About
Russian dancer from New York Ilia Pankratov specializes in character dance as well as ballet. He has graduated with Master's Degree in Choreography from the Moscow State University of Culture and Arts.
In Russia Mr. Pankratov has worked for various dance companies. In the United States he was dancing with the best companies including RiverDance (Co-Dance Captain for Russian Folk Ballet), Metropolitan Opera and others. Ilia Pankratov is a master of every difficult and highly acrobatic jump and turn of Russian, Ukrainian and Cossack folk dancing. Traditional dance move that is usually called "KAZATSKY" where the dancer squats down, crosses his arms across his chest and Kicks his legs out is perfected by Ilia. It looks so natural that one can think that Ilia is walking that way into the grocery store in his neighborhood in New York City. Ilia started to perform with Russian folk dance and music ensemble Barynya in 2005. For the first time he performed with Barynya at the private party for Russian Tennis star Maria sharapova B-day in New York City.