Today's guest is Yorkshire-born ballet dancer Xander Parish, who made history as the first British dancer to join the illustrious Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg back in 2010.He is now a principal dancer at one of the most famous ballet companies in the world and was awarded an OBE for his services, both to dance and British-Russian cultural relations.Xander’s life in Russia has a storybook quality and not just because St. Petersburg is a city of jewel box coloured palaces – his repertoire includes romantic roles such as Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty’s Prince Désiré and our favourite star-crossed lover, Romeo.Xander’s insights into St. Petersburg offer a treasure trove of cultural delights. Beyond Russia, he has performed gravity-defying leaps in some of the most magical places around the globe.  XANDER PARISH’S CULTURE GUIDESwan Lake (ballet) choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, and music by Pyotr Ilyich TchaikovskyNutcracker (ballet) choreography by Marius Petipa, and music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky DESTINATION INSPIRATIONThe Algarve, PortugalYorkshire, EnglandSt. PetersburgThe Mariinksy TheatreYusupov Palace The HermitageFabergé MuseumSadko Restaurant, St. PetersburgShapki, RussiaHavana, CubaGran Teatro de la HabanaThe Odeon of Herodes Atticus, AthensPositanoLi Galli Islands (the ‘dance island’), ItalyIf you enjoyed this episode, please be sure to subscribe, rate and review so others can discover this podcast as well. If you’re looking for some more travel inspiration, you can find me on Instagram @escape.artist.podcast or visit www.escapeartistpodcast.comSee you next week for another episode of The Escape Artist!Xx Edwina(Music by the talented Giselle Rosselli)  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.