Atlanta Professional Dance Academy

Yuriy Kuzo has danced professionally his entire life. In 2018 he premiered as Moscow Ballet Soloist and Audition Director for the " Dance with Us " program. Yuriy and Alisa Bolotnikova lead the annual Moscow Ballet Summer Intensives in the US.

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Yuriy took his first steps in dance when he was 6 years old and fell in love with the magic of dancing. He auditioned, and was accepted, at the school of Rushnychok Dance Ensemble studying performing art, choreography, vocal and acting skills, and the history of theatre. After graduating from Rushnychok, he was invited to Lviv State College of Culture and Art where he studied dance and choreography for four years. Under the close supervision of the teachers, he developed his dance and pedagogical skills. In his senior year he won an award for a choreographic composition called "Greek Suite" and was invited to an international seminar of choreographers in Athens, Greece.

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Yuriy was invited to become teacher and leader of the Honored Dance Ensemble of Ukraine "Yunist.”  At the same time, he entered the Drohobych Ivan Franko State Pedagogical University and, after three years of study, received his degree in higher education in choreography. Yuriy was later invited to join the ballet company of the Lviv National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet where he continues to perform to today. Yuriy performs Baron von Rothbart, the pas de trois Spanish Dance and the Hungarian Dance in Swan Lake; Drosselmeier, Rat King and Spanish dance in The Nutcracker; Espado, Bolero and Jig in Don Quixote; Birbanto in Le Corsaire; the Abbot in “Carmina Burana;” one of the four Suitors in “Sleeping Beauty;” King Claudius in “Hamlet” and more classic ballet roles. Yuriy and Alisa Bolotnikova lead the annual Moscow Ballet Summer Intensives in the US.

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 In 2015 Yuriy was invited to join Moscow Ballet. Yuriy says, “This is not an ordinary company - it's a large family that brings together hundreds of people and together they create an artistic miracle on stage. I am excited to add Moscow Ballet Audition Director to my adventures.” Yuriy participates in artistic projects around the world and works with many professional companies including the DPF Production special project in France with legend Pierre Cardin; ballet performances with Concert lírica in Spain; and more concerts in Portugal and France.

Alisa Bolotnikova premiered as a Soloist with Moscow Ballet in 2016 and is an Audition Director in the “Dance with Us” program working with over 3,000 American ballet students annually. Alisa and Yuriy Kuzo lead the annual Moscow Ballet Summer Intensives in the US.

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When not on tour, Alisa teaches ballet, choreography, gymnastics, and rhythmic gymnastics.  Alisa also teaches students at the Kharkov Ballet College, some of which have been accepted in the Kharkov Opera and Ballet Theatre. 

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Alisa auditioned and was accepted at the Kharkov Children's Music, Ballet and Choreographic School at 5 years old, and just six months later was on stage as a Little Star. Delighted with her costume, Alisa decided then that ballet and the stage was her life! She graduated from Kharkov University as a professional ballerina and teacher of choreography.  Recently Alisa also earned a Teacher of Choreography degree from Kherson National University and graduated from Kharkov State Academy of Culture, with a Masters of Choreography.  In addition to performing Alisa is a Ballet Teacher for children 4 to 6 years old teaching choreography, gymnastics, and rhythmic gymnastics for child athletes. She also works at the Kharkov Ballet College teaching students to become professional dancers, some of whom have been accepted in the Kharkov Opera.

 

Upon graduating from the National Ballet and Theatre Academy in Kharkov, Alisa was invited to join the Kharkov National Opera and Ballet Theatre performing as a classical ballerina in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Holland, Bulgaria, Japan, China, and Mexico.   Some of her favorite roles are as Scheherazade in Arabian Nights, Gypsy Zhelobinsky in Don Quixote, and Mother in the ballet Isadora Duncan (Duncan lived in Russia for a time and was beloved by the Russian ballet community). Alisa has a passion for performing traditional folk dances such as the Spanish “Gypsy” and Russian folk styles. Alisa has performed as a folk dancer in Bulgaria and as a Modern dancer in Japan.