Hermitage Ballet to perform in Columbia February 19
Compiled by Mimi M.Maddock Mimim@sc.rr.com

Marat Shemiunov and Irina Perren, both principal dancers with the Hermitage Ballet,will be part of the Hermitage Ballet's premier tour to the United States. The Hermitage Ballet will offer its Gala Performance, which consists of scenes from 10 of the most famous Russian classical ballets.

Dr. Mike Donnelly grew up in Williamsburg County, graduated from the Citadel in 1966, bought his first house in Cayce, and fell in love with Russia in 1992.

In 1993, Donnelly started M&M Art Travel and has conducted over 175 tours to Russia. Everyone in his company is a graduate of the Russian Academy of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg. Donnelly is the only American to have graduated from the academy.

M&M Art Travel has been designated as the State Hermitage Ballet's North American representatives with exclusive rights to sell tickets to their performances in the historic Winter Palace Theater. On February 19, 2008, the company will bring the Hermitage Theater Stars of St. Petersburg Ballet to Columbia to the Township Auditorium.

The artistic director, Victor Korolkov, is not only an Honored Artist of Russia; he is also the recipient of the title Honored Man of Russian Art conferred upon him by the president of Russia.The members of the Corps de Ballet are all graduates of the world famous Baganova School. They have performed all over Western and Eastern Europe. This is their premier tour of the U.S.

The Hermitage Ballet will offer its famous Gala Performance, which consists of scenes from 10 of the most famous Russian classical ballets. The lead stars will be from the internationally acclaimed Mariinski Theater long known in the U.S. as the Kirov Ballet Company.

The tour covers the major cities in Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

The Hermitage Ballet is offering a local ballet student and a local ballet teacher the opportunity to study and dance in St. Petersburg, Russia on the stage of the Winter Palace. The trip will take place in June, July, or August of 2008 and will consist of intensive master classes for 10 days along with time for exposure to Russia's cultural heritage and some of the finest ballet in the world.

Scholarships will be offered to one student and one teacher. Both the student and the teacher must be 18 years old.

Students who want to compete for a scholarship must have a 15 minute video of them dancing, a recommendation from a schoolteacher, one from a professional person who is familiar with them attesting to their character, and a strong recommendation from their studio or a ballet teacher. They must also write a 500- word essay why they want the scholarship.

Teachers who wish to study in Russia should submit a resume of their experience, a strongly worded letter from a present or past employer at a studio, and a 500- word essay why they want to study in Russia.

Applications should be mailed to Hermitage Ballet, 907 Bradwell Street, Hinesville, GA 31313 by April 1, 2008. A decision will be made by May 1, 2008. For more information, call Dr. Michael Donnelly, 1-877-662-3605 or email info@hermitageballet. com.