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Andris LiepaBallet actor
Date of Birth: 06.01.1962
Country:  Latvia |
Content:
Biography of Andris Liepa
Andris Liepa, a ballet dancer, always knew from childhood that he wanted to pursue ballet, which he dedicated his whole life to. He became famous not only as a talented artist but also as a born director, ballet master, and producer, who brought many spectacular productions to the audience. Throughout his creative journey, the celebrity adheres to the principle he learned from an early age: it is worth proving one's own correctness only through work.
Childhood and Youth
Andris Liepa was born on January 6, 1962, in Moscow. His father, Maris Liepa, was a famous ballet dancer, and his mother was a talented actress. Soon after Andris' birth, the family was joined by his younger sister, Ilze Liepa. The parents lacked time to raise two children, so they decided to send their son to his paternal grandparents, and thus the early years of the celebrity's biography passed in Riga. It is not surprising that at the age of 3, the boy knew Latvian but spoke very little Russian. When it was time to return to Moscow, Andris had to relearn the language.
Even as a child, Liepa thought about a career in ballet, observing his father's dancing. His concerts were always a special event. On such days, no one was allowed to disturb the man until the evening, and then the children would gather and go watch the performance. The parents did not rush the boy with choosing a profession; at that time, they tried to develop the talents of their children comprehensively. Both brother and sister attended classes in choreography, rhythmic gymnastics, figure skating, and music. In addition, Liepa showed artistic abilities, and his mother dreamed that he would become a great artist, but it didn't work out.
Sports played a special role in Andris' life. Every evening, he and Ilze ran and swam in the pool, having fun competitions with their father. Therefore, when it was time to go to ballet school, the boy stood out from his peers with his hard work and endurance, being able to practice in the hall for hours. In 1980, the young man graduated from the Moscow Academic Choreographic College, where he studied under the guidance of Alexander Prokofiev. During this period, the parents finalized their divorce, and his father had a new family, but he continued to maintain contact with his children and give them advice.
Ballet and Films
In his youth, Liepa was an artist of the Bolshoi Theater, where he worked for 8 years. He had the opportunity to perform on the same stage as bright dancers like Ekaterina Maximova and Nina Ananiashvili and perform roles from classical theater productions.
Andris increasingly realized that there were few opportunities for him in Russia and dreamed of breaking free abroad. He was the first artist to receive permission from the authorities to leave and work in a foreign troupe. For the young man, it was a time of fruitful work; he was a member of the American Ballet Theatre and participated in the productions of Mikhail Baryshnikov. The dancer traveled a lot, performing on stages in different countries. On stage, Liepa always considered artistry, the gift of dance, and the control of his body as his main strengths, rather than physical parameters. His own height did not reach 180 cm, but it was not important to the dancer.
His career was threatened when he tore his cruciate ligament. Despite this, he continued to perform for another 5 years, trying not to burden his injured leg. During this period, Liepa turned to faith more and more. The artist embraced Orthodoxy, built a house in Diveevo, and donated one of the icons he had collected to the local cathedral, following in his father's footsteps.
After saying goodbye to dancing, Andris dedicated himself to directing. He collaborated with the Kremlin Ballet and the Latvian National Opera, and also created the project "Russian Seasons" aimed at reconstructing the performances of recognized ballet masters. Thanks to him, the productions of Mikhail Fokine's "Petrushka," "Scheherazade," and "The Firebird" were revived, which were recorded and later filmed under the general title "The Return of the Firebird."
In addition to ballet, the man tried his hand at the film industry. He played the lead role in the film "Short Breath of Love," alongside Clara Belova and Daniel Olbrychski.
A documentary film "It's Hard to Be a Prince" was dedicated to the dancer's biography, released in 2012. Additionally, he is mentioned in his sister Ilze's book "My Ballet."
Another achievement of the celebrity was the project "Autographs and Images," dedicated to the memory of ballet artists. He held evenings dedicated to Rudolf Nureyev, Vaslav Nijinsky, and Maya Plisetskaya.
In November 2020, under Liepa's leadership, the concert "Galina Ulanova. Distant Close Star" took place. Shortly before the premiere, Andris Marisovich took up the duties of ballet master and artistic director of the Alisher Navoi State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Uzbekistan. His merit was the staging of the ballet "Scheherazade," with which the troupe toured in 2021.
Personal Life
The celebrity had several women in his life, which confirms his heterosexual orientation. The first wife of the artist was ballerina Lyudmila Semenyaka, who was almost 10 years older than him. Their married life lasted only a year, but even after the divorce, the former spouses maintained a warm relationship. The dancer entered into a second marriage with a woman whose name is not disclosed, but they soon separated.
His third attempt to establish a personal life was also with a ballerina - Ekaterina Katkovskaya. The couple got married in 1995, and three years later, they decided to get married. The woman gave birth to their daughter, Ksenia Liepa, but even the presence of a child did not save the artists from divorce. The details of their romance and separation were shared by the man on Boris Korchnevnikov's program "The Fate of a Man."
News and photos of the idol are published on the website of Andris Liepa Production and on social networks.
Andris Liepa Now
Currently, the artist continues to create, delighting fans with new ideas. He is proud of his work in Tashkent with the dancers of the Alisher Navoi State Academic Bolshoi Theater. The year 2022 was a jubilee for Liepa - the ballet master turned 60. A concert was held in the Kremlin Palace in honor of the celebration. All the numbers were somehow related to the jubilarian's life, and he also acted as the host.
His sister, Ilze Liepa, became a guest of the evening, presenting her brother with a gift in the form of a number performed by the students of the Russian National Ballet School.
