Valentina Kozlova, former principal dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet and New York City Ballet (NYCB), announces her new podcast, Pulse on Dance/Science of Movement, an exciting new series of in-depth conversations on today’s dance world.
Guests so far, in conversation with Kozlova, have included: Amy Brandt, editor of Pointe Magazine; Anabella Lenzu, performer, choreographer, teacher and author; Michael Mao, artistic director of Michael Mao Dance; Rosemary Novellino, committee leader and author of Saving Radio City Music Hall; Melanie Person, co-director of the Alvin Ailey School; Margo Sappington, choreographer and teacher; and Bradley Shelver, artistic director/choreographer of Joffrey Concert Group.
Their insights and experiences have made for fascinating and thought-provoking interviews. Kozlova, a Moscow native, trained at the Bolshoi Ballet School. She joined the Bolshoi Ballet in 1973, and was promoted to Principal just two years later. In 1979, while on tour with the company in Los Angeles, Kozlova defected. She appeared as guest with companies around the world, and in 1983 joined NYCB at the invitation of George Balanchine as a Principal, where she remained for 12 years. In 1995, Kozlova and Margo Sappington established Ballet: The Daring Project, which appeared at The Joyce for three seasons and toured nationally and internationally. Kozlova also found time to star in Broadway productions of On Your Toes and A Christmas Carol. A teacher, coach and reconstructor, she has been associated with the Boston Ballet, Hungarian National Ballet, Ballet West, Joffrey Ballet School and more.
In 2011, she founded the Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition (VKIBC), which welcomes hundreds of dancers from around the world, dancing for company contracts and scholarships to international organizations. The next VKIBC will take place in NYC in March 2026, at New York Live Arts and the Kaye Playhouse. Recipient of many awards, Kozlova was included in “Great American, Great Immigrant” recognition by the Carnegie Corporation in 2018, and “A Life for Dance” Lifetime Achievement Award by the 29th International Ballet Festival of Miami in 2024. Her newest venture, the Pulse on Dance podcast, is characterized by the same intelligence and commitment brought to all Kozlova’s enterprises.
Pulse on Dance/Science of Movement is on two platforms: Substack and Spotify.
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