Born in Ukraine, Irina is an acclaimed performing artist of folk, ballet and
character dance. After training in Lvov, Ukraine, Irina studied folk and
character dance under Mikhail Krichevets, People's Artist of the USSR. She also
studied with Mr. M. Vantukh, the current artistic director at National Ukrainian
Dance company "Virsky." After immigrating to the United States in her late teen
years, Irina later trained with Mesdemoiselles Galina and Rona Ryback, both
esteemed former teachers and choreographers at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow.
Irina performed and traveled in the former Soviet Union and
in many countries of eastern Europe including Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and East Germany.
Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, countless talented ballet and folk
dancers from Russia, Ukraine and Georgia started coming to the United States
looking for dance opportunities so they could pursue their professional and
artistic dreams. They found their home under the roof of Brighton Ballet
Theater thanks to Irina's vision of giving dancers a chance to pursue the American dream.
With the financial backing of family members, Irina started the company in 1991.
