Intro:
Petya Ivanova is one of Burgas’ favorite ballerinas with a 16-year career on the stage of the city’s State Opera. Today, she passes on her experience and love for dance to the students of the National School of Music and Performing Arts ‘Prof. Pancho Vladigerov’, where she teaches classical ballet. Petya has also worked as a ballet teacher in Leipzig, Germany.
Her specialized education began at the Ballet School of the State Opera Burgas, and continued at the Institut del Theatre in Barcelona; NATFIZ ‘Krastyo Sarafov’; and AMTII ‘Prof. Asen Diamandiev’ in Plovdiv.
Petya is the founder of the ‘Dance Gallery’ space in Burgas.
She is a mother of three boys and an avid cyclist.
When did your love for ballet begin?
“My love was first for dance generally, because both my parents were dancers, and I grew up in that environment. I showed interest and talent in dance from a very young age, so it became obvious that if I wanted to pursue this professionally, I couldn’t continue without classical ballet. Just like a musician who wants to play jazz must first go through classical training, similarly, a dancer must learn classical ballet in order to become a true professional. So, quite late—around fifth or sixth grade—I joined the ballet school attached to the Burgas Opera and enrolled in classical ballet classes. Initially, the idea was that classical ballet would be a temporary step, a necessary phase to reach a high dance level. However, the more I delved into this incredibly difficult art form, the more fascinating it became. Eventually, I almost completely gave up the competitive and other types of dance I practiced, and ballet remained my focus.”
The favorite stage you’ve danced on?
“The Burgas stage! I’ve always felt at home on the opera stage — so cozy and beautiful. When I say the Burgas stage, I don’t mean only the opera stage but also the Summer Theater, the ‘Ohluyva’ (Snail) amphitheater, and all the outdoor venues in the city where we’ve performed. The Burgas audience recognizes and appreciates local artists and has always treated us very well. Moreover, in terms of energy, the Burgas stage is my favorite.”
A stage you have dreamed of?
“When I was very young, I dreamed of Broadway. I really love musicals as a form of stage art. I remember when cable TV channels first started appearing: very late at night one of the cartoon channels would switch to classic movies, showing musicals like West Side Story and The Wizard of Oz. I imagined myself dancing in that kind of format. So yes, Broadway is probably my unfulfilled dream stage.”
An unforgettable moment from your dance career?
“An unforgettable moment in my career was when I danced while pregnant in a performance of Giselle. I was already three or four months along but decided to perform it and then stop.”
Tell us about a current project of yours?
“The project currently close to my heart is something I’ve wanted to do for many years. It’s the new space, ‘Dance Gallery’, where I opened a dance supplies store. Like everything in our art, this is not just a store but a place for experiences, for emotion…. Because for a dancer, for an artist to be themselves and to fully develop their potential, it’s very important to feel comfortable and beautiful. My main goal is to help everyone who has decided to engage with dance in a positive way.
My hope is that this space will gradually develop into a club for communication among people in the arts. I know from colleagues of previous generations that they used to bond a lot together. When a performance ended, and the curtains fell, they didn’t go home immediately but rather gathered to discuss — how a certain scene went, how someone performed a monologue, how the spotlight blinded them and their reaction… or other topics related to literature or visual arts. This exchange of energy, knowledge, and experience from various art forms would greatly enrich every art form and every artist.”
How can young people be attracted to dance?
“Another idea of mine is in this direction — I want to create an information center for young people who have decided to pursue dance professionally. To assist those young dancers who at some point feel this is their path and want to continue professionally. Often, I see they get lost and don’t know where to find opportunities. How to submit applications, where to find training options, masterclasses, auditions for various companies and projects. That’s why I want to develop an information center to support young people who want to engage professionally with dance.”
How would you describe Burgas in one word?
Home
One dream you have for Burgas?
“My dream for Burgas is to have more and more people fall in love with and love the city the way I do. Sometimes I’m accused of seeing things through rose-colored glasses, but honestly, from the perspective of someone who has lived abroad and in other Bulgarian cities, I chose to return to Burgas with my three children, and I believe there’s a good reason for that.
My big dream is for Burgas to offer an aesthetic, beautiful, cultural urban environment that would be one of the steps toward keeping young people here and guiding the city upwards.”
