Maria Kochetkova is the definition of ingenuity—from her original studio style to her value-driven career moves, she’s paving courageous paths for ballet dancers to take ownership over their roles and relationships with performance art. We chat about exercising autonomy in dance as a profession, the pressing need for female representation in choreography, and how Maria is embracing vulnerability—both on and off stage—to gear up for her “most important work yet,” motherhood. Enjoy! ???Follow Maria Kochetkova: IG: @balletrusse http://mariakochetkova.com/Photo Credit: Frederic Aranda