Valerie Barsky
Artistic Director
Valerie Barsky has been teaching classical ballet and dance at BRS since 1995. She is currently the school's owner, artistic director and main teacher. Valerie began to study ballet at the age of 5, advancing to the Kiev School of Ballet (Ukraine, former USSR), from where she graduated. At the Kiev School of Ballet, she studied the traditions of Russian ballet under leg end ary ballet dancers and in struc tors such as Mme. Vasilieva and Mme. Beryozova. After graduating, Valerie received training at the special school of character dance at the world renowned dance company named after Pavel Virsky. Valerie was also a member of the Kiev Rhythmic Gym nas tic Club, Spartak, which was coached by A. Derugina. Valerie received her Master of Sport Degree while a mem ber of Spartak. In 1983, she began to study at the Kiev State Art Institute, and she graduated from there in 1989 with an MFA degree. Her degree was confirmed by the American Educational Cre den tial Eval u a tors Inc. (ECE) in 1996, and was eval u at ed as being equivalent to the MFA degree awarded by a U.S. University with regional academic ac cred i ta tion (Ref: 58815/ SMF). In 2002 Valerie finished a two year Spanish dance pro gram at Northeastern University of Illinois under Pro fes sor Libby Komeiko. Valerie performed on many stages in Rus sia for over 10 years and toured throughout the former Soviet Union and nu mer ous Eu ro pe an countries. She has participated in International Dance Festivals with a num ber of professional dance companies. In 1985, as part of the Dance Company af fil i at ed with the Kiev Art Institute, Valerie was a lau re ate of the 12th World Fes ti val of Youth and Stu dents in Moscow.