Elza Leimane
Encyclopedia
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. Elza has had additional ballet training from the Paris Conservatoire (1999), Anaheim Ballet summer courses, USA (1999), International Batrolin Ballet seminar (2002 and 2003), Vienna Conservatory
summer courses (2000), the St Petersburg Ballet Company, Maryinsky Theatre and Hamburg Ballet
. She was a member of the European Youth Ballet in 2000, 2001 and 2004.
Elza comes from a very talented family, her grandmother is famous Latvian actress Baiba Indriksone, who at the age of 75 is still performing at the National Theatre, her grandfather was a film director and her parents were both dancers at the Latvian National Ballet. For over ten years her father Aivars Leimanis
has been the Artistic Director of Latvia's National Ballet.
She has danced a wide variety of roles such as Kitri in Don Quixote
, the title role in Giselle
, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Gulnara in Le Corsaire
, Marquise de Mereuil in Les Liaisons Dangereuses
and Katarina in Taming of the Shrew.
Elza has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Latvian Culture Ministry Award (1998, 1999), the Aldaris Prize 'Dancer of the year 2005' and the Theatre Prize 'Best Dancer in principal roles 2007'. She has also participated in the following international competitions:
She has toured extensively in Norway, Germany, France, Russia, Finland, England, Italy, Croatia, Israel
, Portugal and Spain. She has been involved in the multimedia charity project, Underwater Photo Ballet and was a model for Kondrashins Personal Calendar in 2007.
For four years, Elza's dancing partner and partner has been Raimonds Martinovs, a fellow Latvian dancer.
Vienna Conservatory
The Vienna Conservatory may refer to:*Konservatorium Wien, established in 1938 as Musikschule der Stadt Wien *University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna, which incorporates the older Vienna Conservatory dating back to 1817, established by the Gesellschaft der MusikfreundeOther music education...
summer courses (2000), the St Petersburg Ballet Company, Maryinsky Theatre and Hamburg Ballet
Hamburg Ballet
Hamburg Ballet, also known as the Hamburg State Opera Ballet, is an internationally acclaimed ballet company located in Hamburg, Germany. Since 1973 it is directed by the American dancer and choreographer John Neumeier....
. She was a member of the European Youth Ballet in 2000, 2001 and 2004.
Elza comes from a very talented family, her grandmother is famous Latvian actress Baiba Indriksone, who at the age of 75 is still performing at the National Theatre, her grandfather was a film director and her parents were both dancers at the Latvian National Ballet. For over ten years her father Aivars Leimanis
Aivars Leimanis
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....
has been the Artistic Director of Latvia's National Ballet.
She has danced a wide variety of roles such as Kitri in Don Quixote
Don Quixote (ballet)
Don Quixote is a ballet originally staged in four acts and eight scenes, based on an episode taken from the famous novel Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes. It was originally choreographed by Marius Petipa to the music of Ludwig Minkus and was first presented by the Ballet of the...
, the title role in Giselle
Giselle
Giselle is a ballet in two acts with a libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Théophile Gautier, music by Adolphe Adam, and choreography by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot. The librettist took his inspiration from a poem by Heinrich Heine...
, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Gulnara in Le Corsaire
Le Corsaire
Le Corsaire is a ballet typically presented in three acts, with a libretto originally created by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges loosely based on the poem The Corsair by Lord Byron. Originally choreographed by Joseph Mazilier to the music of Adolphe Adam, it was first presented by the ballet of...
, Marquise de Mereuil in Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Les Liaisons dangereuses is a French epistolary novel by Choderlos de Laclos.Les Liaisons dangereuses may also refer to:* Les liaisons dangereuses , a 1959 film adapted by Claude Brulé and directed by Roger Vadim...
and Katarina in Taming of the Shrew.
Elza has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Latvian Culture Ministry Award (1998, 1999), the Aldaris Prize 'Dancer of the year 2005' and the Theatre Prize 'Best Dancer in principal roles 2007'. She has also participated in the following international competitions:
- Rudolf Nureyev International Ballet Competition (BudapestBudapestBudapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, 1998) - Best Young Dancer Prize and Djagilev Special Prize - International Ballet CompetitionInternational Ballet CompetitionInternational Ballet Competition could refer to:*Genée International Ballet Competition, promoted by the Royal Academy of Dance, first held in 1931*Helsinki International Ballet Competition, first held in 1989...
(YaltaYaltaYalta is a city in Crimea, southern Ukraine, on the north coast of the Black Sea.The city is located on the site of an ancient Greek colony, said to have been founded by Greek sailors who were looking for a safe shore on which to land. It is situated on a deep bay facing south towards the Black...
, UkraineUkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, 1998) - bronze medal - Vienna International Ballet Competition (1999) - 1st prize
- Eurovision Young DancersEurovision Young DancersThe Eurovision Young Dancers is a biennial dance showcase broadcast on television throughout Europe. Since 1985, using a format similar to the Eurovision Song Contest, every country that is a member of the European Broadcasting Union has had the opportunity to send a dance act to compete for the...
(France, 1999) - finalist - New York International Ballet Competition (2005) - finalist
- South African International Ballet Competition (2008) - silver medal
She has toured extensively in Norway, Germany, France, Russia, Finland, England, Italy, Croatia, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Portugal and Spain. She has been involved in the multimedia charity project, Underwater Photo Ballet and was a model for Kondrashins Personal Calendar in 2007.
For four years, Elza's dancing partner and partner has been Raimonds Martinovs, a fellow Latvian dancer.