THE RESULTS OF THE ART AND CHOREOGRAPHY SESSIONS OF INNOPRAKTIKA SCHOOL HAVE BEEN SUMMED UP: CREATIVITY, INSPIRATION AND GLOBAL DIALOGUE IN ST. PETERSBURG

The sixth season of the international educational project Innopraktika School has ended in St. Petersburg. The Art and Choreography sessions were held simultaneously, from June 30 to July 20, bringing together more than 30 young artists from 19 countries. The three-week joint work resulted in an exhibition at the Academy of Fine Arts and the “Global Values” Festival on the stage of the Boris Eifman Dance Theater.

THE RESULTS OF THE ART AND CHOREOGRAPHY SESSIONS OF INNOPRAKTIKA SCHOOL HAVE BEEN SUMMED UP: CREATIVITY, INSPIRATION AND GLOBAL DIALOGUE IN ST. PETERSBURG

The sixth season of the international educational project Innopraktika School has ended in St. Petersburg. The Art and Choreography sessions were held simultaneously, from June 30 to July 20, bringing together more than 30 young artists from 19 countries. The three-week joint work resulted in an exhibition at the Academy of Fine Arts and the “Global Values” Festival on the stage of the Boris Eifman Dance Theater.

Art Session: Dialogue of Cultures Through Painting and Sculpture

This year, 447 applications from 45 countries were submitted to participate in the Art Session, which was held at the St. Petersburg Academy of Fine Arts. As a result, 16 artists and sculptors from 12 countries created:

• 14 paintings
• 2 sculptural compositions
• 8 graphic works

The educational program of the session included lectures and master classes from leading professors of the Academy: Ilya Zorkin, Artem Tikhonov, Mikhail Tishakov, Mikhail Molyakov, and Vladimir Brodarsky. A special event was the speech by the Academy’s Rector Semyon Mikhailovsky and a lecture by the General Director of the Tretyakov Gallery Elena Pronicheva.

"We are sincerely glad and proud of the opportunity to participate in the creative development of young talents. Every year, artists who are interested in classical education come to us. The presence of participants from Asian and African countries is especially valuable, which enriches our artistic dialogue. I am convinced that the training that took place in the Academy’s workshops became an important stage for our participants and a serious impetus for future achievements,”

Choreography Session: Moving Towards Unity

At the same time, the fifth Choreography session was held at the Boris Eifman Dance Academy. Out of 394 applicants from 55 countries, 15 dancers and choreographers from 10 countries were selected.

The session culminated in a two-day festival “Global Values” (July 19 and 20), where participants presented:

• 12 new choreographic productions
• A joint piece titled “Unity”, staged by Allen Xing — a graduate of the 2022 session and head of the Academy's contemporary dance department

Work with the participants was led by renowned Russian choreographers:

• Uliana Marchuk
• Galina Gorbunova
• Igor Klinskii
• Artem Meltishinov

International masters included:

• Sebastiano Mazzia (Italy)
• Evelyn Hart (UK)
• Xiaoyi Tong (China / UK)

Ballet classes were taught by Natalia Sologub and Sergey Zimin. Among the invited experts was the legendary teacher and choreographer Azarii Plisetsky, who held a master class in classical dance.

"The fifth Choreography session is our small anniversary. We see how the project unites artists and choreographers from different countries within the walls of our Academy. The rich program we have prepared allows the participants to expand their performance range and implement their ideas in perfect conditions. I sincerely hope that the unique energy of St. Petersburg will inspire everyone who became part of this dialogue,"

Overall Result: Art as a Bridge Between Cultures

The key theme of this year — “Creativity Unites” — was reflected in the joint cultural program of the Innopraktika School. Artists and dancers:

• Visited Peterhof together
• Took a night cruise on a boat
• Visited each other’s sessions: artists attended the Dance Academy to watch the film-ballet “Rodin. Her Eternal Idol”, while dancers visited the final exhibition at the Academy of Fine Arts
• Explored cultural landmarks: the Hermitage, the Russian Museum, Mariinsky and Mikhailovsky Theaters

Thanks to holding two sessions simultaneously, artists were able to attend the “Global Values” Festival for the first time, witnessing the results of their peers’ work in dance.

“In the modern world, art is a unique means of diplomacy and international dialogue. The Innopraktika School project is not only about training and sharing experiences, but also about bringing together young artists and painters into a single, inspiring creative community that is part of the global cultural space,”

This year’s highlight was not only close communication but also direct creative interaction. In 2025, the project opened a new chapter in its history, allowing artists and dancers to learn, create, and inspire each other.

The participants’ works became a living embodiment of the year’s theme, “Creativity Unites”, and proved that the language of art has no boundaries — and is capable of creating strong ties between representatives of the most diverse cultures.