ALUMNI

Nikita Boris

Nikita studied since the age of 11 with Valentina Kozlova at the Valentina Kozlova

Dance Conservatory of New York [VKDCNY]. In 2016, she had the opportunity to

attend the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia. She participated in

the Vaganova Prix, received the Artistry Award, and performed in the winner’s gala

at the Mariinsky Theatre, and won the gold medal at the 2016 VKIBC.

While a student at VKDCNY, Nikita won 5 gold medals at various International

ballet competitions.

Nikita joined Boston Ballet II in 2018 and spent the 2019-2020 Season with New York

Dance Project, before joining Cincinnati Ballet, her current USA home.

Whitney Jensen

A native of Salt Lake City, Whitney trained full-time with Valentina in New York City at Valentina Kozlova’s dance conservatory since the age of 12. During that period she won 7 gold medals at various international ballet competitions.

Whitney is the first American competitor to win the Grand Prix medal, the highest distinction at the Varna International ballet competition.

She had joined the Boston ballet in 2009 and became the youngest principal dancer in 2014.

Currently Whitney is a principal dancer with the Norwegian Ballet Company in Oslo.

Jillian Schubert

Born in Arizona, Jillian studied ballet at the School of Ballet Arizona, the Master Ballet Academy and, with Valentina Kozlova, at the Valentina Kozlova Dance Conservatory of NY [VKDCNY], where she received contemporary dance training from Nina Buisson, renown choreographer whose work garnered critical acclaim.

Jillian participated in the Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition [VKIBC] in the 2017 student division and was awarded a silver medal in the contemporary division and a bronze medal in the classical division. As a VKIBC junior competitor in 2019 she received a silver medal in the classical division.

Upon graduation in 2020 Jillian joined the Columbia Classical Ballet as a Principal Dancer and continues to perform as a guest artist in different venues in the USA.

Jillian has been teaching and coaching classical ballet and contemporary students of all ages at VKDCNY and Columbia Classical Ballet .

In addition to classical ballet, Jillian is a certified Yoga instructor.

Sarah Steele

Born in New York, NY, Sarah trained at Nunnbetter Dance Theater in Bergenfield, NJ and with Valentina Kozlova at the Valentina Kozlova Dance Conservatory of New York [VKDCNY] since age 15. As a VKDCNY student she received a silver medal at the Boston IBC.

She is also the recipient of a gold medal from Tanzolymp IBC, and has participated in gala performances at Varna IBC and the International Baltic Ballet Festival in Riga.

Sarah is in her fifth season with the Washington Ballet and was previously with Tulsa Ballet II.

Veronica Verterich

Veronika was born in Moscow and grew up in New York. From 2003 through 2013 she attended Valentina Kozlova’s Dance Conservatory of New York, where she graduated. She had won the bronze medal at the World Ballet Competition in 2009. In 2010 Veronica won the gold medal at the Youth America Grand Prix.

After graduating in 2013 Veronika joined the Junior Company of the Dutch National Ballet and in 2015 the Stuttgart ballet where she is now a demi-soloist.