INSPADES MAGAZINE DUE | Page 70

Y akovleva Ira was born in Kiev, Ukraine in 1986 with a beautiful leg line, natural flexibility and an innate sense of music. Because of this, her parents made a decision that she is most grateful for - they immersed her in the strong and elegant world of ballet. “Beautiful and complicated at the same time, they had shown me my path,” says Ira, “I love the art of ballet dance with all my heart. It gives me the freedom to express all of my emotions and even to tell a whole story using only the plasticity of the body.” After graduating from the Kiev State Choreographic College in 2005, Ira began dancing at the Saint-Petersburg Ballet Theatre, which delivers classical Russian ballet to audiences worldwide. With intense physical exertion, serious competition and little downtime, it takes extraordinary dedication to experience the honour of dancing on such legendary stages. During her eight years of professional ballet training, Ira attributes her success not only to her personal resolve and devotion to the art but also to the astute capabilities of the ballet masters with which she trained. 70 inspadesmag.com