A group of ballerinas, some in elementary school, others in college, practice basic poses in the summer heat. They leave the open-air studio to take a break, sweat visibly streaming from their red faces. “I never want to go back in there,” one says. They get a drink of water and immediately head back inside.

Ann Arbor has always been a cultural hotspot in southeast Michigan. Now, however, a new type of professionals will make their home in Ann Arbor: international dancers. The brainchild of Director Sergey Rayevskiy is Ballet Russe Detroit. It is a new company that is hiring dancers from Russia and bringing them to the Midwest.

“We’re trying to do something different,” Rayevskiy said. “The unique thing is to give the opportunity for advanced children to perform with world-class dancers from all over the world.” Rayevskiy became interested in ballet when he was 10 years old. He is 30 now. Originally, the privileged lives of the dancers drew him towards the craft. In Soviet Russia, dancers had different and better lives, he says. They were also allowed to leave the Soviet Union to perform, something ordinary citizens would be hard-pressed to do. Dancers were scouted at a young age. If a potential candidate managed to pass the entry tests, he or she would be flown to Moscow or St. Petersburg to begin school. Ten-year-old Sergey desperately wanted to fly. Rayevskiy was trained at the highly respected Vaganova Academy in St. Petersburg. He also graduated from the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington D.C. His first show was The Nutcracker, a show almost every dancer starts with. He proceeded to perform in a variety of shows, from Russian classics to newly choreographed dances. After an injury ended his dancing career, Rayevskiy founded The Academy of Russian Classical Ballet in 2004, based in Ann Arbor. He chose the city because his wife, Jessica Rayevskiy, had previously lived in the area and danced in a variety of Ann Arbor groups. Under his tutelage, many students have gone on to schools like the Kirov Academy of Ballet. He got the idea to start a company when his students told him their desire to dance in a real company after graduation from his school.

Ballet Russe Detroit is hiring principal dancers (the highest rank in a company) from Russia in order to showcase their prominent names and talents, as well as teach the younger dancers, the graduated students of the school.

“They’re used to seeing those names in New York, Paris, Tokyo — and now they’re in Ann Arbor,” Rayevskiy said. Every company has a corps de ballet (the main group of dancers) and several soloists. Proper technique, body type and presence are all requirements to stand out from the corps de ballet, but the director doesn’t have the final say in who becomes a soloist. “It’s the public that really picks the favorite dancer,” Rayevskiy said. Liza Krylova has been a dancer in The Academy of Russian Classical Ballet for three years. She has performed as a soloist in several concerts. A ballerina to her core, she hopes to dance in a company one day, perhaps even Ballet Russe Detroit. “I have performed solos in student concerts,” she said. “After my first solo, I felt elated and my highly energized brain couldn’t think straight.” She believes having students dancing among world-class stars, the way Ballet Russe Detroit intends to operate, will allow the minor dancers to learn in a very dynamic and effective way. “Dancers progress so much faster when they have inspiring, hardworking and helpful models to work with,” Krylova said. The Ballet Russe Detroit dancers will make their debut with the Stars of Russian Ballet Gala show Aug. 28 at the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, 911 N. University Ave. Ticket prices range from $25 to $35. While the first show is in Ann Arbor, the company will belong to the entire southeast Michigan area. Following the show will be an Afterglow Dinner fundraiser, which will allow members of the audience to socialize with both the professional dancers and the students, plus a silent auction. Afterglow tickets are about $45 and can be purchased by calling 248-982-7882 or emailing russianclassicalballet@hotmail.com. In a city that already hosts numerous festivals, organizations and performances, Ballet Russe Detroit stands out from the crowd with clarity of vision and drive. With the hard work of student and director alike, the company is sure to enjoy a long and prosperous stay in Michigan. Dmitri Barvinok is a contributor for AnnArbor.com.