From Stage to Sand: Top 10 Russian Ballerinas Who Shine in Swimsuits

As the long New Year’s holidays come to an end and the country gets back to work, ballet dancers breathe a collective sigh of relief. The marathon of “Nutcracker” performances and other holiday shows is finally over, and they can now relax a bit. They trade their tutus and pointe shoes for swimsuits and swap the dance floor for golden sands. And let us tell you, these stage divas look just as stunning in swimsuits as they do in their performance costumes, with each of their figures being a true standard of beauty.

Eleonora Sevenard

Eleonora Sevenard knew what she wanted to be when she grew up from a very young age. Her relative, the legendary Mathilde Kschessinska, was a world-renowned ballerina who received standing ovations in the early 20th century for being the first to perform 32 fouettés. As a little girl, Sevenard loved looking at photos of Kschessinska in her stage costumes, and at the age of 4, she stood at the ballet barre for the first time. Interestingly, Sevenard could have become a professional swimmer, but her love for art prevailed over sports. Today, she shines on the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre.

Renata Shakirova

In 2024, Renata Shakirova reached the absolute pinnacle of her ballet career by becoming the prima ballerina of the Mariinsky Theatre. After each performance, crowds of admirers wait for her near the stage, hoping to hand her bouquets personally. However, such attention still makes Shakirova blush. She is a queen, but like in her school years at the ballet academy, she continues to perfect her craft every day. Shakirova says that the day she considers herself the best, she will leave the profession. For now, every performance is like an exam to her.

Maria Khoreva

Ballerinas pirouette to the music of Tchaikovsky, Adan, and Bizet, but that’s not all! Maria Khoreva of the Mariinsky Theatre has many classical roles in her repertoire, but when no one is watching, she loves to dance to K-pop in the ballet studio. In many ways, Khoreva breaks stereotypes about ballet. She manages to act in films, tour the world, and create vlogs, not just spending all her time in rehearsals. Maria came to ballet relatively late, at the age of 10, after studying rhythmic gymnastics. She admitted that she missed competitions at first, but the elegance of this art form eventually captivated her.

Maria Vinogradova

Maria Vinogradova, a star of the Bolshoi Theatre, is a true femme fatale of Russian ballet. She attracts a lot of attention not only for her roles but also for her personal life. For seven years, the artist was married to her colleague Ivan Vasiliev. They met while rehearsing the ballet “Spartacus,” and a few years later, they became parents to a charming daughter. Since 2022, Maria Vinogradova has been single again and can rival Hollywood actresses in beauty.

Alena Kovalyova

At just 26 years old, Alena Kovalyova has an incredible future ahead in the world of ballet. Born in St. Petersburg, she graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy and decided to dance on the Moscow stage. Now, as a soloist, she shines at the Bolshoi Theatre, performing iconic roles such as Nikiya in “La Bayadère,” Carmen, Aegina in “Spartacus,” and the Firebird. In one of her first interviews at the age of 17, Kovalyova admitted that she worried a bit about her future in art because she is quite tall, and it was always difficult to find partners for her. However, she has no problems now, and many male dancers dream of performing with her.

Anna Turazashvili

Anna Turazashvili is a star not only at the Bolshoi Theatre but also beyond its walls. In her free time, she collaborates with clothing brands (she simply adores fashion!), poses for magazines, and graces red carpets. Anna began dancing at the age of 9 in her native Tbilisi. She asked her parents to enroll her in a ballet class because she often passed by a ballet studio with panoramic windows and admired the girls practicing inside. At 15, Turazashvili moved to Moscow alone and plans to dance as long as her health allows. It is believed that ballet dancers retire early, but Plisetskaya wore pointe shoes even at 60, and this might soon become a trend.

Anna Nikulina

The rapid development of Anna Nikulina’s career is the envy of many ballerinas. She graduated with honors from the Moscow State Academy of Choreography and was immediately accepted into the Bolshoi Theatre company. At just 19 years old, she danced the role of Odette-Odile in “Swan Lake,” even though she was only a second corps de ballet dancer at the time. Today, Nikulina is a People’s Artist. She first performed in “The Nutcracker” in 2006 and admits that she still loves performing on December 31st the most.

Anna Kuligina

Many ballerinas dream of leading roles in “Giselle,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “The Nutcracker,” and other romantic ballets, and Anna Kuligina is also magnificent in them. However, she has a special talent. Behind her classical beauty lies incredible mischief, so it’s worth going to the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg to see her Redisochka in “Chipollino.” Teachers praise Kuligina’s acting talent, so it’s not unlikely that one day Anna will shine in cinema as well.

Alexandra Khiteeva

Alexandra Khiteeva’s approach from the Mariinsky Theatre can even be called rebellious to some extent. Like all artists, she perfects her elements at the ballet barre and on the dance floor, but she doesn’t like to memorize the parts themselves. The young star admits that the more often dancers rehearse the productions in the studio, the more mechanical their movements appear on stage. One must immerse themselves in their heroine and speak for her, not just feverishly reproduce the elements one after another. Some might find this approach strange, but Khiteeva has so much talent and beauty that it works for her, and she is becoming increasingly talked about in the ballet world.

Kristina Kretova

Kristina Kretova is 41 years old, and 2025 became a turning point in her career. On one September day, the head of the Bolshoi Theatre ballet company, Makhar Vaziev, called the artist into his office for a serious conversation. Later, Kretova recalled that her excitement caused her blood pressure to spike so high that she stood for several minutes in front of Vaziev’s door, trying to calm the trembling in her hands. However, the excitement was unnecessary: the news awaiting her was unexpected and pleasant. In September 2025, Kretova became the prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Theatre. In fact, the theatre specially expanded the staff of prima ballerinas for her. Kretova said that immediately after the appointment, she went to rehearsal but couldn’t concentrate because she was crying with happiness. Kristina Kretova is loved not only for her roles but also for her blog, where she humorously talks about the behind-the-scenes world of ballet. There is also vacation content: the hottest beach photos of ballerinas are in our gallery.

For more information on ballet and its stars, visit the Bolshoi Theatre’s official website.