After headlining a series of breathtaking performances inReflections at the Orange County

Performing Arts Center last month, the next stop in Orange County for international ballerina Maria Kochetkova is the Irvine Barclay Theatre. On Friday, May 20, 2011 at 7 p.m., the Moscow-born dancer who honed her craft at the world renowned Bolshoi Ballet Academy will be a featured guest artist for Orange County Ballet Theatre’s inaugural performance at the Barclay.

Under the artistic direction of Dmitri and Jennifer Kulev, Laguna Hills-based Orange County Ballet Theatre will perform excerpts from the world’s most famous ballet, Swan Lake. The dynamic Black Swan Pas de Deux will be performed by Kochetkova and Gennadi Nedvigin, both Principal dancers with San Francisco Ballet, while other selected dances from Acts I and III will highlight some of Orange County’s rising young dance stars at the ballet company. Also featured in the performance will be the continuation of The Kabaniaev Project, an exciting collection of new contemporary works by the internationally recognized choreographer Viktor Kabaniaev.

“I am thrilled to be returning to the stage in Orange County, and am especially looking forward to working and performing with the talented young dancers at Orange County Ballet Theatre,” said Kochetkova. “It is an honor to have the opportunity to mentor, and hopefully inspire, the next generation as they pursue their dream of dance.”

“We are so excited to have a dancer of Maria’s extraordinary caliber and artistry join the company for this very special performance,” said Dmitri Kulev. “Our company and ballet school have been dedicated to bringing the classical art and Russian training methodology of ballet to Orange County, and Maria truly embodies that spirit. Together with her partner, Gennadi Nedvigin, and the rest of our incredible young company dancers, Orange County Ballet Theatre Ballet is sure to deliver a world class performance on May 20.”

Kocketkova received her professional training at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow. After graduating in 2002, she became an apprentice with The Royal Ballet. A year later she joined the English National Ballet and was promoted to Soloist. In 2007, she joined San Francisco Ballet as a Principal dancer. Her repertoire includes the title role in Giselle, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Kitri inDon Quixote, Juliet inRomeo & Juliet, Odette-Odile in Swan Lake, and Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy inThe Nutcracker. Her performance of the Grand Pas de Deux in San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker was broadcast on PBS in 2008. She has won numerous Gold medals at international ballet competitions throughout the world.