Natalia Osipova

In 2004, Moscow-born Natalia Osipova, completed her training at the Moscow State Academy of Choreography, where she studied with Director Marina Leonova, and joined the Bolshoi Ballet.  Her coach at the theatre was Marina Kondratieva.

Osipova’s repertoire with the Bolshoi included Nikiya and Gamzatti in La Bayadère, Medora in Le Corsaire, Kitri in Don Quixote, Jeanne in Alexei Ratmansky’s Flames of Paris, Ramze and Aspicia in The Pharaoh’s Daughter, Swanilda in Coppélia, title roles in Yuri Burlaka’s La Esmerelda, Giselle, the Sylph in La Sylphide, the Ballerina in Alexei Ratmansky’s The Bright Stream and the role of Mustardseed, which she created, in John Neumeier’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as principal roles in Leonide Massine’s Les Presages (Frivolity); George Balanchine’s Serenade (Russian Dance) and Symphony in C (Third Movement); Ratmansky’s Middle Duet, Russian Seasons, (Girl in Red); Asaf Messerer’s Class Concert (Ballet School); and Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room.  Osipova was promoted to principal dancer of the Bolshoi in May 2010.

Osipova has appeared as a guest artist with Maryinsky Ballet as Kitri in Don Quixote, Giselle in Giselle; Zurich Ballet as the Sylph in La Syphide; Giselle in Giselle with the Mikhailovsky Ballet; and the Novosibirsk State Ballet as Nikiya in La Bayadère, Kitri in Don Quixote and Giselle in Giselle.

In December 2009, Osipova performed in the Paris-Moscow Gala, making her first appearance as the Ballerina in Petrouchka.  In January she appeared with the Paris Opera Ballet as Clara in Nureyev’s production of The Nutcracker at the Opéra Bastille.  In February she made her debut with La Scala Ballet as Kitri in Nureyev’s Don Quixote.

Osipova’s awards include the Grand Prize at the Prix de Luxembourg International Ballet Competition in 2003, the Bronze Medal in the Senior Division at the Moscow International Ballet Competition (2005), Russian Ballet Magazine’s Soul of Dance Award in the Rising Star category (2007), Britain’s Critics Circle National Dance Award – Best Female Dancer (2007), the Golden Mask (2008) for her performance in Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room, Leonide Massine’s Positano Dance Award and the Benois de la Danse Award as Best Female Dancer, both in 2008 and the Golden Mask for her duet with Vyachaslav Lopatin in La Sylphide (2009).

In 2011, Osipova joined the Mikhailovsky Ballet as a principal dancer.  In 2013, she joined The Royal Ballet as a principal dancer, where her roles have included Titania in The Dream, the title roles in Giselle and Manon, Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake and roles in Serenade and DGV:Danse à grande vitesse.  She has created roles in Wayne McGregor’s Tetractys – The Art of Fugue and Alastair Marriott’s Connectome.

Osipova made her first appearance with American Ballet Theatre as a guest artist in 2009 dancing the title role in Giselle and the Sylph in La Sylpide.  Her repertoire with the Company includes Gamzatti in La Bayadère, The Ballerina in The Bright Stream, Swanilda in Coppélia, Medora in Le Corsaire, Kitri in Don Quixote, Olga in Onegin, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty and Symphony in C.  She created the role of the Firebird in Alexei Ratmansky’s Firebird and a leading role in Ratmansky’s Piano Concerto No. 1.