08/28/2026
🎉 FACULTY FRIDAY 🎉
This week, we're shining the spotlight on a beloved member of the IBC faculty, Roman Nikiforov - Ballet Instructor & Coach! (Be sure to go to IG for more fantastic photos!)
If you've spent any time in our studios, you already know that Mr. Roman brings something pretty special to a ballet class. His warmth, humor, and larger-than-life personality have a way of connecting with dancers of every age, but behind all that fun is an extraordinary depth of professional experience and knowledge.
A native of Ulan-Ude, Russia, Roman began his Vaganova training at age 10 and went on to study at the Krasnoyarsk Choreography College. His professional career took him from the Krasnoyarsk National Opera and Ballet Theatre to the Russian State Ballet of Moscow, and ultimately to the United States, where he danced with Ballet Internationale (one of the most prestigious professional companies in the world - not just the US) before joining Metropolitan Classical Ballet as a principal dancer.
Throughout his career, Roman performed an extensive repertoire spanning the great classical ballets as well as contemporary works, gaining the experience that gives his students something you simply can't learn from a textbook. THIS is an important part of pre-professional training, because learning ballet technique is one thing, but learning from someone who has actually lived the life you're preparing for is another.
Mr. Roman has been sharing his knowledge with students since 2005 and has also served as a jury member for the World Ballet Art Competition. Perhaps most importantly, he has the wonderful ability to demand serious work without making the work feel quite so serious. ❤️
Exceptional training requires exceptional teachers who bring knowledge, experience, personality, and a genuine ability to connect with the dancers standing in front of them.
We're incredibly fortunate to have Mr. Roman doing exactly that at Indiana Ballet Conservatory.
