Burduja Irina

About

Irina Burduja, born in Chișinău, Republic of Moldova, discovered her passion for ballet at the age of seven and graduated from the State Dance Conservatory of Moldova between 1998 and 2009, continuing her studies at the Prague Dance Conservatory in 2009–2010. Already during her school years, she won important awards, such as first place at the International Dance Competition of Ukraine in 2007 and an honorable mention at the Brno International Ballet Competition in 2009. Her professional career began in 2010 as a member of the Prague State Opera ensemble, and from the 2012/2013 season she joined the Czech National Ballet in Prague, where she was promoted to demi-soloist in 2015, soloist in April 2021, and first soloist in February 2022, due to her exceptional performance of the title role in John Cranko's "Romeo and Juliet". As a first soloist of the Czech National Ballet, Irina Burduja excels in roles that highlight her delicate, young, and attractive appearance, making her ideal for characters of young girls. She was nominated for the Thalia Award in 2020 for her role as Olga in Cranko's "Onegin", being praised for her impeccable technique combined with a playful ease, and received the Director of the National Theatre Award for artists under 35 in 2022. Her repertoire includes roles such as Cupid and Kitri's friend in "Don Quixote", Clara and the Chinese dancer in "The Nutcracker", Gamzatti in "La Bayadère", dances from "Swan Lake", the Blind Witch and Volante in "Sleeping Beauty", as well as modern productions like Alexander Ekman's "Cacti" or George Balanchine's "Serenade". Currently, Irina Burduja is on maternity leave, continuing to be an example of success for Moldovan dancers abroad, alongside compatriots such as Alina Nanu from the same ensemble. Her career in the Czech Republic highlights her dedication to classical and neoclassical ballet, contributing to the promotion of talent from the Republic of Moldova on major international stages.