Born in White Plains, NY, Sophia Gaponova started studying ballet from a young age at Rye Ballet Conservatory. She then trained for several years at Greenwich Ballet Academy (GBA) before joining the Joffrey Ballet School Trainee Program in NYC, where she also earned a bronze medal at the World Ballet Grand Prix - NY. In 2019, Sophia was accepted into the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow, where she trained under esteemed faculty including Anna Antonicheva, Ekaterina Trunina and Anna Melovatskaya, graduating in June 2024 with a Diploma in the Art of Ballet, with a dual qualification as a professional Ballet Dancer and Ballet Instructor. During the pandemic, Sophia returned to GBA, graduating in June 2021 before returning to her studies at Bolshoi Ballet Academy post pandemic.

Some of her notable performed repertoire in Moscow included the Pas de Deux from Spartacus by L. Yacobson, The Saddened Bird by K. Goleizovski, and the Gypsy Solo from Don Quixote by K. Goleizovski. Her body of work also included classical ballet staples such as Myrta’s Entrance and Coda from Giselle, and the Shades Pas de Trois from La Bayadère. During her years in Moscow, Sophia distinguished herself not only as a performer but as a choreographer. She performed at cultural institutions throughout the city, where she regularly presented her own works in addition to other repertoire. She also brought her original pieces to the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, and from 2023 – 2024, she served as dancer and choreographer at the Theatre Classic of B. Zakhava. Her original work, AXOLOTL, earned her 1st place in the “Art of Choreographer” category at the Allegretto Grazioso Competition in 2022. In her graduating year, she performed this very piece on the Bolshoi Ballet Academy Theatre Stage, where Vera Kulikova, head of the classical department, noticed her choreographic talent and commissioned Sophia to create a new neoclassical piece – AWAKENING – which premiered on the Main Stage of the Sirius Science and Art Park in Sochi, Russia, and was later featured in Bolshoi Ballet Academy’s December 2024 concert.

In 2023, Sophia served as translator at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy’s Summer Intensive in NYC, where she interpreted ballet and character classes for Svetlana Ivanova – the Academy’s chair of character and historical dance. After her graduation, Sophia danced with Ardentía Compañía de Danza in Mexico City, where she performed soloist and corps roles, such as Russian Doll in The Nutcracker. She also worked as an assistant at the Russian Ballet International and participated in Brookyln Ballet’s Incubator. Sophia was shaped by the beloved mentorship of her teachers, who opened the path she continues to follow and gave her the tools to walk it. Though they are no longer by her side, their voices, insight and guidance remain with her. Now based at GBA after being Guest Faculty for GBA’s Summer 2025, she is dedicated to providing her students with the same knowledge, tools, and opportunities that they need to thrive and discover their own path.