Romanian ballerina Alina Cojocaru has received the National Dance award for Outstanding Classical Performance for her role as Giselle in Akram Khan’s production for the English National Ballet.

The National Dance awards are chosen by the dance section of the Critics’ Circle. They were announced at a ceremony at London’s Barbican Centre on February 19. The awards recognize dancers across a variety of genres.

At the same time, Akram Khan received the Best Classical Choreography award for Giselle.

Cojocaru  joined the English National Ballet in 2013. She was trained at the Kiev State Choreographic Institute and the Royal Ballet Upper School. She previously danced with the Kiev Ballet (principal dancer 1998) and London-based Royal Ballet (corps de ballet 1999, soloist 2000, principal 2001).

Throughout her career, Cojocaru received a host of awards, including “Dancer of the year” German Dance Critics Award (2012); Benois de la Danse (2012 Best Female Dancer, Liliom); ‘Ballerina of the Decade’ Award (Moscow 2010; The Nijinsky Award (2004 Best Female Dancer); Benois de la Danse (2004 Best Female Dancer, Giselle); 1 Internationaler Movimentos Tanz Preis (2004 Best Female Dancer); Nagoya International Ballet Competition (Gold Medal); Prix de Lausanne (1997 winner); Critics’ Circle Dance Award (2002 Best female dancer). In April 2002 she was given the medal of Cavaler of Romania by the then President of Romania Ion Iliescu.

In 2016, Cojocaru and her husband, Danish ballet dancer and choreographer Johan Kobborg, were banned from the Bucharest National Opera (ONB) after a conflict with the institution’s management.

(Photo of Alina Cojocaru accepting the award: National Dance Awards Facebook Page)

editor@romania-insider.com