In 2018, Vsevolod Maievskyi fulfilled his dream of joining the Mariinsky Ballet. For four years, Maievskyi was on stage night after night, dancing to everything from demanding body parts to Prince Siegfried in Swan Lakerole in which he debuted at the age of 23. Originally from kyiv, Ukraine, Maievskyi made the decision to leave the Mariinsky in 2022. He danced with the Dresden Semperoper Ballett from 2022 to 2023 and joined the English National Ballet last year as a junior soloist.
Maievskyi’s dancing is refined yet relaxed (something he attributes to his ballroom dance training) and imbued with an innate charisma. And although he is still settling into his new life in London, his passion for ballet remains strong. “I often ask myself why I do this, and the answer is simple: I love it,” he says.
The beginnings of ballroom
“My mother introduced me to ballroom dancing when I was 5 years old. I didn’t even start ballet until I was 12. There are so many benefits to practicing ballroom dancing. It taught me to really feel each position, connect with my partner and diversify my movements.
A competitive advantage
“I grew up in Kyiv, Ukraine, and always had big dreams. Ballet competitions like the Youth America Grand Prix helped me see a future in ballet. I competed in 2016 and 2018, and these scholarships helped me start my career.
A unique art form
“The experience of watching and dancing ballet is unique. It makes you feel alive. Life is so fragile and anything can happen. To me it doesn’t matter how perfect your technique is or if you missed a show. What matters is that you danced with real emotion and gave something to the audience.
Character studies
“When preparing for a role, music is essential. When I hear it, I really feel it – sometimes I can almost start crying. I don’t even have to read anything about the character, I just let the music inspire me. I also enjoy learning from other dancers and watching them perform roles. You can always learn something about yourself from another person’s dance.
Everything and more
“I want to dance so many different ballets, classics like Don Quixote, La BayadèreAnd Studiesat Edward Clug Radio and Julietor works by David Dawson and William Forsythe. I’m so open to everything and I’m eager to dance and learn.