Our Leadership

Sasha Gorskaya, hailing from a small town in Belarus, always harbored a passion for the entertainment world. Armed with a master’s degree in Journalism from Belarusian State University, she quickly shifted her focus from writing to pursuing her true ambition: breaking into show business.

With a career spanning decades, Gorskaya has established herself as a seasoned producer, orchestrating an impressive array of projects from live music performances to large-scale ballet productions across Europe, the US, and beyond.

Her early professional journey included key roles in PR and production for the world-renowned Eurovision Song Contest, a pivotal experience that propelled her into co-founding the World Ballet Company, which produces and tours grand-scale ballet performances internationally.

Marina Kesler graduated from the Tallinn School of Choreography in 1988 from the class of Tiiu Randviir and joined the ballet troupe of the Estonian National Opera. In 1992–2010 she worked as a teacher at the Tallinn Ballet School.  Since 2010, she works as a repetiteur at the Estonian National Ballet. In 1997, she obtained master’s degree from the Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (GITIS, Moscow). At the Estonian National Opera she has been the choreographer for several opera and operetta productions. She has created works also for Bel-Etage and Endla theatres.

She came among the three best at the X International Moscow Choreographers’ Competition 2005 and received a prize for the dance piece “Danse sacral” (I. Stravinsky) and for “Ne me quitte pas” (J. Brel). Marina Kesler received the Annual Estonian Theatre award in 2007 for “Werewolf” (Estonian National Opera) and in 2021 for her production of “Anna Karenina” (Estonian National Opera) to the music of Dmitry Shostakovich. In 2011 and 2021, she was awarded the Colleague Prize of the Estonian Professional Dancers’ Union and in 2021 the Ida Urbel grant by the Estonian Ballet Union.

PRODUCTIONS

“One Day” (2006)

“Bernarda Alba’s House” (2008)

“Werewolf” (to the music of L. Sumera, R. Kangro, A. Pärt and L. Auster, 2007)

“Othello” (to the music of A. Pärt, 2010; Israel Ballet Company, 2012; ESTO Days in San Francisco, 2013)

“The Generous Tree” (Nargenfestival, composer Tauno Aints, 2011)

Prokofiev’s “Cinderella” (2012)

Tubin’s “The Goblin” (2015)

“Death and the Maiden” (2015)

“Undine” (2016)

“Taming of the Shrew” (2018, Jerusalem Ballet)

“Three Sisters” (2019)

“Anna Karenina” to the music of Dmitry Shostakovich (2020)

“The Glass Menagerie” (2021)

Ballet Master for the following productions:

MacMillan’s “Manon” 

Cranko’s “Onegin”

Schiavoni’s “Medea”, “Alice in Wonderland”

Balanchine’s “Serenade”, “Who Cares?”

Edur’s “The Sleeping Beauty”, “Swan Lake”, “La bayadère”

Martinez’s “The Corsair”

Lifar “Suite en blanc”

Meckler/Ochoa/Salem’s “Streetcar Named Desire”

Skeaping’s “Giselle”

Harangoszó’s “Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs”

Stevenson’s “The Nutcracker”

Born in Tbilisi, Georgia, Birkadze trained at the National Academy of Dance of Tbilisi with Vakhtang Chabukiany. He was invited to attend the Bolshoi Ballet Academy where he graduated with Honors in Classical Ballet, Pas de Deux, and Traditional Dance. Birkadze was awarded the Gold Medal in Moscow in World History and Literature. Upon graduating from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, he furthered his studies as a Pedagogy in Dance.

Birkadze has danced and choreographed throughout Europe with an international career dancing for the Bolshoi Ballet, Kremlin Ballet, Corella Ballet de España, CND among others. He was appointed Artistic Director of BMK Company, bringing elite dancers from around the world to perform in their galas.

As a choreographer, Birkadze has created numerous works for world renowned companies and dancers. He has also worked extensively on opera productions rising to Lead Assistant to Production at the Gran Teatro de Liceo, and Assistant Choreographer to David McVicar. He has also worked closely with Yuri Grigorovich, Christopher Wheeldon, Natalia Makarova and performed works especially by Twyla Tharp, George Balanchine, and Stanton Welch to critical acclaim. Birkadze has since created new works for companies throughout Europe, Southeast Asia, and the United States, and was recently on faculty at the Boston Ballet.

Birkadze is currently artistic director of The Dallas Conservatory’s professional division, Classical Training Program, and continues to travel internationally for his choreography and other artistic ventures.

Adrian Blake Mitchell, born in Texas, discovered his passion for ballet in Malibu under Joanna Jarvis and began his pre-professional training at 13 in Los Angeles with Yuri Grigoriev and under Yvonne Mounsey at Westside Ballet. Mitchell's journey continued at the Houston Ballet Academy in 2010 and the Gelsey Kirkland Academy in 2011-2012.
From 2012 to 2014, he studied at the Ellison Ballet Professional Training Program under the tutelage of Edward Ellison, to whom he credits much of his artistic and technical growth. In 2014,
Mitchell made history as the first black graduate of the Vaganova Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia, and went on to become the first black man to join a major Russian ballet company – the
Mikhailovsky Theater in 2015.
As a Soloist at the Mikhailovsky, Mitchell performed iconic roles such as Espada in Don Quixote, Fairy Carabosse in Sleeping Beauty, and Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet. He was also a key interpreter of contemporary repertoire, notably partnering with Polina Semionova in Nacho Duato’s White Darkness. He was featured in Vogue Paris and modeled for British Designer Gareth Pugh.
In 2020, Mitchell became the founding Artistic Director of " Dance in Color," a non-profit organization promoting diversity in the professional dance industry. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with fashion houses and organizations, being featured in Paris Vogue and modeling for British fashion designer Gareth Pugh for NY Fashion Week.
Mitchell currently serves as the Associate Artistic Director of Westside School of Ballet and is a guest leading dancer and ballet master with the Los Angeles Ballet. Mitchell's influence extends to judging panels for competitions like the Youth America Grand Prix and Spotlight Awards and serving as an Artistic Ambassador to the ABT JKO School. As an educator, he shares his expertise with leading dance institutions, including the Kaatsbaan Summer Intensive and the ABT Studio Company, and has sent pupils to some of the world's leading dance schools.

The Leningrad State Conservatory graduate with a degree in piano performance, Vadim Nikitin studied conducting in the class of the professor Kantorov.

Maestro Nikitin worked at the Mariinsky Theater and the St. Petersburg Ballet Theater.

He conducted orchestras: Iceland Symphony Orchestra, JFO (Johannesburg), KFO (Cape Town), Durban Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra of Hungary, and others across the world (Taiwan, Japan, Australia, Hungary, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg, South Africa).

Since 2015, as a Conductor, Vadim Nikitin has collaborated with various renowned independent companies, performing with the Bolshoi Theater of Belarus, academic opera and ballet theaters of Chelyabinsk, Lviv, Ufa, Kazan, becoming the lead conductor of the World Ballet Company in 2022.

His repertoire includes ballet and symphonic music.

Anna Fokina's journey into ballet began with the guidance of her mother, transitioning from a professional figure skating background to the world of ballet. She started training at a ballet school, later balancing her studies at the Conservatory with her work as a ballerina in a theater. Anna cherishes learning from some of the most distinguished figures in ballet, including Nikita Dolgushin, Nikolai Boyarchikov, Gabriella Komleva, and others who significantly influenced her artistic growth.

Her career is marked by a diverse repertoire and experiences across three different theaters, where she embraced roles in romantic, classical, and contemporary ballets. Anna's work with choreographers like George Balanchine, José Limón, and Jiří Kylián, along with her involvement in original productions by Nikita Dolgushin, Nikolai Boyarchikov, and Valentin Yelizariev, enriched her artistic journey.

Anna believes that a performance's success lies in the depth of understanding a role, which involves thorough research, collaboration with teachers, and a genuine connection to the character. She values mutual respect and understanding within the theater environment, which is crucial for success. Anna advises aspiring dancers to trust their teachers, remain committed to learning, and always strive to be their best.

Andrey's journey through the world of events began long before he landed in the USA. Born in Ukraine and raised across the former Soviet Union, his childhood was a whirlwind of cultural immersion. This global tapestry is woven into his every step, from his early love of performing arts to his mastery of customer service.

In Israel, Andrey dived headfirst into entertainment, leading school discos, captivating audiences in theater productions, and even earning accolades for his extracurricular creativity. After serving in the Israeli Defense Forces, he honed his customer service skills, rising to leadership roles before venturing to Russia at 25.

Russia became his launchpad into the event industry. From hosting raffles to commanding the stage as a leading presenter, Andrey's charisma and organizational prowess soon saw him orchestrating global events with dignitaries and gracing international festivals as an assistant director and esteemed speaker. His expertise extends beyond the stage, as his years of teaching public speaking and negotiation equip him to navigate the intricate world of concert and tour coordination.

In the USA, Andrey's passion for community service led him to a non-profit helping Russian retirees. But his event magic couldn't be contained. He built a thriving youth program, drawing crowds of 100-200 for large events and fostering a vibrant community of 30-40 through weekly gatherings and charitable initiatives.