The Russian Collection: About us

Under the artistic direction of Natalia Borisova, The Russian Collection has been performing arts-in-education presentations throughout the United States for over eight years through private sponsorship, the California Arts Council’s Touring Artist roster and with the Young Audiences of America. The Russian Collection has been in existence since 1945 and has performed in Europe, Asia, North and South America. Thousands of elementary, junior high and high school students have been entertained and inspired by the exciting virtuosity of The Russian Collection and their diverse and dynamic programming. Boasting former directors and soloists from prestigious national ensembles such as Moiseyev, Georgian State Dance Ensemble, State Academic Ensemble of Belarus, Romen Gypsy Theater of Moscow, Dan Cossacks and others, the company presents an authentic contemporary expression of traditional styling, mingled with folklore, fairytale and historical embroidering. The program is designed with geography, history and language arts to become a genuine treat for those interested in understanding Russia’s rich cultural heritage through superb music, dance and theatrical presentation.

Natalia Borisova is the director of Ballet Russe of San Francisco, and the Russian Collection and is internationally recognized as a teacher, choreographer and director of Russian character dance and classical ballet. Of Russian heritage, Ms. Borisova trained with the original members of the legendary Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and with the Don Cossack troupe. Ms. Borisova immigrated as a refugee to the US where she taught character dance according to the syllabus of the Russian Choreographic Academy with the San Francisco Ballet School and University of San Francisco, and conducted the first USSR Seminar in Dance for Kirov, Bolshoi and Moiseyev dance companies. She was choreographer and co-producer for The Party, a Samuel Goldwyn Studios film, consultant to production of Massine on Massine with California State University, assistant to Maestro Massine for revival of Snow Maiden for Oakland Ballet and producer of The Russian Collection concerts since 1989. In addition to performing in national tours with Young Audiences of America and national leading arts presenters, Ms. Borisova is a Russian language interpreter (her brother served as President Clinton's Russian translator) and a traditional costume designer, owning the largest collection of authentic Russian folk costumes in North America.

Vladimir Riazantsev is an Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, the most prestigious award conferred on artists in Russia. He trained in traditional music at Lipitzk College and danced with the prestigious Moiseyev Dance Company, touring as a soloist with them until immigrating to the US in 1991. Vladimir choreographed for the Russian ensemble Evoushka in Tambov and is celebrated for his authenticity and creative innovations in staging Russian character dance productions around the world. He served as Artistic Director for the Neva Russian Dance Ensemble, and recently completed a six-year run of his choreography with the Yakov Smirnov Show featuring 18 dancers from Russia in an award-winning production of traditional music and dance. Vladimir is an expert bayan (accordion) instrumentalist and combines playing bayan while performing Russian dance pyrotechnics. Known for his exceptional comedic work in dance theater, he is world renown for the Siberian Nanaika “wrestling dance” and the Uzbeki platter dance, and was commissioned for a command performance for the King of Morocco.