The great choreographer Leonid Veniaminovich Yacobson was born in St. Petersburg on 15 January (or 2 January per the Julian calendar), to a family that had little to do with the art world. And yet today, he counts among the great titans that reshaped the landscape of 20th century art. 

From the illustrious realm of academic dance, he made a bold leap into modernity, challenging the contemporary preconceptions of what the human body was capable of as a tool of creative expression. 

Our theatre owes much to Leonid Yacobson, from its name to its very existence. Yacobson’s legacy forms the precious core of our repertoire and continues to inspire up-and-coming dance masters.