68
WINTER 2018
TK Business Magazine
Russian born Alexander Smirnov and his wife, Stephanie Heston, from Topeka, connect students to the broader world of dance at their Kansas Ballet Academy.
Photo by DAVID VINCENT
KANSAS BALLET ACADEMY Alexander Smirnov and Stephanie Heston bring the international world to Topeka through the art of ballet. The husband and wife team own and operate Kansas Ballet Academy, where they teach a Russian training program called the Vaganova Method, a progressive training designed to build strength and skill gradually while avoiding injury. They are the only school in the region that teaches with this method. Smirnov is proud of what the school brings to the community. “We teach the art form of ballet,” Smirnov said. “It’s not just moves; it’s a language. Our dancers can go anywhere in the world.” Smirnov was born in Russia, where he began his training as a dancer at the age of 10. Heston was raised in Topeka, and it was here that her passion for dance was ignited. When she went to New York to pursue her professional career, though, she realized she had missed out on an important aspect of ballet—a connection to the international community of dance. Smirnov and Heston founded Kansas Ballet Academy to connect dancers in Topeka to the broader world of dance. They encourage their dancers to “dream big,” to consider the wider horizons of the world beyond our city boundaries. One way they share the world with their students and with the community is through their annual presentation of the “Nutcracker” ballet. This worldclass production includes live music performed by the Topeka Symphony. “We bring in international guests who teach master classes and share the stage,” Smirnov said. “For dancers and ballet fans, this is like sharing space with an NBA star. It inspires our dancers to new heights.” TK