About Brighton Ballet Theater/ School of Russian American Ballet (BBT)

Brighton Ballet Theater was created to preserve and further the tradition of Russian classical and folk dance in New York City.

BBT is a non-profit dance school dedicated to providing the highest quality dance education for girls and boys ages 2-19, as well as adults. Through our dance program, more than 500 students annually learn classical ballet (Vaganova technique) among many other dance disciplines. Our instructors have graduated from the world's finest ballet schools & colleges and have performed with the most prestigious ballet companies throughout the world.

Through the discipline and dedication dance requires, BBT molds and develops healthy, passionate, responsible, and well-rounded individuals who have the potential to succeed in any field.

BBT serves as a cultural oasis, keeping children off the street and bringing them into a world where imagination takes flight and all cultures flourish together. BBT draws on the rich traditions of Russian classical ballet. We offer our students a rare opportunity to perform professional, full-scale ballets for family audiences throughout New York City. While performing with the most esteemed dance professionals at the best stages, "Theater of the Young Audience" program gives our students a sense of purpose and the excitement of sharing their art and mastery with their peers. In 2005 the program has received “Neighborhood Achievement Award” by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2005 in New York City.

BBT Founder and Executive Director

In 1987, Irina’s childhood dream became a reality and she founded a school of Russian ballet for the local community in Brighton Beach. Since that time, BBT has expanded its range of dance class offerings. By emphasizing original choreography and attracting a world-class teaching faculty, Irina has transformed BBT into a center of excellence in dance and one of the preeminent Russian cultural institutions in New York City.

For her devotion to the local community, Irina has been recognized by a number of prominent New York City politicians, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz.

BBT Lead Choreographer

Edouard Kouchnarev is the Lead Choreographer at the Brighton Ballet Theater (BBT). For over 20 years, he has been working with BBT and its success climbed to a new level once Edouard came on board as a visionary choreographer in 1995. With his direction and creative energy, BBT has realized its dream of being a presenter of groundbreaking new choreography of emerging dance in the United States. Mr. Kouchnarev combines modern dance, character dance together with classical ballet techniques to create a euphoric dance onstage and specializes on choreography for children and teens. Mr. Kouchnarev is a graduate of the Kiev State School of Choreography in Kiev, Ukraine, one of the most prestigious choreography schools in the world and is a former soloist of the Kiev State Classical Ballet Company.

IRINA LAPTEVA

Born in Siberia, Russia, Irina Lapteva has been enrolled in classic ballet school since early age, and was professionally trained by the Vaganova ballet method at Yakut Choreographic College.

As a young dancer she toured with the State Theater of Opera and Ballet on many stages in Russian Federation and abroad which allowed her to get valuable performing experience. After several years of being a professional dancer, she moved to Moscow to pursue a Master Degree and became an instructor, specialized in classical ballet, modern dance and jazz. Moscow’s complex cultural scene exposed her to a whole set of new influences.

In 2010 Ms. Lapteva moved to New York, where she became a principal dancer and instructor with Brighton Ballet Theater. Her experience and training education from Russia enabled her to become a top professional ballerina and instructor in the US.

Currently Ms. Lapteva is a professional ballet dancer, choreographer, instructor with Brighton Ballet Theater (BBT) for 5 years now. She is a faculty of children's division at BBT/the School of Russian Ballet teaching Ballet, Pre-Ballet, Rhythmic Dance and Ballet Pilates classes.

In the last three years she has also worked extensively with New York City Public Schools, as a teaching artist, where she distinguished herself as an outstanding professional and organizer.

She works with children and young students of all ages, with focus on development of body movement, flexibility, grace of lines and artistic presence, which are fundamental for the core personality of a ballet dancer.

ANA LEJAVA

Ana Lejava, born in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia, started her training at Tbilisi V.Chabukiani State Ballet Art School under the Artistic Director, Nina Ananiashvilli. While in the school, she worked with the Georgia’s State University professor Natasha Digmelashvili on the classical repertoire and performed several roles with the Georgian National Ballet Theater.

In 2005, after receiving the full artistic and academic scholarship Ana continued her training at the Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington DC, where she trained with Lyudmila Markovina and Anatoli Kucheruk. While in Kirov, she had opportunity to perform various ballets, and work with ballet masters such as former artistic director of Marinski Theater Oleg Vinogradov, and artistic director of Kirov Academy Marat Daukayev. In 2007 Ana was elected to participate in Kennedy Center Master Class Program and had opportunity to experience different techniques taught by the international dance companies and artists such as: Joffrey Baller, ABT, Bolshoi Ballet, Suzanne Farrell, Darci Kistler, Paul Taylor Dance Company and etc.

In 2009 after graduating from Kirov Academy, she started dancing with Atlantic City Ballet and spent a season with the company under the Artistic Director Phyllis Papa. There she performed roles in the classical and contemporary ballets such as, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker, Dracula, Mountain Legend, Les Patineurs and etc. After finishing the season with Acbt, Ana received full artistic and academic scholarship from the Birmingham-Southern College and was invited to join the Birmingham-Southern College Dance Company.

During her four years of studies at the university, Ana was a guest performer at the Alabama Youth Ballet Company, and the faculty member of the The Stevan Grebel Center for Dance. With the guidance and mentorship of the world renowned ballet master Stevan Grebel, Ana taught ballet, variations, and contemporary dance classes to the students of all ages, as well as give master classes to the students of V.Chabukiani State Ballet Art School, in her home town Tbilisi, Georgia.

In 2014 Ana graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Birmingham-Southern College with the Bachelor of Art’s degree in Dance (Dance performance, education and choreography) and Bachelor of Art’s degree in Political Science (With the focus on International Relations). Ana joined Brighton Ballet Theater, School of Russian American Ballet in 2014.

BBT PROGRAMS

BBT has a Pre-Professional program for teens and pre-teens with Advanced Division classes for middle school and high-school age dancers. Open Division for Children and Adults and a Boy’s Dance and Fitness Program are available for children ages eight and up. Brighton Ballet Theater performs on professional stages throughout the metro New York City area and has many partnerships with schools, senior centers, community organizations for residencies, workshops, performances and classes.Additionally, we offer an inclusive environment for special needs students in our Open Division Program. BBT offers a new special program for children on the autism spectrum and/or those who have other special needs.

BBT STUDENTS

BBT students, parents, teachers and others are a diverse group of youth and immigrants that regularly perform at community, school, charity and non-profit events. We have performed at countless events including the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), David Koch Performing Arts Theater at Lincoln Center, Leon Goldstein Performing Arts Center, Queensborough PAC, Brooklyn Children's Museum for a Gala Benefit, Spence Chapin for adopted youth and elsewhere. Many of our talented dancers perform at and for schools including Title 1 schools serving low-income minority populations, senior citizen centers and homeless and low-income youth. As part of our Advanced Division Program, youth are required to participate in internship experiences, including teaching young children in our dance program (Open Division) and Pre-Ballet programs. Many of our youth are committed to volunteerism and giving back to the community through these and other programs and experiences. Promoting these positive values are key to BBT's Advanced Division Program. In fact, BBT students routinely do other volunteer work from working with senior citizens to hospitals, schools, community organizations and more. Through these experiences helping those in need, BBT students learn more about making the world a better place.

In addition, BBT students regularly participate in various international dance competitions and are recipients of gold medals. In 2013-2014, some of our students were selected as finalists of the Youth American Grand Prix (YAGP), the most prestigious worldwide dance competition.