Draft:Maria Baranova

Maria Baranova (born April 5th, 1992 in Lohja, Finland) is a Finnish Ukrainian ballet dancer. She is currently a prima ballerina at the Bavarian State Opera and Ballet.

Early life
Maria Baranova was born to Ukrainian parents in Finland, and started her dancing career at the age of three. She spent her formative years at the Helsinki Dance Institute. At the same time, she was attending the French school of Helsinki. After completing nine years at the Helsinki Dance Institute, she took part in the prestigious young dancers' competition Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland. Her competition success led to a scholarship offer from John Neumeier, the artistic director at the Hamburg Ballet School.

Career
With Neumeier's guidance and mentorship at the Hamburg Ballet School, Baranova swiftly advanced to the graduating year. She graduated with a leading role in Des Knaben Wunderhorn, choreographed by Neumeier and composed by Gustav Mahler. She worked at the Hamburg Ballet for three years (2009-2011) during which she performed various solo roles and was cast in several Neumeier's creations.

In 2011, Baranova was offered the position of a prima ballerina at the Finnish National Ballet. Baranova performed various solo roles at the Finnish National Ballet, including in e.g. La Bayadère, Coppélia, Don Quijote, Manon, The Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet and The Nutcracker.

In April 2015, Mikko Nissinen, the artistic director of the Boston Ballet invited Baranova to join his team. She worked in the USA until 2019, when she was offered a prima ballerina position at her current employer, the Bavarian State Ballet.

Competitions and awards
Baranova has achieved competition success internationally, with the most notable prize being the Erik Bruhn Prize] in Toronto, Canada with "Giselle" pas de deux from 2nd act and "Chopin Dialogues" created specifically for her by Neumeier. She won the first prize at the International Ballet Competition in Helsinki in 2012.

List of Awards

 * Pro Dance Award, Helsinki, 2014
 * Silver medal in senior female division at the International Ballet Competition in Helsinki, Finland, 2012


 * Winner of the Erik Bruhn Prize in Toronto, Canada, 2011
 * Bronze medal in junior division at the International Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria, 2010
 * Winner of the junior female division at the International Ballet Competition in Helsinki, Finland, 2009
 * Bronze medal at the International Ballet Competition Premio Roma in Rome, Italy, 2008
 * Silver medal at the International Ballet Competition in Grasse, France, 2007
 * Winner of the Scandinavian Ballet Competition in Mora, Sweden, 2007
 * Pro Dance Award, Helsinki, Finland, 2006