Boston Ballet Principal Dancer Lasha Khozashvili to Retire After 16 Seasons

Boston Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen has announced the retirement of Principal Dancer Lasha Khozashvili. After 16 seasons with the Company, Khozashvili's final performance will be on June 7 as Prince Desire in Marius Petipa's The Sleeping Beauty.

“It has been my honor to witness Lasha's extraordinary career with Boston Ballet. Since joining the Company in 2010, he has left an indelible mark on our repertoire through his remarkable artistry, commanding Stage Presence, and versatility. He will be deeply missed, and I congratulate him on an outstanding performing career," said Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen.

“I am filled with gratitude as I reflect on my career with Boston Ballet,” said Lasha Khozashvili. “For 16 seasons, this Company has given me countless opportunities to grow as an artist and perform some of the most meaningful roles of my career. This entire journey has taught me perseverance, humility, and the importance of never backing down. I will always carry the support of this community with me and feel proud to have shared such a large part of my life with Boston Ballet.”

Khozashvili trained at the Vakhtang Chabukiani Tbilisi Ballet Art State School from 1994 to 2002. He then joined the Tbilisi Z. Paliashvili Opera and Ballet State Theatre, where he was a leading soloist, and also appeared with the State Ballet of Georgia. From 2009 to 2010, he was a principal dancer with Samsun Opera and Ballet Theater in Turkey.

Khozashvili has danced a myriad of principal roles, including Rudolf Nureyev's Don Quixote (Basilio), Marius Petipa's The Sleeping Beauty (Prince Desire), Frederick Ashton's Cinderella (Prince), Florence Clerc's La Bayadère (Solor), John Cranko's Onegin (Onegin) and Romeo & Juliet (Romeo), John Neumeier's Third Symphony of Gustav Mahler, Jean-Christophe Maillot's Roméo et Juliette (Tybalt), Mikko Nissinen's Raymonda, The Nutcracker and Swan Lake (Prince Siegfried and Von Rothbart), Ivan Liška's Le Corsaire (Conrad), Vakhtang Chabukiani's Othello, Val Caniparoli's Lady of the Camellias (Armand), Jorma Elo's Bach Cello Suites, Le Sacre du Printemps, Carmen, and Elo Experience, William Forsythe's Artifact 2017, Jiří Kylián's Wings of Wax, Petite Mort, Bella Figura, and Symphony of Psalms, José Martinez's Resonance, Wayne McGregor's Chroma, Christopher Wheeldon's Polyphonia, and George Balanchine's Apollo, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Kammermusik No. 2, Symphony in C, Symphony in Three Movements, Episodes, Theme and Variations, Serenade, Jewels, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Mozartiana, Duo Concertant, and Chaconne.

His repertoire also includes Ashton's La Fille mal gardée (Colas) and The Two Pigeons (The Young Painter), Mehmet Balkan's Mevlana'dan Çağrı (Shems), August Bournonville's The Flower Festival in Genzano, Alexei Fadeyechev's Giselle (Albrecht), Philip Kohen's Bizet Variations, Nugzar Magalashvili's Laurencia (Mengo, Frondoso), and 1001 Nights (Shahriar); Trey McIntyre's Second Before the Ground, Helen Pickett's Layli o Majnun, Yuri Possokhov's Sagalobeli, Sergei Ratmansky's Dreams About Japan and Leah; Stanton Welch's Green, and Petr Zuska's D.M.J. 1953–1977.

Khozashvili's dancing has been described by the Los Angeles Times as “gorgeous” with “youth, charm and spontaneity gilding the choreography and making it seem inspired improvisation.” Ballet Dance Magazine called him “the most sophisticated male in the [State Ballet of Georgia] company.” He was awarded the Gilbert Albert and Nina Ananiashvili International Prize “Star” in 2008. Khozashvili also took part in the State Ballet of Georgia's American tour in 2007 and 2008, and Japan tour in 2007. He also performed at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, dancing in leading roles in Swan Lake, Don Quixote, and George Balanchine's Mozartiana and Duo Concertant.

Khozashvili joined Boston Ballet as a principal dancer in 2010.

For tickets to his final performance, visit bostonballet.org.

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