The pandemic brought a lot to New York in 2020. Closed bodegas, over-packed hospitals, and a sudden end to Broadway – this was never the long-term plan for the Broadway community, and thankfully, Broadway was able to reopen after 18 months. During that time, Broadway didn’t die, as was feared. Many new talents flocked to New York at the tail end of the pandemic to study and learn. This is certainly the case for Iuliia Gazizova, a talented dancer from Siberia.
In January 2021, Iuliia Gazizova and her husband came to New York to attend shows and absolutely fell in love with the city. Iuliia threw herself into learning from great choreographers, and the couple decided to stay. Her passion for choreography and dance found a home in the City that Never Sleeps.
Iuliia began dancing early, at the age of 6, studying classical ballet. She joined the Children’s School of Performing Arts in Yarovoye City, where she took on many leading dance roles. Joining the “Yaroshki”, the children’s state dance group, she performed the lead in many state concerts. Iuliia was never as happy as when she was performing on stage. This drive, this love, led her to compete internationally, where she continued to thrive, winning many solo and group dance competitions.
In 2012, Iuliia made the tough decision to move from her small town in Siberia to the big city, where she was awarded a full-ride scholarship to the State University of Culture in St. Petersburg. There, she studied under professionals who studied with Agrippina Vaganova herself, the founder of the Vaganova Methodology at the very foundation of Russian Classical Ballet. Mastering these techniques has given Iuliia a solid dancing and choreography foundation, leading to her working in the Musical Comedy Theatre and leading roles in various musicals and operettas, such as “Countess Maritza”. During her 20-plus years of experience dancing and teaching dance and choreography, Iuliia has danced at the Kolomenskaya Theatre Center and even created an original show for the Tallink Latvian Cruise line in 2017.
It’s not every day that a dancer from Siberia is contacted by Princess Cruises, yet for Iuliia, that was an honor she can certainly brag about. She produced a number for one of Princess Cruises’ New Year theatrical shows. After this, she and her husband returned home right at the beginning of 2020. Staying afloat and in dancing shape became her greatest concern. A friend of hers contacted her to become a dance and choreography instructor for his dance school, the Academy of Broadway Arts, and Iuliia began teaching dance online.
She and her husband secured tourist Visas and came to the United States to visit Broadway, and that was the moment for Iuliia. Here, in the US, she found her tribe. This was where she could share her talents and inspire others with her work. Iuliia found inspiration in cabaret, which was worlds different from the rigid training she’d experienced back home. In September of 2022, she and her husband opened Glammo Production with the goal of creating theatrical shows for various venues that would bring together artists from many disciplines. Singers, dancers, musicians, and aerial gymnasts can come together and perform. The first show, “Red Lipstick”, had 6 performers. Their new show, “Perfume”, will have 5 dancers, one vocalist, and one gymnast, showcasing the Nation’s multinational culture.
For Glammo Production and Iuliia herself, the cabaret-style performances have been a dream come true. She has always loved teaching and sharing her talents. Last February, Glammo Production participated in New York Fashion Week, where she created two productions of dance acts for the Runway 7 Show.
This is just the beginning for this talented artist. From choreography in Las Vegas to masterclasses in choreography for children to becoming the choreographer for the Silk Road Festival all the way back to her roots working with the Barynya Ensemble as a folk-dance artist, the journey from Siberia to the Big Apple has been a cultural awakening. We’ll be better for her talents and passion.
About the Author
Colette Huffman is an arts and entertainment writer with a love for operas and ballet.