Education
Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet.
Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet.
There she followed the full eight-year course, first with Olga Iskanderova and then with Elena Evteyeva. After graduating in 1996, Pavlenko joined the Mariinsky where she became a soloist in 1998 and a principal dancer in 2004. In June 2000, Pavlenko hit the headlines when at short notice she danced the leading role in George Balanchine"s Jewels (ballet) at London"s Covent Garden.
Her performance was all the more remarkable as she had less than a day to rehearse the part.
Later that year, she also played the lead in Diamonds and Emeralds, becoming one of the few ballerinas to master all three roles. In 2001, notable performances included Giselle and the Siren in Balanchine"s The Prodigal Son.
In 2003, as a guest with The Royal Ballet, she partnered Roberto Bolle as Nikiya in Natalia Makarova"s Louisiana Bayadère. In 2006, she danced the title role in the Maki Asami production of Raymonda in Tokyo.