19, 20 Feb 2005. In The Nutcracker, choreography by Vassilij Vainonen. This is the oldest ballet academy in Russia and was founded in 1738 in St Petersburg by the legendary Agrippina Vaganova, who laid down what is still considered to be one of the pillars for the teaching of classical ballet. The historic academys founders and collaborators are some of the worlds greatest choreographers and dancers, from Petipa to Cecchetti, from Fokine to Nijinsky, from Balanchine to Nureyev and Baryshnikov. The academy is currently on an Italian tour featuring a group of its pupils who promise to become the stars of tomorrow.