Nina Ananiashvili, great dancer

Nina Ananiashvili is a Soviet Georgian ballerina, People’s Artist of the Georgian SSR (1989), People’s Artist of Russia (1995). Also Nina was awarded Order of Merit for the Fatherland (22 March 2001), Russian Independent National Award Triumph – 1991 (the dancer was honored for the first time), Ballet Magazine Award Soul of the Dance (2003).
By the way, she is an artistic director of the State Ballet of Georgia.
Pretty girl was born on March 28, 1963 in Tbilisi, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union. Nina was a sickly child and her parents urged her to take up skating to strengthen her health. At the age of 10 the girl a junior skating champion of Georgia. Then she entered the Tbilisi Choreography School and continued her studies at the Moscow Choreography School. American critics called her “the undisputed superstar of classical ballet”.
After graduation in 1981, Nina joined the Bolshoi Ballet. 17-year-old ballerina danced in Hamburg and her performance was followed by a 30-minute ovation.
The main role in the opera-ballet Mlada by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov was staged specially for Nina.

Gorgeous technique, refined style, smooth movements and a rare dramatic talent quickly turned her into the most popular ballerina of our days.
In 1980, Ananiashvili won the Gold Medal (Junior Division) at the prestigious Varna International Competition. A year later, she won the Grand Prix at the Moscow International Ballet Competition.
Andris Liepa and Nina were the first Soviet dancers to appear as a guest performer with the New York City Ballet in 1988. Moreover, in 1993, Nina became a dancer at the American Ballet Theatre and in 1999 she joined the Houston Ballet.
Ananiashvili became a truly international ballet superstar. Talented girl performed with the Royal Danish Ballet, the Kirov Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, the National Ballets of Norway, Finland and Portugal, Birmingham Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Tokyo Ballet among others.
In September 2004, she became an artistic director of the National Ballet Ensemble of Georgia.

Ballet dancer Nina Ananiashvili

Personal life
In 1988 Nina married Grigol Vashadze, a Georgian politician and diplomat. They have daughter Helen, and son Nodar.
On November 23, 2006 Nina became the Godmother of Nikoloz Saakashvili, younger son of the Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili.
Source: www.ananiashvili.com