BIOGRAPHY
Valentina Zatevalneva is a choreographer, ballet teacher, and former ballet dancer with an international career spanning Europe, Asia, and North America. Trained in Moscow and France, she holds degrees in performing art from University of Bordeaux. After performing with renowned companies such as the State Ballet Theatre of Moscow, running by Vyacheslav Gordeev and touring worldwide, she transitioned into teaching and choreography, working across Zurich, Paris, Bordeaux, and Tokyo. She is the founder of Studio Neva and the creator of the ballet production Beyond Light, supported by the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. Valentina is an American Ballet Theater-certified teacher and a member of the International Dance Council (UNESCO). She regularly serves as a jury member in international ballet competitions, including "Ballet Connection" in Tokyo, and was invited as a choreographer at the Shibuya Art Institute. She is also the founder of the association “Un pas vers toi,” dedicated to supporting young dance talents.
- Languages: English, Russian, French, German
CONTACT
- valnevaballet@gmail.com
- https://www.instagram.com/valintheclouds
DANCE EXPERIENCE
Artistic Director, Choreographer:
- "Beyond Light" / Theatre Casino Barriere, Bordeaux / 2022
- "Pointes d'humour" / Festival "Dansons sur les quais, Bordeaux / 2023
- "I saw Jesus in Berlin" / Theater Der Kunste, Kempttal / 2024
- "Issui, The River Soul" / Theater Der Kunste, Zurich / 2026
AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
Holder of Vontobel Scholarship
DIPLOMA PROJECT / THESIS
- Project title: ISSUI, The River Soul
- Description: ISSUI, the River Soul is a contemporary ballet about choice: staying in comfort or stepping into the unknown.Like a flowing river, it shows how embracing difficulty can lead to freedom, change, and joy
- Choreographer / Copyright: Zatevalneva Valentina
- Additional Persons / Contributors: Dancers: Alicia Nager, Tayane Schurter, Runpeng Wang / Costume Designer: Olga Bogatisheva / Interactive Media Designer: Samantha Pan
Q&A WITH VALENTINA ZATEVALNEVA
What does dance mean to you?
- It means everything to me: it has been with me since the age of four. It cheered me up when I was sad and has never left me when I was happy. Dance has never betrayed me and has always stayed honest. It is a part of me!
What memory will you take with you from your time at ZHdK?
- Time with my classmates, long rehearsals with my dancers, shared moments together. In the nutshell: dance, laugh, passion
Which work or choreographer particularly inspires you, and why?
- I like choreographers who create their own world on stage, taking me far away and not letting me think about my problems, like Crystal Pite or Matthew Bourne.