By Steve Sucato

With her enviable ballet facility, polished technique, and star quality stage presence, Cleveland Ballet Prima Ballerina Svetlana Svinko ranks as one of the Eastern Midwest’s finest dancers.

A standout since joining the company in 2023, Svinko has danced many of the female lead roles in the company’s productions in the past several years, including Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. 

Born in Krasnoyarsk in Siberia, Russia, Svinko began dance classes at age four at a local studio, studying ballet and folk, rhythmic, and character dances. She began her professional dance training at age eleven at Krasnoyarsk State Choreographic College. In the eight years she was there, she studied ballet, partnering, modern, and historical dance.

Before joining Cleveland Ballet in 2023, Svinko danced professionally in Russia with the Novosibirsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater and the Leonid Yacobson Ballet Theatre in St. Petersburg. 

Sivnko, now 34, also has a Bachelor of Education degree in Ballet Pedagogy from the Academy of Russian Ballet.

Were your parents or any siblings involved in the arts? 
My parents were not. My mother is a doctor, and my father is a retired factory worker. My younger sister (Elena Svinko) dances. She is a first soloist with the Mariinsky Theatre’s ballet company.

Why ballet?
My mother put me in dance classes when I was young, and I liked everything about ballet. I could be at the ballet barre for hours. I tried ballroom dancing a bit and found it to be boring.

You took part in several ballet competitions while at Krasnoyarsk State Choreographic College. How did you do?
I earned a silver medal in the Galina Ulanova Competition and a bronze medal at the Moscow International Ballet Competition.

How did you end up coming to Cleveland Ballet?
I wanted a change in my life. I like learning new languages and experiencing other cultures. My husband wanted to come to the United States. I auditioned for several ballet companies here and chose Cleveland Ballet.

What did you like about the company?
I liked that it is a smaller company, and I like the people. Sometimes it’s hard to feel comfortable in a new place and learn a new language, but everyone here has been very helpful.

What were some of your favorite ballet roles you performed before coming to Cleveland Ballet?
Nikiya in La Bayadère and Odette/Odile in my favorite ballet, Swan Lake. 

Do you have any hobbies or things you like to do outside of dance?
I like watching movies and going to the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

What do you want to do after your performance career?
I would like to work in a professional company as a ballet mistress and help develop dancers’ artistry.