He studied at the Moscow Choreographic Institute. He was a soloist at the Bolshoi Theater (1981-1989), having in his repertory: Raymond, Ivan the Terrible, Don Quixote, Spartacus and Romeo and Juliet. Between 1998 and 2004 he was invited to London's Royal Ballet as a soloist. He also worked with English National Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Ballet Bordeaux. His repertoire includes major soloist roles in the classical ballets. He worked with choreographers such as: Grigotovich, MacMillan, Ashton, Balanchine, Leonid Massin, Petit, Thrap, Nureyev, Bintley, Page and Brandstrup. He won many prizes: Grand Prize International Competition in Moscow - in 1981, Andersen Prize for best dancers in the world - in 1988, Nijinsky Medal - 1998, Evening Standard Ballet Award.

Born and raised in Moscow, Russia, he had danced with the renowned Bolshoi Ballet, during which time he performed full repertory of the theatre, including soloist parts in ballets such as Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Spartacus, Swan Lake, Sketches, Raymonda, Don Quixote, Golden Age, and many others. Since moving to the US in 1990, he performed with Sarasota Ballet of Florida, Los Angeles Classical Ballet, Vienna State Opera Ballet, Colorado Ballet, and San Francisco Opera Ballet. He had been a guest teacher for the Houston Ballet, Oregon Dance Theatre, Ballet West, David Taylor Dance Theatre, State Street Ballet, Ballet Arlington, Sibiu Ballet Theatre in Romania, Guangzhou Ballet of China, and Galili Dance in Netherlands. He had also taught for the Royal Ballet School and English National Ballet School in London and was on the faculty of the Birmingham Royal Ballet's official school, the Elmhurst School for Dance in Birmingham, UK. He also serves as a judge and master teacher for Youth America Grand Prix Ballet Competition in US and Japan as well as other international dance competitions.

She graduated from Highschool of Choreography and studied the great roles of classical repertoire with teachers from Marinski Theater in St. Petersburg. she danced as guest artist on many international stages. Since 1980 she continued his career as a ballet master, teacher and choreographer in: France at the Capitol Theater in Toulouse, Italy at La Scala di Milano, Aterballetto-Regio Emilia and Teatro Regio from Turin, Germany at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Opera Bonn and Deutsche Oper am Rhein (Germany). Between 1990-2002 she was teaching at the Conservatory of Music and Dance in Koln. She is invited professor at several stages of classical dance. Se also participate as chairman or member of the jury of international dance competitions. In 2002 she got the high distinction of the Romanian state for his services to his country's international cultural level.

Regina Zarhina is professor at Department of Ballet - University of Utah (USA). She studied in St. Petersburg (Russia), at Columbia College-Hollywood (USA) and at Univesity of Colorado (USA). She was director of Academy of Colorado Ballet and at Classical Ballet School in USA, teacher at Elmhurst School for Dance and professor at University of Wolverhampton from UK. She wrote in Dance Magazine (USA), Ballet Review (USA), Dance International (Canada), Dancing Times (UK), Pointe Magazine (USA).

She is born in Fukuoka. She joined Noriko Kobayashi Ballet Theatre in 1983. Beginning with 1991 she danced at Scottish Ballet becaming a principal guest one year later. She danced a wide variety of leading roles in England. In 1999 at Spolet Festival, she was invited to dance Don Quixote with Tetsuya Kumakawa and in 2002 the leading role of Swan Lake with Royal New Zealand Ballet. Her prizes include the Silver Medal at the Moscow International Competition in 1981 and the Gold Medal at the Adeline Genee International Competition. Since 1999, she is director of Yurie Shimomura Company and also guest theacher at various Ballet Studios and Schools in Japan and Korea.

Paola Scoppettuolo is an internationally recognized choreographer, dance educator, artistic director of "La Piroetta Dance School" in Rome ( Italy ) and chief choreographer of "Aleph" Contemporary Dance Company. Paola is also a high honor Philosophy scholar from the "Tor Vergata" University of Rome. She has studied in the National Academy of Dance in Rome, where she has specialized in contemporary choreography. Her work has been distinguished with a "Contribution for Dance Activities Distinction" from the Ministry of Culture in Italy. As artistic director and choreographer of Aleph Company she has conducted ballet, professional contemporary and choreographic workshops all over the world .

Maureen Laird, Associate Professor of Ballet at the University of Utah, received her early training at Point Park College and the Pennsylvania Ballet School. She continued her studies at David Howard's School and Melissa Hayden's Studio in New York City, and went on to receive her BFA and MFA from the University of Utah. Maureen performed with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Ballet El Paso and the American Dance Ensemble as a Soloist before dancing with Ballet West for eight years. Maureen teaches and coaches for the Ballet West Academy and currently teaches Pointe and Technique classes and choreographs regularly for departmental productions at the University of Utah.

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