Daniil Simkin

His half-brother, Anton Alexandrov (born 1977) danced with Hamburg Ballet and is now a ballet teacher.

Simkin studied ballet privately with his mother as her first student.

He received a conventional academic education in Wiesbaden, and completed Abitur, the German qualification to attend university, alongside his ballet studies.

Daniil Simkin (born 12 October 1987 in Novosibirsk, Russia) is a ballet dancer and entrepreneur, best known for his accomplished technical skill and charismatic stage presence.

He is a principal dancer with both American Ballet Theatre and Berlin State Ballet.

Simkin is based in Berlin and New York, and is the founder of Studio Simkin.

Simkin is an international principal dancer who performs leading roles in the classical and contemporary ballet repertoire.

He is currently considered one of the leading male ballet dancers worldwide.

His early social media presence and success in competitions initiated his rise to principal dancer.

His recent work explores dance across a broad range of artistic influences and genres.

In 2021, he developed Studio Simkin to promote dance across an ever-evolving digital platform.

Simkin cites inspiration from dancers Mikhail Baryshnikov, Rudolf Nureyev, and his father, Dmitrij Simkin: "I would take Mr. Baryshnikov’s technique and coordination, Mr. Nureyev’s charisma and stage presence and my father’s work ethic, put them all in a shaker and you would have the perfect male ballet dancer."

He has been called "the new Baryshnikov" by the French press.

Born in Novosibirsk, Russia, Simkin grew up in Wiesbaden, Germany.

His parents, former ballet dancers Dmitrij Simkin and Olga Aleksandrova, met when performing at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow.

As a student, he performed corps and soloist roles with Ballet Wiesbaden from 1993 to 2006.

After receiving a Senior Gold Medal from the 2006 USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi, Simkin was invited to perform in the gala "Stars of the 21st Century" in Paris, and then in New York.

Simkin joined Wiener Staatsballett (Vienna State Ballet) in 2006, and was promoted to first soloist in 2007.

In 2008, Simkin joined American Ballet Theatre as a soloist, where he went on to perform a huge roster of signature roles.

He has been called "a dancer happiest in the air" by The New York Times critic Gia Kourlas.

He has produced International Ballet Gala Events in Greece 2009 and Japan 2012.

Simkin was promoted to principal dancer at ABT in December 2012.

During the following years, he performed leading roles in classical and neoclassical repertoire (see list below) including Don Quixote, Prodigal Son, Swan Lake, and The Boy with Matted Hair in Antony Tudor's Shadowplay.

He performed works by choreographers including George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp and Merce Cunningham as well as created ballets with choreographers such as Benjamin Millepied and Alexei Ratmansky.

The New York Times has described how Simkin's musicality allows him "ample time to show the inner workings of each step," and W Magazine has highlighted his "space spanning leaps" and "virtuosic aplomb."

In 2018, Simkin joined Staatsballett Berlin (Berlin State Ballet) as a principal dancer, a position he holds parallel to his spot with ABT.

Simkin told Dance that the transition would allow him to perform more European-centric contemporary choreography than had been available for him at ABT.

"I'm excited to expand my spectrum of choreographers," he said.

"I believe in the concept of a company that can create something cutting edge while also dancing classical works."

Simkin's love of electronic music and the potential for Berlin's club scene to filter into the ballet world was another appeal.

During his first season with the company, Alexei Ratmansky created a new La Bayadère for the company, in which Simkin danced the role of Solor.

In 2021, Simkin was featured as the first teacher on the new platform "Dance-Masterclass," where he outlined his approach to pirouettes and turns.

As creator Caspar Hees told Pointe: "[Simkin] breaks down the major elements, from balance to the preparation to the upper body, and offers exercises, turn combinations and a few of his own secrets."

With Dance Masterclass, Simkin co-produced an interview with ballerina Sylvie Guillem.

One of Simkin's most celebrated roles is Basil in Don Quixote, which he has performed since the age of 19, and has presented all over the world alongside such partners as Maria Kochetkova and Isabella Boylston.

He was the first dancer to ever perform three 540s in a row.

Simkin has an especially enthusiastic fanbase in Japan.

He has appeared on the cover of major Japanese magazines, and has expressed his love of anime and Japanese culture.

On his own cultural identity: "I think of my use of language as a metaphor. I speak Russian, English, German, and a little French, each with an accent. I’m not perfect in any one language, and it’s similar with my national and personal identity."

Simkin has performed in numerous countries on six continents.