WHY CHOOSE JULIA’S ACADEMY OF DANCE?
• Our instructors are qualified, cheerful, enthusiastic and encouraging!
• Our ballet program is based upon the classical, Russian Vaganova Method.
• Our leveled ballet classes are designed to train dancers who exemplify Vaganova technique with delicate and expressive arms, flexibility, strength and endurance.
• Your Dancer will receive proper training and discipline from the very beginning in our foundational classes continuing up to our professional level classes.
• Our program for dancers focuses on developing not only their dance technique, but also personal
discipline, respect for others, unity with their classmates and finding joy through dance.
• While we are a ballet-focused studio, we offer a variety of dance styles to broaden your dancer's horizons
• We never schedule practices or performances on Sundays so our dancers always have Sundays
free for family.
• All costumes and class-wear are modest and age appropriate, with no bare midriffs.
• Our studio is a family that works, grows and celebrates together
JULIA'S DANCE ACADEMY HISTORY
Julia's Dance Academy is a family-friendly dance studio in Norman,
OK. It was founded in 2009 by Peter and Yulia Zhmutski.
JULIA'S AWARDS AND HONORS:
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"Studio of the Year" Destined 2 Dance Competition 2009.
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"Best Technical Ballet Instructor" Destined 2 Dance Competition 2009.
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"Best Foreign and Cultural Dance" Destined 2 Dance Competition 2009.
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Official home of The Sooner Dance Company of the University of Oklahoma 2010-2014.
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Home studio of the world renowned Moscow Ballet and The Great Russian Nutcracker 2015-present
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1st Place Choreography and Video "Dove of Peace" Moscow Ballet 2018
2015
HALL OF FAME DANCE CHALLENGE:
FOUR 1ST
PLACE GOLD AWARDS
HIGH GOLD AWARD
JUDGES CHOICE AWARD
ENCORE:
HIGH GOLD AWARD
OK-LA SHOWCASE:
HIGH GOLD AWARD
2016
HALL OF FAME DANCE CHALLENGE:
FOUR 1ST PLACE
HIGH GOLD AWARDS
JUDGES CHOICE AWARD
ODYSSEY:
FOUR GOLD AWARDS
TWO PLATINUM AWARDS
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2017
ENCORE:
TWO HIGH
GOLD AWARDS
TREMAINE:
THREE 1ST
PLACE AWARDS
THREE 2ND
PLACE AWARDS
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2018
HALL OF FAME DANCE CHALLENGE:
TWELVE 1ST PLACE
HIGH GOLD AWARDS
TWO HIGH GOLD AWARDS
TWO HIGH SCORE AWARDS
TWO TOP SCORE AWARDS
JUDGES CHOICE AWARD
Encore :
Five Platinum Awards
Four Ultra High Gold Awards
Overall 4th, 8th, 9th and 10th Senior Duo/Trios
Tremaine:
Three 1st Place
Four 2nd Place
Two 3rd Place
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ABOUT YULIA
Yulia Zhmutski founded Julia’s Dance Academy in 2009 out of a desire to share her passion for dance with the Norman community. Yulia received professional training in Russian classical ballet, more specifically the Vaganova Method, at the National School of Dance & Choreography in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
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In 2014 Yulia partnered with the world-renowned Moscow Ballet. Every year Julia's Dance Academy and Moscow ballet put on The Great Russian Nutcracker in Oklahoma. This opportunity is invaluable. It gives Yulia's students an opportunity to experience what it is like to be a part of a professional company, while working with a traditional, original piece.
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Yulia is certified in Progressing Ballet Technique, a revolutionary program that enhances ballet technique in dancers. She helps students to understand how training muscle memory will help them to achieve their personal best in classical ballet.
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Yulia enjoys using new, modern technique, incorporating it with traditional methods, in order to change things up and create her own style. She believes that every single person should have a chance to learn how to dance, without exception.
By instilling teamwork, creativity and communication skills in her students, Yulia aims to create an environment where students from all backgrounds and walks of life feel welcome, encouraged, and excited!
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Each spring Julia’s Dance Academy puts on a recital and its students work all year to prepare for the show. These recitals are near and dear to Yulia’s heart. They showcase both the talents and the passion of every dancer here at Julia’s. Every year Yulia's goal is to tell a different but unique and inspiring story that makes the audience feel like they're a part of the show.
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Over the years, Yulia has taken dozens of students to both local and national competitions. She is proud to see almost all of them attain high gold, platinum, and first place awards and scholarships at Hall of Fame, Encore and Tremaine among others.
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Yulia strives to bring happiness and freedom through dance classes to every person who signs up for a class!
ABOUT PETER
Peter Zhmutski was born in the former Soviet Union, in what is today the country of Kazakhstan.
Zhmutski came to the United States of America in 1998. He has a Magna Cum Laude Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcasting and Master’s Degree in Professional Writing from the University of Oklahoma. He has worked in theatre for many years directing, acting and producing plays and musicals. He’s been a judge on multiple local, national and international talent shows and pageants.
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In 2018 Peter produced the largest flash mob in Kazakhstan, which included internationally renowned choreographers and performers. At Julia’s Academy, Peter coaches premeditative stretching and acting classes for dancers.
Peter is best known for his works in the film industry. In the past 22 years he’s worked both, in front & behind the camera. Because of his numerous international film merits & awards, the United States government has acknowledged Peter as “an extraordinary filmmaker” & granted him citizenship for contributing his talents into the American film industry.
Peter has worked on 25 motion pictures, mostly as a director, producer & actor. Most of Peter’s films have earned prestigious International Film Festival Awards. Some of them played in theatres worldwide, got picked up by major American TV Networks, distributed on Netflix, Amazon, On Demand, as well as sold on DVD/Blu-Ray media around the globe in different languages.
While residing in Oklahoma, in 2015 Peter produced a Russian/American picture “Ratpocalypse”, which was picked up by the Showtime network. “Ratpocalypse” was the first 3D film shot in Oklahoma, starring Casper Van Dien & Catherine Oxenberg.
In 2017 Peter produced a theatrical feature film “Diamond Cartel”, directed by Salamat Mukhammed-Ali and starring Armand Assante, Peter O’Toole, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Michael Madsen, Tommy Lister, Bolo Yeung, Don “The Dragon” Wilson, and Oliver Gruner. The movie received a theatrical release in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Kazakhstan and topped the Kazakh Box Office.
Currently Peter makes music, films and develops virtual reality technologies and content. He is writing and producing a ballet project called “The Master of Time”. It’s a new form of performance art where classical ballet meets the modern visual technologies of virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality. As you probably know, ballet is dying as an industry. This project is an effort to reform the industry and preserve the art. “Master of Time” combines classical dance with stunning visuals to tell a truly captivating story. A colorful production with sophisticated, innovative technologies will appeal to a younger audience and keep them engaged.