Aivars Leimanis was a Latvian ballet dancer and is now the Artistic Director of Latvia’s National Ballet. His daughter is the ballet dancer, Elza Leimane

Elza Leimane

Elza Leimane is a Latvian ballet dancer. She graduated from the Riga Choreography School in 2001 and has been a member of the Latvian National Ballet Company since her graduation. She has been a principal dancer with the company since 2004...

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From 1968-1976, he trained at the Riga School of Choreography. From 1978-1980, he taught at the Riga Choreography School. After graduating, Aivars Leimanis became a soloist in the Ballet Company of the Latvian National Opera

Latvian National Opera

The Latvian National Opera , Riga, is the national opera of Latvia. The opera company includes the Latvian National Ballet , LNO Chorus, and LNO Orchestra.-History:...

. He has danced the leading roles in such ballets as the "Nutcracker", "Giselle" "Don Quixote", and "The Sleeping Beauty". From 1989-1993, he danced in the Star Group of Vladimir Vasilyev

Vladimir Vasiliev (ballet dancer)

Vladimir Viktorovich Vasiliev , a Russian ballet dancer, was principal dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet, and was best known for his role of Spartacus and his powerful leaps and turns.-Biography:Born in Moscow in 1940, the son of a truck driver, Vasiliev graduated from the Moscow Ballet School in 1958...

 and Yekaterina Maksimova

Ekaterina Maximova

Ekaterina Sergeevna Maximova was a Soviet and Russian ballerina of international renown.-Career:Maximova was born in Moscow, Soviet Union. An artist who combined great technical prowess with piquant prettiness, Maximova enjoyed her greatest successes in Giselle, Don Quixote, Cinderella and The...

. In 1993, he retired from dancing and became the Artistic Director of the Latvian National Opera Ballet Company. From 1989-1995, he studied choreography at The Faculty of Ballet Masters of the Russian Academy of Theatre Art, and in 1995 he obtained the degree of Master of Arts. In 1998, he was elected as a Member of Riga City Council. From 1999-2001, he was the Chairman of the Committee of Culture, Art and Religion at the Riga City Council and Board Member of the Riga City Council. In 2003 he was awarded the Latvian Three-Star Order.

He has choreographed and staged the following ballets:
Le Corsaire (Adam), Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Francesca da Rimini, Sleeping Beauty (Tchaikovsky), The Life (Dvorak's Symphony No.9), Coppelia (Delibes), Atlantis (Janis Ivanovs), Concerto Grosso (Arturs Maskats), as well as ballet miniatures (Award of the Best Choreographer in Budapest '98); dances for Verdi's opera Aida and Zigmars Liepins

Zigmars Liepinš

Zigmārs Liepiņš is a Latvian composer.-Works:*Lāčplēsis, rock opera*Adata, musical drama-References:...

' opera Rose and Blood; has represented Latvian art in more than 40 countries including the USA, France, China, Great Britain.