A young South African dancer has written herself into the history books!
South Africa (03 July 2026) – Candice Desilets has become the first South African to graduate from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia – one of the most prestigious and respected ballet institutions on the planet!
The milestone is nearly three centuries in the making for the school, and one that has never before been reached by a dancer from our shores…
Candice’s ballet journey began at home in South Africa, training at the Russian School of Ballet’s Parkhurst studios before she set off to chase her dream on the other side of the world.
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The school is bursting with pride in Desilets.
“Candice’s achievement is a testament to years of dedication, resilience, and artistic excellence. She has not only reached an extraordinary personal milestone but has also paved the way for future generations of South African dancers to dream bigger and aim higher,” the ballet academy shared in a statement celebrating her graduation.
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“…And finally we’ve passed our graduating exam…despite having two fractures in my leg and dancing the exam with broken bones, i’m so happy and grateful to have made it through,” she shared.
Vaganova Academy is one of the oldest and most highly regarded ballet schools in the world. Over the centuries it has produced some of the biggest names in dance history, including Anna Pavlova, Rudolf Nureyev, Mikhail Baryshnikov and George Balanchine.
Getting in is no small feat – thousands of hopefuls apply each year, only around 70 are accepted, and just a handful actually make it all the way through to graduation. Candice is now one of them!
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