- Igor Yebra
Infobox Artist
name = Igor Yebra
imagesize =
caption =
birthname = Igor Yebra
birthdate = birth date and age|1974|8|1
location = Bilbao, Spain
deathdate =
deathplace =
nationality = Spanish
field =Ballet
training =Victor Ullate
works =
patrons =
influenced by =
influenced =
awards = Eurovision Grand PrixIgor Yebra (b. 1974,
Bilbao ) is a Spanish freelance ballet dancer.Early life
Igor Yebra was born in Bilbao,
Spain , and was encouraged to start dancing by his parents, two music and dance enthusiasts who named him Igor in honour of the title character in Borodin’s opera.Surrounded by ballet and music during his childhoold, primarily due to his parents' dance school, Igor never considered becoming a professional dancer and, just like other Spanish children, he dreamed of being a football player. It was only after his parents took him to see
Aram Khachaturyan ’s ballet "Spartacus", starring the Bolshoi's principal Vladimir Vasiliev, that he became aware of the masculinity that ballet could have, and started attending classes locally. He then moved toMadrid where he enteredVictor Ullate 's dance school and started formal training at the considerably late age of 13.Career
Igor has trained with a multitude of Spanish teachers including Karemia Moreno, Lázaro Carreño, Pino Alosa and Ángela Santos. He started dancing professionally with Ullate's company, "Ballet de la Comunidad de Madrid" while still a student in Madrid. He graduated with honours from the "Real Conservatorio Profesional de Danza" [ [http://www.messengersaintanthony.com/messaggero/pagina_articolo.asp?IDX=219IDRX=67 Messenger of Saint Anthony - God & I: Igor Yebra ] ] .
Igor remained with the company for six years, eventually becoming a principal. During this time he danced various contemporary and neo-classical ballets, including pieces from choreographers Van Manen, Rudi van Dantzing, Jan Linkens, Nils Christie, Amodio,
Balanchine , Micha Van Hoecke y and Ullate himself.Yebra started his career as a freelance dancer at the end of 1996 and joined Australian Ballet as a guest, despite receiving offers from recognized companies like the
New York City Ballet , Ballet Estable del Teatro Colon,Scottish Ballet andAmerican Ballet Theatre .He is mostly recognized as a "
danseur noble " and it is from the time he left Ullate's company that he managed to expand his classical and romantic repertoire to include various coreographed versions of "Giselle ", "Don Quixote", "La Sylphide ", "Romeo and Juliet", "Swan Lake ", "Coppelia ", "Les Sylphides ", "The Nutcracker ", "The Sleeping Beauty " and variations from "Le Corsaire " and "La Bayadere ". His contemporary repertoire is an array of neoclassical-type ballets, includingGeorge Balanchine 's "Theme and Variations", "Concerto Barroco", "Allegro Brillante" and "Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux ".He has appeared as a guest artist with Atterballetto, Ballet à l'opera de Nice,
Ballet Nacional de Cuba , Ballet Nacional de Venezuela, Kremlin Ballet Theatre, the Bolshoi, the Kirov,Scottish Ballet , Rome Opera Ballet,Australian Ballet , Lithuanian National Ballet Theatre and theArena di Verona Ballet and is a guest principal with the Ballet de l'Opéra National de Bordeaux.As from 2001 he is a permanent guest and principal dancer with the Ballet de l'Opéra National de Bordeaux [ [http://www.opera-bordeaux.com/index.php?id=22 Opéra National de Bordeaux : Le Ballet ] ] and the Rome Opera Theatre Ballet [it icon [http://www.operaroma.it/ Home - Teatro dell'Opera ] ] .
January 2004 marked his debut at the Kremlin Theatre dancing the title role in
Sergei Prokofiev ’s ballet "Ivan the Terrible", and making him the first non-Russian to dance such role.He has created roles in various pieces including "
Carmen ", "La Traviatta", "Aida ", "The Dying Swan " and "Don José".Personal life
He married Basque television presenter Anne [http://es.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anne_Igartiburu&oldid=7857968|Anne Igartiburu] in September 2004, from who he separated soon after, in December 2005.
Igor realised one of his biggest dreams in 2006 when he opened a dance school in his hometown of
Bilbao . [ [http://www.danzaballet.com/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=553 Danza Ballet - IGOR YEBRA ] ]He's still a big football fan and supporter of his local team "
Athletic Bilbao ".Awards
* The Jury's Special Contemporary Prize at the "Eurovision Grand Prix for Young Dancers, Paris, 1989".
*Best Dancer of the Year Award by "DANZA & DANZA Magazine", Italy, 1996.
*Second Male Prize at "The II International "
Maya Plisetskaya " Ballet Competition", 1996. [ [http://maya.wplus.net/ballet_konk2_eng.htm Internation Ballet Competition Maya ] ]*"Leonidas Massine" Award, Italy, 2003.
References
External links
* [http://www.igoryebra.es Official site]
* [http://www.messengersaintanthony.com/messaggero/pagina_articolo.asp?IDX=219IDRX=67 Interview]
* [http://www.ballet-dance.com/200402/articles/yebra20031216.html Interview]
* [http://www.danza.es/biografias/biografia.2006-01-05.8472298201 Danza.es intervie (in Spanish)]
* [http://www.danzaballet.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=1085]
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