Leading Lady

Elena Glurdjidze
Senior Principal dancer

Elena will dance the roles of Myrtha and Giselle this Autumn, when playing Giselle she will be partnered by Arionel Vargas.

Birthplace
Tbilisi, Georgia

Training
Tbilisi Choreographic School
Vaganova St-Petersburg Academy of Russian Ballet

Previous Companies
Russian Ballet Company, St Petersburg, St-Petersburg State Academic Ballet Theatre, St-Petersburg Ballet Theatre of Konstantin Tatchkin

English National Ballet
Joined 2002, Principal dancer, Senior Principal dancer 2007

Favourite roles
Title role in Giselle, Kitri in Don Quixote, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, title role in Manon

Career highlight
Creating Gypsy Girl in Michael Cirder's The Snow Queen and Virginia in The Canterville Ghost, performing in Katie Melua's It's Only Pain and appearing in the BBC production The Impressionists

Other info
Won 2007 and 2008 Ballet.co.uk Audience Poll for Best Female Dancer, Best Partner award at 7th Perm Open Competition 2002 and 8th Paris International Competition of Soloists 1998. Married and has a son, Alexander Abashidze

"...the warmth and charisma to melt the frostiest audience and the experience to work the material to maximum effect"
The Observer

Arts Council England