Association - Friends of Genia Polyakov

Genia Polyakov has been with us for a long time, generously dispensing his physical and intellectual energies in transmitting dance. He taught us the art of dance through extreme rigor — facing the technical difficulties with intelligence, seeking a pure and precise movement without frills — but also through joy and frivolity, abandoning stereotypes with a mad lightness. Through him we all managed to express the best of ourselves, experimenting a lot and finding our personal way of dancing.

For us he was, and will forever be, the Master.

It is from this feeling of esteem and gratitude that the “Evgenij Polyakov” Association takes form. The idea is to keep alive the memory of a man and artist, continuing to add value to his precious work as a dancer, teacher and choreographer within the dance world. We are actually trying to research and preserve the existing material (photos, writings, audio and video), collecting facts and to realise/diffuse/promote initiatives… all this in order to continue what was his human and artistic itinerary.

If this is possible, we owe it to Vladimir Kara, a French-Russian painter and set designer and our Honorary President, deeply attached to our Maestro: from the beginning, he encouraged us in this adventure, following us in all our projects.

Our wish is to share this project with anyone who had the luck of meeting Genia, appreciating his huge value. Anyone who recognises in himself the “sign” can help ensure that the precious heritage of the Master Polyakov is maintained over time, and can be passed on.

Members List

The President

Enrica Pontesilli

Enrica Pontesilli was born on May 18, 1960. She attended the “Benedetto da Norcia” High School – specializing in classical studies, together with the study of dance. In 1980, she graduated from the Accademia Nazionale di Danza in Rome; the year after, she won the prize “Nati per la Danza”, organized by RAI 3. In the meantime, she was already part of the corps de ballet of the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence, directed by Genia Polyakov, where she immediately danced soloist and Prima Ballerina roles in various classic and contemporary ballets.

Her career as a dancer continued in Italy at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, and abroad at the Israel Ballet in Tel Aviv, the Ballet du Louvre in Paris, the London Festival Ballet, and in the company “Nureyev and Friends” in Paris and touring internationally.

She moved back to Florence in 1990 as a soloist ballerina in MaggioDanza – directed again by Genia Polyakov, whom she was fortunate to work with for many years and whose precious teaching she is still trying to keep alive. Enrica has worked with internationally famous teachers and choreographers, such as: Rudolf Nureyev, Peter Schaufuss, Lynn Seymour, Betty Anderton, Vladimir Derevianko, Eric Vu-An, Elisabetta Terabust, John Neumeier, Micha Van Hoecke, Lucinda Childs, and many others.

Currently, she is collaborating as a teacher/choreographer with various schools of dance in Tuscany – specializing, above all, in Pointe Technique and Classical Repertoire.

She was maître de ballet in MaggioDanza under the direction of Vladimir Derevianko and Francesco Ventriglia; guest teacher at the Henny Jurriens Foundation in Amsterdam, and at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma; and is often invited in Competitions, Workshops and Campuses.

Vice President

Nicoletta Benuzzi

Nata a Milano, frequenta la Scuola di Ballo del Teatro alla Scala, dove si diploma nel 1972. Partecipa ad alcune produzioni del Corpo di Ballo del Teatro alla Scala, poi entra a far parte della Compagnia di Danza di Carla Fracci e con essa partecipa a numerosi spettacoli in tournée in diversi Teatri italiani.

Nel frattempo studia all’università di Bologna, DAMS, dove si laurea con una tesi incentrata sulla figura di Maurice Béjart. Dal 1975 è a Firenze nel Corpo di Ballo del Teatro Comunale (poi diventato MaggioDanza) dove acquistata la stabilità, svolge ruoli anche solistici in numerose produzioni.

Successivamente e soprattutto sotto la direzione del M° Polyakov e della sua lungimirante visione artistica, ha modo di lavorare con insegnanti, coreografi e grandi artisti fra i più importanti della scena artistica nazionale e internazionale.

Ha insegnato danza classica a Firenze nella scuola Danza Arte e Movimento diretta da Lilia Bertelli, ed è stata coordinatrice nel Corso di Alta Formazione di Danza “Mimesis MaggioArte” sotto la direzione di Elisabetta Terabust.

For us he was, and will forever be, the Master.

Members List