Nina Kaptsova

Nina Aleksandrovna Kaptsova (; born 16 October 1978) is a Russian prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet.

Biography Kaptsova was born on 16 October 1978 in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. She was trained at the Moscow Choreographic Academy under the direction of Sofia Golovkina. After her graduation, she became a member of the Bolshoi Ballet. Her coach at Bolshoi was Marina Kondratieva, later Nina Semizorova.

Her first appearance was in the role of a cupid in Don Quixote in 1997, and the same year she played a "fairy of playfulness" in The Sleeping Beauty, which was produced by Yuri Grigorovich.

In 1998, she played Sleeping Beauty again, this time as a maid of honour, and the same year played Gumpe in La Bayadère, also produced by Yuri Grigorovich. In 1999, she appeared as Marie in The Nutcracker, which was again produced by Grigorovich, and the same year performed in Swan Lake. In 2000 and 2004, she reprised her role in Sleeping Beauty, first as the Princess Aurora and then as the Prince's friend. In the same year, she had a few solo roles including that in Mozartiana and The Limpid Stream, in which she played the role of Zina.

During the Bolshoi Ballet’s tour of the United States in May 2012, Kaptsova’s performance as Swanilda in Coppélia received widespread acclaim from American ballet critics.

She preferred vivid, demonic roles and regarded the portrayal of negative characters—whose nature was at odds with her own gentle, lyrical, and romantic temperament—as a particularly compelling acting challenge.

In 2024 Kaptsova retired from the stage and became a ballet mistress at the Bolshoi.

Awards The International "New Names" project Laureate Benois de la Dance – 2000 Diploma Winner "The Soul of the Dance" in nomination "The Star" An Honoured Artist of Russian Federation, Distinction for the Achievements in Culture from the Ministry of Culture of Russian Federation, Distinction for the Achievements in Culture from the Ministry of Culture

Roles Adam, Giselle – Giselle Adam, Le Corsaire – Gulnara Asaf, Flames of Paris – Adeline, Mirelle de Poitiers Balanchine, Jewels – Emeralds, Rubies and Diamonds (leading part) Beethoven and Richter, Short Time Together Chopin, Lady of the Camellias – Marguerite Gautier Debussy. Afternoon of a Faun – Soloist Delerue, The Lesson – Pupil Delibes, Coppélia – Swanilda Demutsky, A Hero of Our Time - Princess Mary Demutsky, Nureyev - Margot Desyatnikov, Lost Illusions - Coralie Gavrilin, Annie – Annie Glass, In the Upper Room – Soloist Gottschalk, Tarantella – Soloist Herold, Vain Precautions – Liza Khachaturian, Spartacus – Phrygia Levenshell, La Sylphide – La Sylphide Melikov, The Legend of Love - Shirin Mendelssohn-Bartholdy and Ligeti, A Midsummer Night's Dream – Elena Minkus, Don Quixote – Kitri, Amur Mozart, Phantasy on the Casanova – Lady Prokofiev, Romeo and Juliet – Juliet Prokofiev, Ivan the Terrible - Anastasia Pugni, La Esmeralda – Esmeralda Pugni, The Pharaoh's Daughter – Ramzea Rachmaninov, Paganini – Muze Shostakovich, The Bright Stream – Zina Shostakovich, The Golden Age – Rita (Margo) Shostakovich, The Taming of the Shrew - Bianca Stravinsky, Petrushka – Ballerina Stravinsky, Agon Tchaikovsky, Pas de Deux Tchaikovsky, Les Presages – Frivolity, Passion Tchaikovsky, Mozartiana – Soloist Tchaikovsky, Pique Dame – Liza Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker – Marie Tchaikovsky, The Sleeping Beauty – Princess Aurora, Princess Florine Tchaikovsky, Swan Lake – Odetta/Odilie Tchaikovsky, Onegin - Tatiana