The Golden Age of Russian dance, music and art was dramatically impacted by the seminal figure Oleg Vinogradov. Vinogradov modernized Russian ballet, brought the Kirov-Mariinsky Ballet Theatre back to world renown, and tore down artificial East-West walls by bringing the choreography of artists such as Balanchine, Bournonville, and Béjart to Russia. During Glasnost, as communism gave way to capitalism, Vinogradov plunged into the resulting artistic freedom. Now Artistic Director of the Ballet Theater and Dean of the Department of Musical Theater at St. Petersburg’s Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory, Vinogradov speaks about the celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the prestigious conservatory and Russia’s modern dance history.