Artistic Director
Dusanka Gradiski Ivanova, PhD
Dr. Dusanka Gradiski Ivanova is an artistic director, professor, ballet pedagogue, ballet mistress, and choreographer within 38 years of professional experience.
Dusanka received her ballet education under prof. Gurgica Jovanovska in Skopje, Macedonia, graduating with straight A's from Music & Ballet State High School. She became a full-time employee of Macedonian Opera and Ballet. As a talented young ballerina, she got a scholarship from Yugoslavian Ministry of Culture in Belgrade and continued her studies in the world famous Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia under tutelage of prof. Elvira Kokorina & Andrey Bossov.
She graduated at the Academy of Music, Ballet & Fine Arts in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, under prof. Irina Trofimova (Russia), prof. Peter Loukanov & prof. Lili Draguleva (Bulgaria), specializing in Vaganova method of teaching classical ballet, where she took her bachelor, and both master’s degrees: the one in ballet pedagogy and another in choreography & directing with the highest praise.
In February 2021 she successfully completed her doctor’s degree, defending on a dissertation theme "The Role of the Russian School in the creation of ballet in America in the 20th Century. Comparative analysis between American and Russian Ballet Schools" in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, earning a degree of a Doctor of Arts in Dance, doctoral program “Choreography”.
Dusanka's dancing repertoire includes principal and solo roles in The Nutcracker, La Fille mal Gardee, Ellan, Giselle, Swan Lake, Ilo Tempora, Cadet's Dance, The Fountain of Bakhchisaray, Don Quixote, and Ad Absurdum, as well as guest performances in Serbia, China, Croatia, Germany, France, Switzerland, Netherland. As a student of Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia she had the privilege to dance on the stage of the famous Marinsky Theater as a soloist of Arabian Dance in the school production of Nutcracker, under tutelage of prof. Irina Gensler. As ballet mistress for Macedonian Opera and Ballet, she choreographed for operas such as: The West Side Story, Pagliacci, La Forza del Destino, Rigoletto, Cavalleria Rusticana, Aida and Turandot. At the Music & Ballet State School in Macedonia, Dusanka has held positions of professor, choreographer, artistic director, ballet pedagogue, rehearsal specialist, and head of department. There she choreographed Dance of the Flowers by Tchaikovsky, Adagio by Albinoni, The Sounds of Love by Kenny G., Childish Tempers by E. Grieg, Tiny Fox by P. Atanasovski, Miniatures from The King Gilgamesh by Vangelis, Synthesis by Enigma, Impressions by A. Ponkieli, Dance by M. Oldfield. Her full-length ballets include For the Unknown, Last Game, and Golden Feather, performed by Macedonian Ballet.
In 2007, Dusanka moved to the USA, where she continued her career as a ballet professor and choreographer. She has choreographed and staged Vivaldi's Four Seasons, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs, Dr. Doolittle, Coppelia, La Fille mal Gardee, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Raymonda, La Bayadere, Peter Pan, Les Sylphides, and Clara’s Christmas Dream. Her choreography was featured in the Florida Lyrica Opera's production of Amahl and the Night Visitors, and with New Century Opera's production of Carmen, Iphigenia in Aulis, Macbeth, and Rienzi.
Dusanka's professional experience includes teaching positions at Rehearsal Studios, Off-Broadway, New York City; Dance World Academy, Randolf, New Jersey; Adjunct professor at SP College, St. Petersburg, Florida; Dance director at Thurgood Marshall Fundamental Middle School; Artistic director at Florida Dance Center; Artistic director at Florida West Ballet. Dusanka serves as a guest professor at University of South Florida - School of Theater & Dance; America's Ballet School in Tampa; Tampa City Ballet, and School of Russian Ballet in Sarasota, Florida.
She is very proud of her students who are professional dancers in Serbia, Macedonia, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, and the United States.
Dusanka does scientific research in ballet art and has published seven publications in International Scientific Conferences in the USA and Europe.
In New York City, on January 13, 2024, on the 12th Tesla Spirit Conference & Award Ceremony, Dr. D was awarded with the Tesla Spirit Award Medal and a Gratitude, by Tesla Science Foundation in the USA, the very first kind of award given in ballet pedagogy & choreography.
Ballet Academy of St. Petersburg is pleased to have Dr. D as their certified Vaganova method professor and artistic director in leading her students to their greatest potential!