Photo Flash: Diana Vishneva's ON THE EDGE Makes World Premiere at Segerstrom Center

Segerstrom Center's 2013 - 2014 International Dance Season opened with the world premiere of Diana Vishneva: On The Edge, which introduced two new works commissioned by the Center and Ardani Artists for the internationally renowned and award-winning star of the Mariinsky Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. On The Edge is in two acts, and begins with Jean-Christophe Maillot's intriguing piece titled Switch, followed by Carolyn Carlson's profound solo work, Woman in a Room. After this world premiere engagement in Segerstrom Hall, On The Edge will make its European premiere in December at both the National Centre for Contemporary Choreography in Roubaix, France and in Monte-Carlo's Salle Garnier as part of the Les Ballet des Monte-Carlo dance season. There will also be performances in 2014 at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow in March and at Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg in April. Scroll down for photos from the performances!

Switch, by Maillot, who is choreographer-director of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, is a pas de trios set to music by the Academy Award-nominated and Grammy Award-winning composer Danny Elfman. Vishneva calls Switch "a story about a woman and her alter ego and her relationship with men." It also features dancers Bernice Coppieters and Gae?tan Morlotti. Coppieters and Morlotti are stars of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo. Coppieters was seen by Center audiences in 2009's Tour de Force and Morlotti danced here in Cinderella when the Center presented Les Ballets in 2012.

Woman in a Room is a solo piece created for Vishneva by Carolyn Carlson, director of National Centre for Contemporary Choreography in Roubaix and of the Atelier de Paris at La Cartoucherie de Vincennes in Paris. Inspired by the films of Andrei Tarkovsky, Woman in a Room is an evocative work that follows one woman's journey in life, filled with joys, bitterness and contemplation. The music featured is by Italian post-minimalist composer and cellist Giovanni Sollima with a finale piece by Rene? Aubry. "I've always thought of Carolyn Carlson as a choreographer who understands a woman's soul and could make a story that would suit me and that we could collaborate on," says Vishneva.

Center President Terrence W. Dwyer said, "It is always a pleasure to welcome Diana Vishneva back to the Center. We are dedicated to producing and presenting the best dance in the world for our audiences. On The Edge is the sort of project that adds depth to our artistic programming. New works such as these and audience engagement experiences such as pre-show lectures and master classes enhance the breadth of our understanding and appreciation for the arts. "

Center Executive Vice President Judy Morr commented, "It is always exciting to watch an artist take both their talent and their art form to new heights. In On The Edge, we will watch Diana Vishneva, one of the greatest dancers in the world, bringing to life two new works created specifically for her by two of the greatest choreographers in the world. This is watching dance history being made by three of the most creative and passionate artists of our time."

Diana Vishneva is well known to Segerstrom Center audiences. In 2008, the Center and Ardani Artists Management produced Diana Vishneva: Beauty in Motion. Three new works were created for her and received their world premieres: Pierrot Lunaire by Alexei Ratmansky, Three Point Turn by Dwight Rhoden (danced with Desmond Richardson) and F.L.O.W. by Moses Pendleton. Beauty in Motion won three of Russia's Golden Mask Awards: Best Choreography, Best Dancer and Critic's Choice.

In 2009, Vishneva returned to dance in the Center's first Tour de Force. With VLADIMIR MALAKHOV, she danced Mauro Bigonzetti's Kazimir's Colours and Anjelin Preljocaj's Le Parc. Vishneva later appeared in the Center's 2011Tour de Force II. Paired with Marcelo Gomes, she performed the American Premiere of Mauro Bigonzetti's Vertigo and John Neumeier's The Lady of the Camellias.

Vishneva was born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). She began to study dance at the age of six, and at eleven years old she entered the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, from which she graduated in 1995. In 1994, Vishneva won her first victory at the International Young Ballet Dancers' Competition in Lausanne where she took both the Gold Medal and the Grand Prix. This feat has never been repeated by any other competitor since that day. In 1995, while still a student at the Academy of Russian Ballet, she became a trainee at the Mariinsky Theatre and performed the title role in Cinderella as well as the roles of Kitri in Don Quixote and Masha in The Nutcracker. Ever since, she has performed lead roles in the international ballet repertoire including works by Petipa and Fokine, Balanchine and Neumeier, Ashton and MacMillan, Alonso and Grigorovich, Be?jart and Petit and Preljocaj and Ratmansky at the world's greatest theatres in addition to Nureyev, Makarova, Malakhov and Bart's versions of classical ballets.

In 1996, Diana Vishneva made her debut at the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia as Kitri and she continues to appear there in lead roles in the ballets Swan Lake, Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty and Lost Illusions.

In 1999, together with the Mariinsky Ballet she gave her first performance at the Metropolitan Opera, while in 2000 she made her debut at the Royal Opera House, London, as Aurora (The Sleeping Beauty).

Vishneva's international career as a guest soloist began in 2001 with her performance together with the Bayerisches Staatsballett in Manon and at the Teatro alla Scala in the ballet The Sleeping Beauty. In 2002, she made her debut at the Berliner Staatsballett (Giselle and La Bayade?re). The same year witnessed her Ope?ra de Paris debut in Don Quixote, where she later went on to give highly acclaimed portrayals of lead roles in the ballets Rubies (from Jewels), Manon and Swan Lake. Since 2005, Vishneva has been a Principal Dancer at American Ballet Theatre (ABT). Her repertoire at ABT includes Giselle, La Bayade?re, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Don Quixote, The Sleeping Beauty, Manon, Sylvia, The Dream and The Lady of the Camellias among other works.

Her work has garnered numerous awards and prizes, among them the title of People's Artist of Russia, the State Prize of Russia, the Divine prize, the Benois de la danse award, a Golden Sofit, the Spirit of Dance prize in the category "Queen of Dance," the prize as best dancer of Europe, four Golden Masks and the Ballerina of the Decade prize.

On Vishneva's initiative, 2010 saw the establishment of the Diana Vishneva Foundation, a cultural and charitable organization that works in Russia, the USA and Japan. The main tasks of the foundation are to increase access to ballet for all social classes, to promote it, establish new dance projects and assist young performers and retired performers.

Bernice Coppieters and Diana Vishnva with Gaetan Morlotti in 'Switch'

Diana Vishneva with Beatrice Coppieters and Gaetan Morlotti in 'Switch'

Diana Vishneva in 'Woman in a Room'

Diana Vishneva in 'Woman in a Room'

Diana Vishneva in 'On The Edge'

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