VIENNA INTERNATIONAL BALLET INTENSIVE
Apply for a spot!
13 TO 25 JULY 2026
A prestigious two-week elite training platform in Vienna running from 13–25 July 2026. Designed strictly for professionals and pre-professionals (ages 12+), this intensive connects you with international ballet masters to master advanced technique, record solo variations, and accelerate your artistry.
Laura Cristinoiu
Founder & Artistic Director
Laura Cristinoiu is an award-winning creative director, entrepreneur, and former professional ballet dancer with the National Opera Bucharest. As the founder of Attitude Ballet Studios (Winner of the UK Prestige Awards' Ballet School of the Year), Laura has spent 15 years pioneering high-end, project-based dance education across Europe.
Specialising in the classical Vaganova method, her background spans rigorous institutional training at UNATC to serving as a principal partner for international Erasmus+ educational initiatives, where she co-authored global teaching manuals for dance educators. Laura is the driving strategic force behind full-scale theatrical productions like Don Quixote and The Nutcracker, as well as the prestigious Vienna International Ballet Intensive (VIBI). Her masterclasses blend meticulous technical accuracy with an elite editorial vision, empowering dancers to command the stage with absolute precision and artistic confidence.
Liudmila konovalova
PRIMA BALLERINA & GUEST GUEST FACULTY Wiener Staatsballett
A world-renowned ballerina of extraordinary grace and technical brilliance, Liudmila Konovalova graduated from the prestigious Moscow Bolshoi Ballet Academy before launching a brilliant international career as a Principal Dancer and First Soloist. From her celebrated origins in Moscow to the stages of the Staatsballett Berlin and her definitive elevation to Prima Ballerina at the Vienna State Opera, she has embodied the absolute pinnacle of classical ballet repertoire. She brings unparalleled artistry and elite European stage tradition to VIBI 2026.
Roman Lazik
Former First Soloist, Vienna State Ballet
The absolute epitome of a Danseur Noble, Slovak-born Roman Lazik is an internationally acclaimed premier dancer. Over his distinguished career—most notably as First Soloist with the Vienna State Ballet—he has commanded the world’s leading stages, from the Mariinsky and the Bolshoi to Paris and Tokyo.
Renowned for his exquisite partnership with global prima ballerinas and his vast repertoire spanning classical masterpieces (Swan Lake, Giselle) to icons of contemporary choreography (Kylián, Neumeier, Forsythe), Roman brings master-level precision, artistry, and elite international stage experience to the studio floor.
Natalya Kusch
Prima Ballerina & International Guest Artist
A prima ballerina of exquisite technical finesse, Ukrainian-born Natalya Kusch represents the highest echelons of international classical dance. Her celebrated career spans prestigious global stages, including serving as Soloist with the Vienna State Opera Ballet and performing as a Principal Dancer across the Australian elite circuit (The Australian Ballet and Queensland Ballet), the Bolshoi Theatre, and Teatro dell'Opera di Roma.
Renowned for her definitive interpretations of the pinnacles of classical repertoire (Giselle, Swan Lake), Natalya brings a rare, quiet intensity and master-level precision to the studio floor—teaching dancers the exact anatomical nuances and pristine alignment required for world-class performance art.
Robert Gabdullin
Former First Soloist, Vienna State Opera & Faculty Member, Ballettakademie der Wiener Staatsoper
An internationally acclaimed premier artist, Robert Gabdullin has graced the global stage as a First Soloist across Europe, performing iconic principal roles in masterpieces by Nureyev, Balanchine, and Cranko. A master pedagogue, he formally specialised in elite teaching methodology at the world-renowned Vaganova Ballet Academy and currently trains the next generation of professional talent at the Vienna State Opera Ballet Academy.
Ioanna Vlagkouli
Former Soloist, State Opera of Stara Zagora & Certified Master Pedagogue
A distinguished former professional soloist, choreographer, and active European orchestral conductor, Ioanna Vlagkouli brings an extraordinary, multi-dimensional artistic vision to the VIBI Classical Ballet and Repertoire faculty. Formally trained in the rigorous Vaganova method, she also holds the prestigious Associate of the Royal Academy of Dance (ARAD) designation and a Master’s degree in Music from the University of Athens.
Ioanna’s illustrious stage career spans leading roles in major classical masterpieces—such as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and Carmen—with the State Opera of Stara Zagora, as well as professional engagements in Greece and Portugal. As an educator, she bridges elite dance technique with scientific longevity, integrating her certifications in Progressive Ballet Technique (PBT) and comprehensive Pilates equipment instruction into her methodology. VIBI dancers will benefit from her unparalleled mastery of musicality, precision, and dramatic staging.
Valentina Carrieri
Certified Somatic Educator & Dynamic Movement Specialist
Returning to the VIBI faculty to guide our vital morning preparation, Valentina Carrieri is an Italian dancer, certified educator, and specialised somatic facilitator based in Vienna. She holds a prestigious European Qualification (EQF5) as an Educator in Choreutic Disciplines from Turin, Italy, alongside advanced training in Functional Analysis of Dance Movement (AFCMD) and choreographic composition.
With nearly two decades of international teaching and choreographic experience across Austria, Italy, and the Netherlands, Valentina integrates alignment, injury prevention, and contemporary breathwork into her methodology. Her specialised Floor Barre sessions are strategically engineered to awaken deep core stability, refine posture, and maximise turnout before dancers step to the barre. VIBI participants will start each morning under her expert guidance, building a secure, resilient, and anatomically precise physical foundation for the rigorous day ahead.
Margarida Abreu
Former Soloist & Company Member, Europa Ballett (Austria)
Margarida Abreu is a highly versatile Portuguese professional dancer and educator who brings vibrant international stage experience and prestigious technical training to the VIBI faculty. She holds a degree with honours in Specialised Artistic Secondary Education in Dance from Portugal, trained on scholarship at EBB Spain under Jean Philippe Dury, and successfully completed her Bühnen Reifeprüfung für Bühnentanz in Vienna.
Margarida's extensive professional performance career includes serving as a prominent member of the Europa Ballett, where she performed as a soloist in Artur Kolmakov’s Soluna, danced a principal role in The Nutcracker at the National Theatre in Croatia, and toured extensively across Europe and Canada. Her classical credentials also span performances at the Wiener Staatsoper (including Madame Butterfly and Orpheus) and elite contemporary repertoire by world-renowned choreographers like Marco Goecke. On the competitive circuit, she is an annual YAGP Top 25 finalist and a podium finisher at the Sibiu International Dance Competition.
An exceptional pedagogue with a deep commitment to stylistic precision, Margarida has specialised international experience instructing Character dance within intensive summer programs. She is dedicated to equipping VIBI participants with the distinct upper-body coordination, rhythmic flair, and theatrical presence essential for classical repertoire.
Esther Feng
Former Company Member, Europa Ballett (Austria), Choreographer
An internationally accomplished artist and award-winning performer, Esther Feng brings a rich global perspective to the VIBI contemporary and modern curriculum. Originally from Malaysia, Esther holds the highest level of the Paritätische Bühnenreifeprüfung in Classical Ballet from Vienna, as well as an Elite Performance Advanced Diploma from Melbourne, Australia.
Her exceptional professional career includes dancing principal and soloist roles across Asia, Australia, and Europe, notably serving as a company member with the Europa Ballett under Peter Breuer and Michael Fichtenbaum. On the global competitive stage, Esther placed in the Top 10 at the prestigious World Ballet Competition in Orlando, USA (2023) and secured 3rd place at the Seoul International Dance Competition.
As a dynamic choreographer and versatile movement specialist, Esther combines flawless classical technique with fluid contemporary expression, offering VIBI dancers an inspiring, high-calibre laboratory for athletic and artistic growth
THE COUNTDOWN IS OVER
VIENNA INTERNATIONAL BALLET INTENSIVE 2026
We open our doors tomorrow morning, Monday, July 13th!
The studio is prepped, the floors are ready, and our world-class international faculty is officially in the house. We cannot wait to welcome dancers from all over the globe for two weeks of elite training, artistic growth, and unforgettable energy.