Choreographers like Mark Morris and Liam Scarlett have praised Gennadi for mentoring younger dancers, offering thoughtful feedback that has elevated their performances. His exacting yet approachable demeanor and focus on teamwork has made him an ideal stager for Yuri Possokhov’s Classical Symphony. He has traveled the world setting this ballet on various companies, which is how he first met the dancers of Atlanta Ballet in 2014. He found the dancers hardworking, humble, and willing to learn. He developed a great synergy with them in the studio that translated to a magnificent performance. It was such a great experience that when Atlanta Ballet was searching for a new artistic director, he chose to retire from the stage prematurely to pursue the opportunity. Gennadi describes his work mentoring dancers and helping them achieve their full potential as one of the most rewarding experiences of his role as artistic director.
