Ksenya Litvak, D.F.A

 

EDUCATION

D.F.A        Doctor of Fine Arts, State Academy of Theatre Arts, Department of Puppet Theatre, St. Petersburg, Russia. Post-graduate studies with concentration in psychology and methodology of teaching.

MFA         Master of Fine Arts, State Academy of Theatre Arts, Department of Puppet Theatre, St. Petersburg, Russia. MFA in Studio Art and Theatre with concentration in puppet theatre design for children, Diploma with Honors.

BFA          Bachalor of Fine Arts, State College for Theatrical and Fine Arts, Odessa, Ukraine. BFA in Theatre. Diploma With Honors.
 

CAREER

Since 2005 Commonwealth Academy, Alexandria, VA.
Art Teacher. Fine art (sculpture, painting, collage, graphic arts, composition), performance and art history classes for middle and high school students.

 

Since 2007 Elf Theatre, Washington, DC

                  Founder and Artistic Director

Since 2001 Artichoke Art Studio, Gaithersburg, MD.
Founder and Director. Professional art studio for students from age 5 to 18. Classes include painting, sculpture, collage, puppet-making and printmaking.

1999-2007Classika Theatre and Art Studio, Arlington, VA.
Director of Fine Art Programs (2002-2007), Art Instructor, Resident Puppet and Stage Designer. Fine art, craft and theatre classes for children of elementary and middle school ages. Directed ArtSmarts, Classika’s art outreach program designed for disadvantaged children from Arlington County Public Schools (under Title I) and funded by special federal grant. Directed Classika’s summer camps and workshops. As a Resident Designer, designed sets, costumes and puppets for 3 to 6 main stage shows per season and some traveling productions.

2000-2002 Within Sight, Inc. “Art for All” Project, Arlington, VA. Art Teacher.
The program was designed to help autistic children through art. Included regular visual art classes, which integrated painting, sculpture and elements of puppet performance in order to help severely disabled children communicate and express themselves.

1999-2002  The Art League School, Alexandria, VA. Art Instructor.
Conducted puppet-making workshops; also run summer art craft classes for children ranging from 4 to 13 years old for the ALS summer camp program.

1999-2001 Parparim Preschool (Jewish Community Center of the District of Columbia). Art Teacher.

1997-1999 Adain Lo Day School, St. Petersburg, Russia. Art Teacher.
Was responsible for the art program, with art classes (painting, sculpture, and puppet-making) conducted for pupils aged between 4 and 7; organized weekly performances, theatrical games, conducted regular excursions and art history classes at museums and art galleries.

1994-1999 St. Petersburg State Classical Gymnasia, St. Petersburg, Russia. Art Teacher.
Taught painting, drawing, sculpture, scenic and puppetry design, art history to students of middle- and high-school age. Also was responsible for design and production of costumes and scenery for the school theatre. Developed a conceptual program for teaching Fine Arts at a Classical School (the Gymnasia puts heavy curricular emphasis on humanitarian disciplines, fine art and languages – Ancient Greek and Latin in particular). The program has been officially certified by the Committee for Arts’ Education at the Russia’s Ministry of Secondary Education.

1996-1999 Jewish Community Center for Fine Art and Crafts, St. Petersburg, Russia. Art Director. Supervised and conducted the Center’s creative activities for children and adults. Directed puppet design and production classes for the Puppet Theatre Studio; art direction, exhibit design for The St. Petersburg Holocaust Survivors Museum.

1998-1999 Special Gymnasia for Kids, St. Petersburg, Russia. Part-Time Art Teacher.

 

                  PRINCIPAL WORKS FOR THEATRE

2006          Mother Goose and Her Puppet Friends (puppets, sets, costume design).
National Theatre, Washington, DC.
The Snow Queen (puppets, sets, costume design). Classika Theatre, Arlington, VA.

2005          The Ugly Duckling (puppets, sets, costume design). Classika Theatre, Arlington, VA.
Tales From Around the World (puppets, sets, costume design).
Classika Theatre, Arlington, VA.

2004          Buratino (puppets, sets). Classika-Synetic Theatre, Arlington, VA.
Jinni (sets, costume design). Classika Theatre, Arlington, VA.
Uncle Vanya (sets, costume design). Classika Theatre, Arlington, VA.
Amazing Adventures (sets, costume design). Classika Theatre, Arlington, VA.

2003          The Tale of the Golden Fish (puppets, sets, costume design). Classika-Synetic Theatre, Arlington, VA.
Carlson Who Lives on the Roof (sets, costumes). Classika Theatre, Arlington, VA.
The Sleeping Beauty (puppets, sets, costume design). Classika Theatre, Arlington, VA.

2002          Thumbelina (puppets, sets, costume design), Classika Theatre, Arlington, VA.
That Old Fairy Tale (sets, costume design), Classika Theatre, Arlington, VA.
Mirandolina (costume design), Classika Theatre, Arlington, VA.
Legends of the East (sets, costume design), Classika Theatre, Arlington, VA.

2001          Little Prince (costume design), Classika Theatre, Arlington, VA.
The Little Red Riding Hood (puppets, sets, costume design), Classika Theatre, Arlington, VA.

2000          The Princess on a Pea (puppets, sets, costume design), Classika Theatre, Arlington, VA.
Moonflower (puppets, sets, costume design), Classika Theatre, Arlington, VA.

1999          Alladin and Princess Budur (set and costume design), Classika Theatre, Arlington, VA.
Witches’ Lullaby (set design), Adventure Theatre, Glen Echo, MD.
Aesop’s Fables (set and costume design), Classika Theatre, Arlington, VA.

1998          Plikh and Plukh (puppets, scenery). St. Petersburg, Russia.
The Hanukkah Legend (puppets, sets, costume design). Jewish Art Center. St. Petersburg, Russia.

1997          The Cow Musical (puppets). The State Puppet Theatre, St. Petersburg, Russia.
Purimspiel  (puppets, sets, costume design). Jewish Art Center. St. Petersburg, Russia.

1996          Perrot’s Fairy Tales (puppets, set design). Tver State Puppet Theatre, Tver, Russia.

1993          The Little Princess (puppets, set design). Izhevsk State Puppet Theatre, Izhevsk, Russia.
The Hound of Baskervilles (puppets, set and costume design). The State Academy of Theatre Arts Puppet Theatre, St. Petersburg, Russia.

1992           Treasures of Bakhram (puppets). Brodyachaya Sobachka Puppet Theatre,
                   St. Petersburg, Russia.

 

                  PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Since 1993 Member of the Russian Union of Artists

Since 1995 Member of the Russian Theatrical Union

 

                  PRINCIPAL EXHIBITIONS

2004, 2002 Avangarde Gallery. Washington, DC.

1999          Galerie Claude Bessard. Paris, France.

                  Manezh’99. St. Petersburg, Russia.

                  Male Formy Grafiki. Lodz, Poland.

1998          Manezh ‘98. St. Petersburg, Russia.

1997          St. Petersburg Theatre Arts Aacademy, St. Petersburg, Russia.

                        Exlibrisweltstrijd. Damme, Belgium.

1995          Manezh ‘95. St. Petersburg, Russia.