Elena Philipieva (also spelt Olena Filipieva) (, born 23 May 1970) is a Ukrainian prima ballerina and ballet director of the National Opera of Ukraine.
Biography
Philipieva was born in the city of Dniprorudne in Ukraine. Her parents were athletes. As a child, she trained in gymnastics and then folk dancing. In 1988 she graduated from the Kyiv State Choreographic School. While studying, she performed in Giselle at the National Opera of Ukraine.
In 1988 Philipieva was appointed a ballet soloist of the National Opera of Ukraine and later started tutoring younger dancers. In 2020 she was promoted to the position of ballet director of the National Opera of Ukraine.
Maya Plisetskaya claimed her to be the best dancer she had ever seen and presented her with a ring as a sign of her admiration. At the age of 23, Philipieva was awarded a People's Artist of Ukraine title.
Philipieva has performed in Japan, Canada, US, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Norway and many other countries. Among her partners were Nikolai Tsiskaridze, Farukh Ruzimatov, Alexander Vetrov, Alexei Fadeyechev, Patrick Dupond, Denis Matvienko.
Repertoire
Juliet in Romeo and Juliet
The Sylph in La Sylphide
Giselle in Giselle
Kitri in Don Quixote
Odette, Odile in Swan Lake
Clara in The Nutcracker
Medora in Le Corsaire
Aneli in Viennese Waltz
Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty
Cinderella in Cinderella
Zoreslava in The Lord of Borisfen
Mavka, Kylyna in Forest Song
Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro
Zobeide in Scheherazade
Carmen in Carmen Suite
Oksana in The Night Before Christmas
Marina in Zorba the Greek
Awards
1989: 3rd prize at International Ballet Competitions in Moscow
1994: Gold Medal at St. Petersburg Maya Competition
1996, 1999: Silver Medal at International Ballet and Modern Dance Competition, Japan 2019: Order of Princess Olga