Ioanna Avraam

PLACE OF BIRTH:  Nicosia, Cyprus

EDUCATION: 
Nadina Loizidou Ballet School in Limassol, Cyprus (1992-2006). During these years performed with Diastasis Ballet in Cyprus and abroad.
Heinz-Bosl-Stiftung/Ballet Academy in Munich, Germany (2006-2008). During these years performed with Bayerisches Staatsballett in Munich.
Professional Dancers’ Postgraduate Teaching Certificate by Royal Academy of Dance, London (2022).

ENGAGEMENTS: 
Vienna State Ballet Principal Dancer 2022 – Present
Vienna State Ballet Soloist 2014 – 2022
Vienna State Ballet Demi-Soloist 2010 – 2014
Vienna State Ballet Corps de ballet 2008 – 2010

COMPETETIONS/AWARDS:
Artist ’23 Award by the Cyprus Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts (2024)
Varna International Ballet Competition (2004, 2006)
Pancyprian Ballet Competition (1st prize) (2005)
Eurovision Young Dancers (representing Cyprus in Poland) (2005)
Genee International Ballet Competition (London) (2005)
Prix de Lausanne (finalist) (2006)

Ioanna Avraam was born in Nicosia, Cyprus and began bαllet lessons at the age of four at Nadina Loizidou school of ballet in Limassol. She continued her studies on scholarship at the Heinz Bosl Stiftung Ballet Academy in Munich, Germany (2006). This scholarship was awarded to her after the final of the Prix de Lausanne world competition in Switzerland (2006). Upon completing her studies and successfully auditioning for the Vienna State Ballet (2008), she chose to live and work there, in one of the world’s most significant ballet companies.

She has progressed through all the ranks of a classical company, reaching the highest position and becoming the first Cypriot to reach such heights. She started as a member of the Corp de Ballet (2008), then progressed to Demi Soloist (2010), then Soloist (2014) and finally was promoted to Principal Dancer (2022). In addition, she is a sought-after guest artist across Europe and beyond, continually inspiring and captivating audiences worldwide with her exceptional artistry and invaluable contributions to the world of ballet.

Ioanna’s extraordinary contributions to ballet have been recognized with numerous prestigious awards, including the Artist ‘23 Award by the Cyprus Academy of Sciences, Letters, and Arts, the Nemitsas Award in 2024 by the Nemitsas Foundation, and the Special Recognition ‘24 Helena Vaz da Silva European Award for Raising Public Awareness on Europe’s Cultural Heritage, presented by the National Centre for Culture in Portugal in collaboration with Europa Nostra. Beyond the stage, Ioanna is dedicated to education and mentorship. She earned her Postgraduate Teaching Certificate from the Royal Academy of Dance in London in 2022 and regularly shares her expertise through teaching and coaching.

REPERTOIRE: Her career includes roles from the classical, neoclassical, and contemporary repertoire.

Title Roles:
• Kitri (Don Quixote) (by Rudolf Nureyev)
• Odette/Odile (Swan Lake) (by Rudolf Nureyev)
• Τatiana (Eugen Onegin) ( by John Cranko)
• Giselle (by Elena Tschernischova)
• The Snowqueen (by Michael Corder)
• Romeo and Juliet (by Davide Bombana)
• Red Giselle (by Boris Eifman)
• L’ Arlesienne (Vivette) (by Roland Petit)
• Le Pavillon d’ Armide (Romola Nijinsky and Armide) (by John Neumeier)
• Ein Reigen (Mathilde Schonberg) (by Antony McDonald and Ashley Page)

Leading Roles:
• Prudence in ‘The lady of the Camelias’ (by John Neumaier)
• Gulnara in “Le Corsaire” (by Manuel Legris)
• Marie Gräfin Larisch in “Mayerling” (by Kenneth MacMillan)
• Lescaut’s lover in “Manon” (by Kenneth MacMillan)
• Helena in “Midsummer Night’s dream” (by Jorma Elo)
• Clémence in “Raymonda” (by Rudolf Nureyev)
• Pas de Cinq in “Swan Lake” (by Rudolf Nureyev)
• Kitri’s friend in “Don Quixote” (by Rudolf Nureyev)
• Luisa in “Nutcracker” (by Rudolf Nureyev)
• Madame Elisabeth in “Marie Antoinette” (by Patrick de Bana)
• Princess Louisa in “Mayerling” (by Kenneth MacMillan)
• Zulmea in “Le Corsaire” (by Manuel Legris)
• Gipsy in “Romeo and Julia (by John Cranko)
• Ingrid the Bride in “Peer Gynt” (by Edward Clug)
• Madame d’Ora in “Ein Reigen” (by Antony McDonald and Ashley Page)
• Small Swan in “ Swanlake” ” (by Rudolf Nureyev)
• Pas de deux in “La Sylphide” (by Pierre Lacotte)
• Peasant pas de deux in “ Giselle” (by Elena Tschernischova)
• Lilac Fairy in “Sleeping Beauty” (by Martin Schläpfer)

Main Roles in:
• “Laurencia” pas de six (by Wachtang Tschabukiani)
• “Flower festival in Genzano” pas de deux (by August Bournoville)
• “La Sylphide” pas de deux (by August Bournoville)
• “La Vivandiere” pas de six (by Pierre Lacotte)
• “Napoli” pas de six (by Pierre Lacotte)
• “Les Syplhides” (by Michel Fokine)
• “La Ventana” (by August Bournoville)
• “La Bayadere” pas de deux from 1st Act (by Rudolf Nureyev)
• “Jeunehomme” (by Uwe Scholz)
• “Skew-Whiff” (by Paul Lightfoot and Sol Leon)
• “A Million kisses to my Skin” (by David Dawson)
• “The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude” (by William Forsythe)
• “The Second Detail” (by William Forsythe)
• “Fool’s Paradise” (by Christopher Wheeldon)
• “Suite en blanc” (by Serge Lifar)
• “Vier letzte Lieder (by Rudi van Dantzig)
• “Bella Figura” (by Jiri Kylian)
• “Before Nightfall” (by Nils Christe)
• “Bach Suit III” (by John Neumeier)
• “Le Sacre” (by John Neumeier)
• “Blaubart’s Geheimnis (by Stephan Thoss)
• “Mozart a 2” (by Thierry Malandain)
• “The Four Seasons” (by Jerome Robbins)
• “Murmuration” (by Edwaard Liang)
• “Concerto” (by Kenneth MacMillan)
• “Glow-Stop” (by Jorma Elo)
• “Coppelia” (Friends) (by Gyula Harangozo)
• “24 Preludes” (by Alexei Radmansky)
• “Pictures of an exhibition” (by Alexei Radmansky)
• “Source of Inspiration” (by Paul Lightfoot and Sol Leon)
• “Goldberg Variationen” (by Heinz Spoerli)
• “Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet” (by George Balanchine)
• “Symhpony of Psalms” (by Jiri Kylian)
• “Ein Deutsches Requiem” (by Martin Schläpfer)
• „Lontano“ (by Martin Schläpfer)
• „Glass Pieces“ (by Jerome Robbins)
• “Symphony of three Movements“ (by George Balanchine)
• “Jewels-Emeralds” (by George Balanchine)
• “Sypmhony in C” (by George Balanchine)
• “Liebeslieder Walzer” (by George Balanchine)
• “Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet” (by George Balanchine)

Solo roles/ Variations in:
• “La Bayadere” (1st, 2nd and 3rd solo of Shades, 3rd Act) (by Marius Petipa)
• “La Bayadere” (Manu-Dance) (by Rudolf Nureyev)
• “Sleeping Beauty” (Fairy of honour) (by Peter Wright)
• “Sleeping Beauty” (Pas de quatre) (by Peter Wright)
• “Nutcracker” (Pastorale, Spanish dance and solo snowflake) (by Rudolf Nureyev)
• “Nutcracker” (solo snowflake and Chinese dance) (by Gyula Harangozo)
• “Swanlake” (Neapolitan dance, Polish dance and Edelftraulein) (by Rudolf Nureyev)
• “Don Quixote” (Solo Bridsmaid) (by Rudolf Nureyev)
• “Raymonda” (Spanish dance) (by Rudolf Nureyev)
• “Paquita” (5th Variation) (by Marius Petipa)

Originated roles in World Premieres:
• “Windspiele” (by Patrick de Bana)
• “Marie Antoinette” (by Patrick de Bana)
• “Contra Clockwise Witness” (Angel) (by Natalia Horecna)
• “Ein Reigen” (Madame d’Ora) (by Antony McDonald and Ashley Page)
• “Blanc” (Sylphide/Shade) (by Daniel Proietto)
• “Movements to Stravin (sky” (1st and 3rd pas de deux) (by András Lukác)
• “Der Feuervogel” (by Andrey Kaydanovskiy)

Corps de ballet in:
• “Etudes” (by Harald Lander)
• “Glass Pieces” (by Jerome Robbins)
• “Rubies” (by George Balanchine)
• “Romeo and Juliet” (by John Cranko)
• “Don Quixote” (by Rudolf Nureyev)
• “Swan Lake” (by Rudolf Nureyev)
• “Swan Lake” (by Vladimir Malakhov)
• “Sleeping Beauty” (by Peter Wright)
• “Nutcracker” (by Rudolf Nureyev)
• “Nutcracker” (by Gyula Harangozo)
• “Giselle” (by Elena Tschernischova)
• “Bayadere” (by Vladimir Malakhov)
• “Onegin” (by John Cranko)
• “La Sylphide” (by Pierre Lacotte)