Meet Alexander Sergeyev, the new principal dancer of the Mariinsky Theater (PHOTOS)

Sergeev has been with the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg for over 20 years: He joined the company in 2004, after graduating from the Vaganova Academy and, today, not only performs on stage, but also stages ballets.

He never intended to dedicate his life to the stage. He had been seriously involved in taekwondo since the age of eight: he went to training three times a week and participated in competitions. He also dreamed of a medical career, inspired by stories about a friend of his parents, an oncologist who performed complex surgeries. But, his parents, Leonid Yakobson Ballet Theater soloists Valery Sergeev and Valentina Klimova, persuaded him to try his hand at dance.

It was difficult at first and he wasn't always successful. "…my parents wanted me to continue the family line. My parents' support during my study years was enormous, but they also kept a close eye on me, because when parents are professionals, they notice your every mistake," said Sergeev.

During his studies, he made his first appearance at the Mariinsky Theater as one of the soldiers in ‘The Nutcracker’, replacing an ill dancer. After graduating from the academy, he made his debut as a dancer with the company, playing the water carrier in ‘The Legend of Love’. A few months later, an opportunity he couldn't miss presented itself: they were looking for a replacement for William Forsythe's ballet ‘In The Middle, Somewhat Elevated’ (‘Where the Golden Cherries Hang’) This 11-minute production has been referred to as "the most technically challenging in the history of ballet".

Sergeyev's repertoire includes almost every role in classical ballets, impressive Soviet-era productions, as well as contemporary projects. However, he is reserved about princes and similar roles, believing they should be danced by dancers with ideal proportions.

“I want not only to dance, but also to act, to be an artist – that’s why I’m not particularly fond of the roles of Prince Désiré from ‘Sleeping Beauty’, the Prince from ‘The Nutcracker’ or the Prince from ‘Swan Lake’. I want to bring something of my own to the role, to be memorable. I don’t want people to just say, ‘Well, it was okay’,” he admitted in one interview.

In 2016, Sergeyev danced in the world premiere of British choreographer David Dawson’s ballet ‘Reverence’, which he staged for the Mariinsky Theatre. Critics wrote the following of the dancer: “An amazing organic quality, where every cell of the body dances and every step is filled with feeling, a meaningful sensation of every second of the dance and every movement extended to the last musical moment!”

In 2019, Alexander made his debut as a choreographer, staging the ballet ‘Out of Time’ at the Mariinsky Theater to the music of Heitor Villa-Lobos: “Once again, I felt it's boring. A second education, playing the accordion, swimming, flamenco. Choreographing something – that's one of those things." Sergeyev's credits include productions of Coppélia and Concert Dances to music by Stravinsky and choreography for the operas ‘The Tales of Hoffmann’, ‘Lakmé’ and ‘Salammbô’.

"I've been fortunate to work with many greats personally: Roland Petit, Hans van Manen, Wayne McGregor – all of them greatly influenced me. But, there are a few key names on that list. The first is Alexei Ratmansky, with whom I spent many hours in rehearsal rooms together. I didn't know then that I'd try my hand at choreography, but, now, I understand the impact it had on me both as a dancer and as a choreographer. The second is William Forsythe. The third is Alexei Miroshnichenko. Working with him taught me a lot."

Through the theater, Alexander met his future wife, ballerina Daria Pavlenko – they danced together in the ballet ‘The Golden Age’. On their first date, Sergeyev took her to the roof of the Mariinsky Theater. "During a break between rehearsals, we climbed through the back window and reached the very top, which offers a stunning view. It was an extreme experience, because as we were descending, it started raining and the roof became slippery!"

The dancers are raising two daughters, Yaroslava and Miroslava. They try to avoid talking about ballet and theater at home. When asked what he would sacrifice in his life, Alexander Sergeyev confidently replies: "Ballet, but not family."

Alexander rarely appears on social media, but he occasionally posts with humorous captions and, two years ago, he shared photos from his ascent of Mount Elbrus.