Jewogle - Valery Panov

Biography:

Valery Panov (Валерий Панов [Шульман] - 12 March 1938 in Vitebsk, Belarus, then USSR) is a Russian-Jewish former ballet dancer and choreographer is today. Since the 1970s, he has been an Israeli citizen. Panovs original name was Schulmann. His Jewish origins may also aggravated his career in the Soviet Union.

He studied at the Academy of Agrippina Waganowa in St. Petersburg (now Russian Ballet Academy). After a first Engagemant the Leningrad Maly Theatre of the Opera 1960, he became a soloist at the Kirov Theater (now Mariinsky Theatre), where he embodied some 60 roles, and one of the principal dancers for the development of Russian ballet of his time.

As he often met with foreigners, the KGB to him attentively. Participation in foreign tourneen were becoming increasingly rare and ultimately approved prohibited entirely.

He had his first wife, a son. Along with his second wife, the ballerina Galina Panova, a non-Jew, he then, after two failed escape attempt in March 1972 departure, a request to Israel. He and his wife were then exposed to severe psychological pressure. The Leningrad Kirov Ballet, he was fired. The attention, which he enjoyed in the western world, however, could prevent him and his wife in a labour camp were deported.

Valery Panov 1974 finally managed to leave after Israel. Für eine Fortsetzung seiner Tanzkarriere aber war er nun zu alt. For a continuation of his dance career, but he was now too old.

He began a career as a choreographer, among other things, with numerous productions in Germany, at the Deutsche Opera Berlin, but also in other European cities of the classical ballets such as Vienna, Stockholm or Antwerp.

From 1992 to 1997, Panov Ballet director of the Opera Ballet of the City of Bonn. In 1993 he founded in Aschdod, Israel Art Centre, a Baletttruppe affiliated with Ballet Academy. Valery Panov is an honorary citizen of New York City and San Francisco.

Lliterature:

Valery Panov, George Feifer: Valery Panov. Valery Panov, George Feifer: Valery Panov. Ballet, my life, Stuttgart (Belser) 1985, ISBN 376309038X