Boris Akimov

Biography

He was born in Vienna, 25 June 1946. In 1965, after graduation from the Moscow Choreographic School (now the Moscow State Choreographic Academy) where he studied under Maris Liepa among other teachers, he joined the Ballet Company of the Bolshoi Theater. He perfected his excellence under the guidance of a renowned dancer and a teacher Alexei Ermolaev.

Thanks to his acting talent, powerful temperament and expressiveness of his performing style Akimov was an indispensable participant of premiers from modern repertoire.

In 1979 Boris Akimov graduated from the pedagogical faculty of the Russian University of Theatre Arts (GITIS) n.a. A.V. Lunacharsky (now RATI/ The Russian Academy of theatrical arts).

In 1980-1988 he taught at that University (Department of Choreography)

Since 1989 he is a ballet master- repetiteur with the Bolshoi Theater. Moreover, he acted in this capacity at London’s Covent Garden, Milan’s La Scala, Asami Maki Ballet Tokyo, Vienna State Opera, Hamburg State Opera, Bavarian State Opera (Munich), Royal Danish Ballet (Copenhagen), Opera National de Paris, Mariinsky State Academic Theatre, Basel Ballet, Switzerland, National Ballet of Holland (Amsterdam) and London Royal School.

He starred in the film-ballet A Terrible Epoch (after the ballet Ivan the Terrible, directors Y. Grigorovich and V. Derbenev, 1978) and in the tele-version of Swan Lake (1983)ю

He writes music, as far back as in Soviet times he released a disc of vocal lyrics (on Sergey Esenin verses).

In 2000-2003 Boris Akimov was the Artistic Director of the Bolshoi Theater Ballet Company.

In 2001-2005 he was the professor of the male classical and duet-classical dance Department at the Moscow State Choreographic Academy, in 2001-02 he was an acting Rector of the Academy and in 2002-05 — its Artistic Director.

At present he is the teacher-repetiteur of the soloists Yan Godovsky, Morihiro Iwata, Ilya Ryzhakov, Dmitry Rykhlov, Gennady Yanin and other dancers.

Repertoire

Geologist (Geologists by N. Karetnikov, production by N. Kasatkina and V. Vasilev, 1966)

Ilyas (Asel by V. Vlasov, production by O. Vinogradov, 1967)

Ivanushka (Rodion Shchedrin’s The Humpbacked Horse; choreography by A. Radunsky, 1968)

Crassus (A. Khachaturian’s Spartacus, choreography by Yuri Grigorovich, 1968)

Soloist (Chopiniana to music by F. Chopin, choreography by M. Fokine, 1969)

Count Albrecht (Giselle, choreography by J. Coralli, J. Perrot and M. Petipa in L. Lavrovsky version, 1970) — appeared in this role on the Bolshoi Theatre tour in Australia

Evil genius (Swan Lake, choreography by A. Gorsky, M. Petipa, L.Ivanov. in Y. Grigorovich version, 1969) — creator of the role

Prince (Swan Lake, choreography by A. Gorsky, M. Petipa, L.Ivanov. A. Messerer, 1972)

Prince Siegfried (Swan Lake, choreography by Y. Grigorovich, 1973)

Prince Kurbsky ( Ivan the Terrible, Y. Grigorovich production, 1975) — creator of the role

Kleon ( Icarus by S. Sloniumsky, V. Vasiliev production, the 2nd version, 1976) — creator of the role

Sergey (Angara by A. Eshpai, Y. Grigorovich production, 1976)

Pavel (Leutenant Kije to music by S. Prokofiev, choreography by A. Lapauri and O. Tarasova, 1977)

Hans (Giselle, 1977)

Strolls (These magic sounds to music by G. Torelli, F. Corelli, J.F. Rameau and W.I. Mozart, V. Vasiliev production, 1978) — creator of the role

Khorud (Indian poem, production by M. Scott, Y. Papko, 1981) — creator of the role

Nerso (Gayane by A. Khachaturian, M. Martirosyan production, 1984) — creator of the role