Daniil Simkin


Daniil Simkin is a Russian-born ballet dancer and principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre and Berlin State Ballet.

Early life

Simkin's parents Dmitrij Simkin and Olga Aleksandrova are also ballet dancers. The family left the Soviet Union in 1990. His parents were engaged to dance in Graz, then took engagements in various cities in Germany before settling in Wiesbaden in 1993, where he spent the rest of his childhood. From the age of six he often appeared onstage, dancing alongside his father.
Unlike most professional ballet dancers Simkin did not attend a vocational ballet school. He was coached privately by his mother at age 10. He attended an ordinary high school.

Career

Simkin joined the Vienna State Ballet in 2006 as a demi-soloist. In 2007, he danced his first principal role, Basilio in Don Quixote, as a guest with the Lithuanian National Opera. Simkin joined American Ballet Theatre as a Soloist in October 2008 and was promoted to Principal Dancer in November 2012. In September 2017, Simkin announced he would join Berlin State Ballet the following year. He retains his position in ABT but is now based in Berlin.
He is a regular on the international ballet gala circuit, and presented his own gala in Athens in 2009 in collaboration with his father, who now works as a choreographer and stage designer.
In contrast with his slight build and youthful demeanour, Simkin is noted for his jumps, the speed and precision of his pirouettes, and his instinctive communication with the audience.

Selected repertoire

Sources:

Awards