Master Class: Sergei Mali

September 19, 2024

Sergei Mali was born in Leninsk, Kazakhstan. At the age of ten, he was enrolled in the Moscow School of Ballet, where he studied ballet, Russian folk dance classes, character dance, dance history, and partnering. He joined the corps de ballet in the world-renowned Bolshoi Theater. He was selected to join a group of Soviet dancers who would perform for several years in Elmira, New York, in the Mark Twain Musical Drama. With his powerful stage presence, brilliant technique, and sense of humor, he quickly became a favorite with audiences and returned to that production each summer for years. He later emigrated and danced with the St. Louis Ballet Company for four years, starting from the corps de ballet and finishing as a principal dancer. Afterward, he founded his own dance company, sharing his knowledge and experience with a new generation of dancers in St. Louis.