Our second teacher for Winter Intensive is Alexei Ilin, an internationally known ballet teacher and ballet master. He has over 20 years of professional dance experience and 17 years of teaching. Alexei received his professional ballet training at the renowned Perm Ballet Academy. Upon graduation in 1985, he joined the Nijzgorod Ballet Theatre, where he performed in many ballets including ‘Swan Lake’, ‘Spartacus’, ‘Stone Flower’. Later on, he extensively toured the world with the Small Mariinskii Ballet Company, performing in ‘Arlekianade’, Roden’s ‘Sculptures’, ‘Pas-de-trois’ Rossini. His degree as a Ballet Teacher, Mr.Ilin received in 2002 at the Vaganova Ballet Academy, St.Petersburg, Russia. While studying at the Academy he was already teaching there all levels, from 2nd to 8th (graduates). In 2005 Alexei worked as a teacher at the ABT, in 2007 – started as a Ballet Master at SABT, Johannesburg. On his return from South Africa in 2010, Mr.Ilin has been invited to join the faculty of Vaganova Ballet Academy, where he is still working at present. His past students have gained employment in major Russian and European companies. For several years now, Alexei is representing the Vaganova Academy in Finland and Japan, during their annual Summer Schools. He is regularly invited to adjudicate at various ballet competitions in Russia, where his opinion is highly valued.