Natalia Osipova (1986-). Russian ballerina

One of the most admired ballerinas of our time, Natalia Osipova was born in Moscow in 1986. From 1996 until 2004 she trained at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, joining the Bolshoi Ballet itself in 2005. She became a soloist in 2006 and principal in 2010. However, Osipova resigned in 2011, to gain ‘artistic freedom’ as she says. She then performed with the Mikhailovsky Ballet in St Petersburg and American Ballet Theatre in New York. In 2013 having already appeared as a guest artist, Natalia Osipova joined The Royal Ballet as principal, where she has taken on many leading roles and won many awards. She continues to be much in demand as a guest artist around the world.