...The one bright spot was the suave, cheerful performing of Andrei Kisselev, a former member of the Moiseyev State Ensemble and a "Riverdance" veteran....
The New York Times
From Moscow, Russia, Andrei Kisselev began his career at an early age
receiving intensive training in Vaganova Ballet Method.
In 1992, he received a diploma from the Russian Conservatory of Culture
and Art after four years of study as a ballet master and choreographer.
In the same year of graduation , Andrei joined the world renowned Moiseyev Dance Company. After one year he became a principal dancer.
In 1995 Andrei was discovered by the producers of Riverdance and for the next four years he performed with this international hit show in North America and Europe culminating in a two-year successful Broadway production. Throughout this time , Andrei was also ballet master, bringing new innovations in style to the stage and playing a pivotal role as a Riverdance choreographer.
Settling in New York in 2001, Andrei performed as a principal dancer with, The Russian music, dance and song ensemble Barynya, Connecticut Ballet, Kentucky Ballet, New Jersey Ballet, and Rebecca Kelly Ballet.
For four years he was Artistic Director of Bolshoi Ballet Academy Summer Intensive Program in USA.
Currently Artistic Director of “Art of the Dance World” Public School Educational Program, which brings education in dance to public schools in the New York area.
For the last 8 years he is a Professor of Ballet at Manhattanville College. He received a rave review in the New York Times for performance with Rebecca Kelly Ballet
Andrei Kisselev and Yana Volkova were a part of Aleko production in 2016 at the New York City Opera. Andrei and Yana choreographed and performed Gypsy dance that was one of the highlights of the production and received many positive reviews in the media including New York Times.
....
Though the City Opera has used scenery borrowed from elsewhere, this new production is self-originated. John Farrell's design serves both works in a set dominated by a railroad box car that resembled a make-shift residence for the Aleko Gypsies and unfolded into a commedia dell'arte stage for the Pagliacci theater troupe. The chorus and orchestra in Aleko were reasonably good under conductor James Meena. Scene-setting dance interludes — choreographed in authoritative quasi-folk Moiseyev Dance Company style by Andrei Kisselev — were perhaps the best part. But while the singers could all do the job, especially Jason Karn and Kevin Thompson as Gypsies, one crucial scene after another with the leading characters failed to generate any heat or theatrical conviction. Stefan Szkafarowsky as the aging murderer Aleko, and Inna Dukach as his younger faithless wife Zemfira, often seemed a bit lost while executing the necessary physical aspects of their roles
...
Read full "NYC Opera's Double Bill: Stick Around After Intermission" article by David Patrick Stearns at the New York Public Radio website.
Signs of Rebirth at New York City Opera
The New York Times review by ANTHONY TOMMASINI
....
“Aleko” was Rachmaninoff’s graduation piece for the Moscow Conservatory. Assigned the stilted libretto by his composition teacher, he wrote the 60-minute score in three weeks, including the orchestration. (He had just turned 19.) Besides earning the highest possible grade, Rachmaninoff got his first publication and announced himself a great hope of Russian music.
...
Read full "Signs of Rebirth at New York City Opera" article by ANTHONY TOMMASINI at the THE NEW YORK TIMES website.
In “Aleko” and “Pagliacci,” New York City Opera finds its stride
New York Classical review by Bruce Hodges
....
The opera has a substantial dance sequence, choreographed by Andrei Kisselev for himself and Yana Volkova, who intertwined beautifully with each other (and eventually, some of the chorus). The duo’s handsome costumes were the most explicitly exciting work of designer Ildiko Debreczeni, who dreamed up different-but-somehow-related costumes for each opera.
...
Read full "In “Aleko” and “Pagliacci,” New York City Opera finds its stride" article by Bruce Hodges at the New York Classical review website.
NYCO Takes a Stab at Some Violent Operas … And Misses
The New York Observer review by James Jorden
....
The only bright spots were Kevin Thompson’s sonorous Old Gypsy and a flashy turn by Andrei Kisselev as a flamboyant gypsy dancer whose next stop on his journey was surely a bus and truck tour of Chorus Line.
...
Read full "NYCO Takes a Stab at Some Violent Operas … And Misses" article by James Jorden • 09/09/16 at the The New York Observer website.
Aleko/Pagliacci, New York City Opera, New York — review
A curious double bill from the nomadic opera company
The Financial Times review by Martin Bernheimer
....
Aleko turned out to be a rather tawdry exercise in folksy-theatrical cliche, written in 1892 while the ambitious composer was still a student. It lumbers, ponderously and thunderously, for a formulaic hour, pausing amid its predictable portrayal of love, hate and death for an annoyingly irrelevant, old-fashioned, arty-smarty pas de deux a la Russe. Andrei Kisselev and Yana Volkova, grinning visitors from another expressive planet, made the least of it on this irrationally pretentious occasion.
...
Read full "Aleko/Pagliacci, New York City Opera, New York" article by Martin Bernheimer at the The Financial Times website.
Cuts Like A Knife
Parterre Box review by John Yohalem
....
"The dancers, Andrei Kisselev and Yana Volkova, gave the occasion its liveliest and most authentic-seeming moments, and they had the most atmospheric music, too. The City Opera Chorus also danced as well as sang"
...
Read full "Cuts Like A Knife" article by John Yohalem at the Parterre Box website.
New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark, NJ
Male Cossack dancers of ensemble Barynya provided four top energy Cossack dance performances with amazing tricks, high jumps, knee-bending Kozatsky moves during SABOTAGE SHOW at NJPAC on April 2nd and April 3rd, 2018. NJPAC or New Jersey Performing Arts Center is one of the largest performing art centers in the United States. Exact address: 1 Center St, Newark, NJ 07102. Cast of dancers included best New York based Cossack dancers: Andrei Kisselev, Aliaksandr Anatska, Danila Sherstobitov, Konstantin Tulinov, and Vladimir Nikitin.
Performance during festival of international dance and music at the Public School # 186 (Castlewood School), 252-12 72 Ave, Queens, NY 11426. Dancers Andrei Kisselev, Yana Volkova. Musicians Elina Karokhina (balalaika), Mikhail Smirnov (guitar).
Nanai Wrestling Dance P.S. 186 Castlewood School, Queens, New York, Nanai Wrestling Dance
Russian festival, New Russia Cultural Center, Rensselaer, NY
Ensemble Barynya (from left to right) Andrei Kisselev, Elina Karokhina, Yana Volkova, Alisa Egorova, Aleena Kisselev, Mikhail Smirnov, New Russia Cultural Center, Rensselaer, New York click image above to see more photos from New Russia Cultural Center in Rensselaer, New York
Ensemble Barynya performance in Stratford, Connecticut
Cossack dance performance during basketball game NJ NETS vs Utah JAZZ at the Prudential Center arena in Newark, New Jersey, USA.
...This was an evening of Russian culture at the Prudential Arena in Newark, New Jersey (USA)...
Dancers Alexey Maltsev,
Petr Tikhonov,
Vitaly Verterich,
Ilia Pankratov,
Danila Sherstobitov, Andrei Kisselev, Andrij Cybyk, Boulat Moukhametov have performed during a timeout during the game for over NJ NETS 10,000 fans.
Performance at the American Museum of Natural History (Central Park West at 79th Street, New York City, NY 10024) took place during a corporate event on October 27, 2011. Dancers Valentina Kvasova, Olga Chpitalnaia, Anna Brovkina, Vitaly Verterich, Andrei Kiselev, Ilia Pankratov.
Andrei Kisselev performed with Russian dance and music ensemble Barynya at the Duke University, The Fuqua School of Business (Fox Center Atrium) with dancers Roman Lewkowicz, Andrij Cybyk, Natalia Ejova, Olga Chpitalnaia, Valentina Kvasova, and garmoshka player Mikhail Smirnov. Performance took place during Duke's business school announcement of global expansion to St. Petersburg, Russia, New Delhi, India, London, Shanghai, China, and the Persian Gulf city-state of Dubai.
Petroushka Ball - 2013, The Plaza Hotel, New York City
Russian dance, song and music ensemble Barynya provided Russian folk dancers and live music entertainment for the Annual Petroushka Ball, a traditional Russian ball held annually in New York City. Petroushka Ball (Russian: Áàë Ïåòðóøêà) is the primary fundraising event for the Russian Children's Welfare Society, organization which is dedicated to assisting disadvantaged Russian children to improve their health, education and social welfare. First Petroushka Ball took place in 1965 as a small Tea Dance by a group of descendants of Russian families whose intent was to raise funds to help Russian children. Since then, the Ball has become one of New York Society's most vibrant and anticipated annual events, attracting upwards of 700 dinner and dancing guests. Petroushka Ball-2013 took place at The Plaza Hotel, 768 5th Ave, New York, NY 10019 on Friday, February 8, 2013. Ensemble Barynya cast included: Mikhail Smirnov (guitar, garmoshka, vocals), Lev Zabeginsky (balalaika), Leonid Bruk (balalaika-contrabass), singer Alexander Menshikov, Sergey Gurbeloshvili (saxophone), Igor Lutsev (drums), Vlad Barskiy (keyboard), Andrei Kisselev (dancer), Yana Volkova (dancer).
The Barynya Balalaika Orchestra and dancers of ensemble Barynya led by Mikhail Smirnov were performing at the Petroushka Balls for number of years: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2007.
Ensemble Barynya, dancers Andrei Kisselev, Yana Volkova, Petroushka Ball 2013, The Plaza Hotel, New York City, USA, Photo credit :: Maike Schultz
Ensemble Barynya, dancers Andrei Kisselev, Yana Volkova, Petroushka Ball 2013, The Plaza Hotel, New York City, USA, Photo credit :: Maike Schultz
Ensemble Barynya, dancers Andrei Kisselev, Yana Volkova, Petroushka Ball 2013, The Plaza Hotel, New York City, USA, Photo credit :: Maike Schultz
Mikhail Gorbachev's Liberty Medal Award Gala
National Constitution Center, Philadelphia, PA
Ensemble Barynya performed during diner Gala after the Liberty Medal was presented to former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev by President George H.W. Bush. Official ceremony took place at The National Constitution Center located at 525 Arch St. on Philadelphia’s Independence Mall...
Eight Barynya dancers, four musicians and three singers entertained a black-tie dinner for more than 1,000 guests. Audience included President George H. W. Bush, Tom Brokaw, Dikembe Mutumbo and Van Cliburn. Barynya performed both concert music and dance throughout the evening. President's Bush and Gorbachev were thrilled. World known concert pianist Van Cliburn shake hands with the balalaika virtuoso Lev Zabeginsky. MC of the evening, American television journalist Tom Brokaw used one of our microphones to do the toasts and was standing next to Barynya musicians on the stage.