Pevnev retired from his position as principal dancer with WA Ballet late last year and has wasted no time turning his attention to a relatively newfound passion: teaching.
“I started to teach mostly privately around four years ago while I was still dancing,” he said.
“I really enjoyed it and loved seeing the impact I made on the students who are now working in companies and getting good roles.
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READ NOW“I have this gift to pass on and I’m really excited to make this transition from the stage to the school.”
Joined by his wife and fellow former ballet dancer Fiona Pevneva, Pevnev has assumed control of Myaree-based Academie Etoiles.
The school has been renamed Pevnev Ballet Academy and already caters to more than 100 students ranging in age from two-and-a-half years to 18.
Pevnev spent eight years training full-time at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in Russia before moving to Perth in 13 years ago.
“I received a phone call from WA Ballet one day in 2003 because they were looking for guest dancers from Russia to perform one of the Russian choreographies,” he said.
“I never looked back because there are so many opportunities to dance in a wide variety of roles here.
“All the leading roles that I dreamed of I have now had a chance to dance and so for a while now I’ve been dreaming about starting a school.”
Pevnev’s goal is to bring the traditional, classical Vaganova teaching method to Perth.
“As well as Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) syllabus we will also offer the Russian Vaganova teaching method,” he said.
“Where RAD is a more examination-based syllabus, Vaganova is a teaching method where you really go into the details of every step.
“It is what I was brought up with from the age of 10 and so it is in my bones, brain and blood.”