Principal Dancer
A principal dancer of the Dutch National Ballet and former prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet, Olga Smirnova is a classicist of crystalline technique and dramatic depth who fled Russia in 2022 to take a principled stand against the invasion of Ukraine.
Defining moments and milestones
A Vaganova-trained classicist who joined the Bolshoi Ballet as a soloist in 2011 and ascended to prima ballerina by 2016, Smirnova commanded the company's most demanding roles—from Swan Lake to Cranko's Onegin—with crystalline technique and dramatic depth. In 2022, she made the principled decision to leave Russia and the Bolshoi in protest of the invasion of Ukraine, joining the Dutch National Ballet as a principal dancer where she continues to perform at the highest level. Her career trajectory—from prodigy to prima ballerina to exile-artist—reflects both exceptional artistry and moral conviction.
Promoted to Prima Ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet in 2016; recipient of the Benois de la Danse award for Best Female Dancer in 2013
Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, Saint Petersburg (graduated 2011)
Recordings featuring Olga Smirnova in the Society index
Additional recordings will appear here as the catalog expands.