raque-born Daria Klimentova started gymnastics when she was
only 5. She was immidiately spotted as a future Olympic talent. Fate, however,
blew her elsewhere. At the age of 10 she entered the Prague State Conservatoire
of Music and Dance.
A few years
later she won Paris Dance Foundation award in prestigious "Prix de Lausanne" and
Gold Medal in the "International Ballet Competition in Pretoria".
After graduation Daria was
immediately offered a soloist contract with the National Theatre Ballet Company
in Prague.
Today, she is a
Senior Principal dancer at The English National Opera, lives in West London with
her husband, a theatre producer and director, Ian 'Mup' Comer and daughter
Sabina.
"Healthy, alive
and with people
I love"
When I ask her how she describes herself she says "Busy". I think that "busy" is the best description of her hectic London life.
When her daughter was 3 years old Daria would do class from 10-11.30, then have two or three hours of rehearsals which could be straight after class. "I would then go home to spend some time with Sabina. Later I'd go to the pool or for a run, more exercise! Later I'd work on my photography for up to five hours after my daughter has gone to sleep"
Most of dancers delay having childresn but Daria promised herself to be a mother before she'd turn 30. Did pregnancy change her? Yes and no. Daria was back on stage within 3 months after giving birth. " I actually do feel better since having the baby," she admits. " I am fitter and have more stamina".
indugance
"I love massage! I am never on a diet and I love sleeping"
she cries when I ask about how she treats herself.
Like every woman Daria spends lots of time in the bathroom,
loves to shop in Chiswick and stays loyal to Giorgio Armani. "I love quiet time
any handbag shop!" she ads.
assion
Not only is she a primaballerina, but also a talented
photographer. Her photographs were published by many major titles, such as The
Guardian and The Independent. She was a finalist in the prestigious Channel 4
Y2K Competition and has exhibited at the Photographers Gallery in London.
Many dance organisations,
including English National Ballet, frequently use her pictures and Daria also
publishes the official English National Ballet Calendar herself.
Althought she is a perfectionist, Daria has a few embarrassing stories to tell. She well remembers falling over in the Swan Lake during the Australian tour:
I did a triple pirouette
and suddenly I was sitting
on my bum"
“I did a triple pirouette and suddenly I was sitting on my bum in the tutu. I don't know how. I just start to laugh and it was terrible. But they loved it and I suddenly had everybody on my side”
Another time, at the RFH in London I was performing the Nutcracker with a rather bold dancer, who decided to wear a wig to hide it. I was wearing a large tiara and during the pas de deux it got tangled up with his hair piece. He started to panic and ripped off my hair piece (and tiara) to try to save his wig. He left me on stage with everything hanging around my waist while he was in the wings checking if his wig was OK! Can you belive it?"
Daria's repertoire encapsulates all the major classical ballet roles. She has performed all over the world, but Prague remains her favourite place to work.
Unsurprisingly, Klimentova is very popular in her home country where she earned two documentaries on her life, as a dancer and teacher.
It's fair to name her a true renaissance lady. She is an acclaimed photographer, ballerina and ballet instructor. With all the great things happening to her, she stays very down to Earth. When I ask her where she would like to be in 10 years, she says: "Healthy, alive and with people I love" .
Daria's performances: