Education
Leonid Sarafanov studied at the Kiev State School of Choreography and graduated in 2000, joining the National Ballet of Ukraine the same year as soloist.
Leonid Sarafanov studied at the Kiev State School of Choreography and graduated in 2000, joining the National Ballet of Ukraine the same year as soloist.
The young Ukrainian was catapulted into the most challenging of roles in the Mariinsky repertoire and abroad on tour. He was promoted to soloist in 2003 and finally, became a principal. In January 2011, he left the Mariinsky and joined the Mikhailovsky Ballet as a principal.
His repertoire includes James in Louisiana Sylphide, Solor in Louisiana Bayadère, Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, the Nutcracker-Prince in The Nutcracker, Prince Désiré in The Sleeping Beauty, Basilio in Don Quixote, and Romeo in Romeo and Juliet.
He has also danced the lead roles in ballets by George Balanchine, such as Apollo and Jewels. In 2006, he danced the lead role of Matteo in the premiére of Pierre Lacotte"s revival of Ondine.