09/08/2026
Meet the Owner ✨
Ms. Elena's greatest joy is watching her dancers grow—not only in their technique, but in confidence, friendships, and their love of dance. She loves every dancer as if they were her own. With vision, commitment, growth built on foundation and love she continues to pour into SDA and the dancers and families who call it home.
Elena Manakhova (Owner of Salisbury Dance Academy and Artistic Director of The Eastern Shore Ballet Theatre) was born in Chelyabensk, Russia. She began her ballet training at the age of six in Chelyabensk. She studied first with Balentina Khabereva at the Art School. After 3 years of dancing with this Khobereva, Balentina urged Elena’s parents to apply to the world famous Kirov Ballet Academy (Vaganova Academy). Thousands of dancers apply yearly but only about 100 are accepted each year. After 3 extensive tests which include even bone structure at 10 years old, Elena was one of the chosen dancers to eventually be in the 249th graduating class of the Academy. Elena had several years of extensive classical ballet Vaganova style instruction and while there she studied under: Konstantin Sergev and Natalia Dudinskaya, artistic directors for the Academy, Alla Chernova – Professor of Classical Ballet, Irina Trophimova – Professor of Classical Ballet, Robert Gerberk – Professor of Acting, Irina Gensler – Professor of Character (Folk), and Konstantin Desniski – for Pas De Deux (Partnering) Professor.
Each year while at the Academy, she danced with the Kirov Ballet Theater and many other local Ballet Companies. After graduating from Academy with excellence in Ballet, she became principal dancer for the Donestsk Ballet Theater. In 1987 she received the Medal of Honor at the Ukranian International Ballet competition. While at Donetski Ballet Theater, Elena danced with premier dancer Vadim Pisarev. In the nineties, she became prima ballerina with National Ballet of the Republic of Komi.Her career has brought her many performances as prima ballerina in the following ballets: “Swan Lake” – Odette, Odile,“Nutcracker” – Clara, Sugar Plum, Arabian, Snow and Spanish, “Giselle” – Giselle, Myrta, “Chopiniana” – 7th Waltz, Mazurkas, Prelude, “La Silphide” – Silphida, “Bolero”, “Carmen Suite” – Carmen, “Le Corsaire” – Pas d’esclave, “Don-Quixote” – Kitre, Mercides, “Melody G. Blucr, “Dying Swan” – Swan, “Coppelia” – Swanilda, “Spartak”, “Paquita”, “Sleeping Beauty” – Fairys, “Esmeralda” – Esmeralda, “Notre Dame de Paris”, “1001 Arabian Nights” – Mardjana, and many others.
She danced as principal dancer in many ballet companies around Russia. In 1993, Elena came to America and danced with the International Ballet company in New Jersey. She worked and trained under Alla Osipenko (Russian Prima Ballerina – Kirov Ballet) and Irina Kolpakova (Russian Prima Ballerina – Kirov Ballet).Elena also worked and trained under Elena Chernishova, famous Choreographer and Ballet Mistress of the ABT (American Ballet Theatre) who taught and worked with Mikhail Baryshnikov and Leslie Browne (famous ballerina). In the mid-nineties, Elena became a member of the Russian Ballet Theatre of Delaware. While there she worked with Lev Assoulak - Famous Russian teacher & Art Director, Robert La Fosse – Famous Choreographer and principal dancer at ABT and NY City Ballet (he choreographed “Nutcracker” and Rags” for the Russian Ballet Theater), and Daniel Baudendistel - from Joffrey Ballet, choreographer & Principle ballet dancer (he choreographed “Frank Sinatra”, “Pointer Sisters”, “Alcome”, “Gershwin”, “Romeo & Juliet”, and Vive La France” for Russian Ballet Theatre).
Elena was Guest Artist with Eastern Shore Ballet Theatre in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, she danced the roles of “Sugar Plum” in their annual production of “The Nutcracker” and also danced in the “Dying Swan” one of their Spring Galas. Elena became Artistic Director for ESBT in 2001. From that time on she has choreographed many ballet and ballet pieces for ESBT such as: “Nutcracker”, “Coppelia”, “Shopeniana”, “Swan Lake” Acts II and III, “Snow White”, “Paquita”, trio from “Le Carsaire”, “Bolero”, “Pas de Quatre” restaged, “Peter & the “Wolf” restaged, “Red, White & Blue” restaged, “Alice” and “Peter Pan”.
Elena has taught for Salisbury Dance for many years. Her passion of ballet helps her raise serious professional dancers. Now the owner of Salisbury Dance Academy, she is the Ballet Mistress for the upper levels of the Academy and has been the the Artistic Director for the Eastern Shore Ballet Theatre, Inc. since 2017, Elena received her master’s degree in teaching Classical Ballet, Vaganova Style and Choreography from Cheyabinsk State Pedagogical University in Russia.
