for the Belarusian Studio of Opera and Ballet, and then for the ballet school at the Theatre of Opera and Ballet.

In 1939 the choreographic department was opened at Theatre Art College and in May 1941 there was the first graduating class of professional ballet dancers.

The Great Patriotic War ruthlessly stopped the process of formation and development of ballet art in Belarus for five harsh dramatic years.

In 1945 Minsk, the capital of Belarus was completely ruined. Scarce buildings remained after the ravages of World War II, among them — the building of the Bolshoi Theatre of Opera and Ballet. In 1945 it housed the Belarusian State Choreography College.

Throughout the years of its functioning the college has acquired a unique teaching staff. A lot of famous ballet dancers started teaching classical dance once their stage career was over. Highly qualified college teachers have already brought up several generations of brilliant performers. For many years ballet art has been taught by the National Artists of Belarus like I.M. Savelieva, K.N.Malysheva N.S. Davydzenka and I.A. Dushkevich.

Some graduates have already started their teaching career at college. Some of them became Honored Artists, for example, S. Pestekhin, the head of the professional disciplines department, A.M. Furman, K. Kuznetsov, V.M. Zakharov, L. Medvedieva-Shumskaya, Zh. Lebedeva. Other former students that work here nowadays are O.A. Lappo, N.V. Nikolaeva, N.U. Kotomina, N.G. Filipova, O.B. Lyzhyna, O.O. Kladova, U.V. Kotelnikova and others.

24 college graduates were awarded with the title of National Artist of the Republic of Belarus, 15 became Honored Artists of the Republic of Belarus.

Nowadays the college is a comfortable place which academic building accommodates 10 ballet classrooms, a specially equipped sports hall, a library and a reading hall, classrooms, music rooms and a staff room. There are also a canteen, a medical center and a dormitory on the campus.

The college academic curriculum of professional subjects is identical to the one of the Moscow State Academy of Choreography. Along with comprehensive subjects, the college curriculum includes classical dance, duet, stage dance, historical and genre dance, folk dance, Belarusian dance, contemporary choreography trends, stage make-up, acting skills, costume history and dance staging. The students also study the history of choreography and related arts, psychology and pedagogy. They also get musical education which is essential for a ballet dancer.

All the professional and general education subjects build up a bright creative personality of a highly qualified ballet dancer.

The college is the center of ballet training not only for Belarusian students but also from students all over the world. The high standards of education, favorable conditions for studying and comfortable accommodation attract students from different countries. The college currently teaches the students from Russia, Ukraine, France, Japan, Finland, Serbia and the USA. They are trained during 3 years to major in Choreography Art and get qualified as Artist, Teacher, and Choreographer.

A great emphasis is put on the succession of traditions and artistic contacts of the college with the National Academic Bolshoi Theatre of Opera and Ballet. College students take part in different performances of the theatre.

The best college graduates are offered to join the ballet company of the National Academic Bolshoi Theatre of Opera and Ballet. Thus, the troupe of the most well-known theatre in the country mostly consists of the best college graduates of different years.

Some graduates joined famous foreign ballet companies, like Igor Klob, who works in Mariinsky Theatre of St. Petersburg, Ivan Urban, who jioned John Neumeier’s Hamburg Ballet, MaksimVoitul, who works in the Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Warsaw, AndreyLeonovich — the Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Stockholm, Alexey Turko — Boris Eifman’s Ballet Company in St. Petersburg, or Ivan Vasiliev, who started in the State Academic Bolshoi Theater in Moscow.