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I have always been a lover of opera. I grew up seeing the great operas in St. Petersburg, Russia, and fell in love with the elaborate sets, beautiful music and dramatic stories I saw on the stage.

When I moved to Chicago seven years, ago I immediately became a season ticket holder at the Lyric Opera of Chicago so I could continue to see high-level productions in my own city.

Last spring, I joined the Lyric Opera’s Junior Board as a way to give back to this historic institution, and this month, I am pleased to announce that the Lyric has selected me to be a member of their Guild Board. I am thrilled to be able to contribute even more to an organization that is such a vital member of the Chicago arts community.

As a member of the Lyric’s Junior Board, I helped to support the Lyric by serving as the Junior Board chairperson for the annual Fantasy of the Opera gala, and by serving as a tour guide during the Backstage Tour fundraising event.

I am delighted to be part of this esteemed organization, and I look forward to continuing to support initiatives that will help keep opera a viable art form for generations to come.

Lunch featuring traditional cuisine of Luxembourg

On April 22 and 23, I traveled to the European city of Luxembourg to attend the Global Russia Business Meeting.

Luxembourg is one of the financial capitals of the European Union, and has recently hosted several similar forums designed to expand business partnerships with the Middle East, China and India.

At this forum, more than 400 business leaders from around the world gathered to learn more about the economic benefits of partnering with Russian companies. Both Russians and non-Russians in a variety of fields including information technology, bio tech, manufacturing, and more met to discuss ways that they could work together.

Several high-level dignitaries spoke during the event, including Crown Prince Guillaume, who welcomed the attendees during the opening ceremony, and Igor Manylov, the Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia.

I passionately believe that world peace can be achieved as more nations foster economic connections around the globe, and it was inspiring to see how many influential business leaders are interested in building bridges with Russia. I hope the seminar leads to more successful business partnerships around the world!

Aleksandra Efimova with Michael McFaul, the U.S. Ambassador to Russia

CSO conductor Ricardo Muti and Michael McFaul, the U.S. Ambassador to Russia

Moscow Green Building Forum

Aleksandra Efimova with Rashid Ismailov and Sam Scott

I just returned from an amazing trip where I had the privilege of both traveling with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to their first visit to Russia since 1990, as well as promoting Chicago to Russian businesses.

I was part of a delegation of seven people from World Business Chicago and Chicago Sister Cities International who accompanied conductor Riccardo Muti and 180 orchestra members on this historic cultural exchange.

By partnering with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, our delegation’s goal was to promote Chicago as a desirable location for Russian businesses and strengthen Chicago’s ties with Moscow.

When we arrived in Moscow on April 14, my delegation and I started by meeting with representatives from environmentally friendly construction companies and other private businesses to tell them about the upcoming Green Building Business Forum, which I am organizing with the Moscow Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International, taking place June 13-14 in Chicago.

Chicago is world-renown for its commitment to green building, and we are excited to share our knowledge and expertise with Russian companies who are also looking for ways to save energy costs and help the environment.

Later that night, Michael McFaul, the U.S. Ambassador to Russia, welcomed us to a reception at his house where a small quartet from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performed for the guests.

Over the next few days, we met with several Russian companies that are interested in opening offices in the United States, championing Chicago as an ideal location investing because it’s dynamic, cosmopolitan and forward-thinking.

We also met with American companies who have Russian divisions, including General Motors and Nike, at a reception held by the American Chamber of Commerce in Moscow, which promotes collaboration between both countries.

We concluded our groundbreaking trip by hosting a dinner and presentation on Chicago’s business advantages to Moscow business leaders, including 50 green building companies, at the residence of the John McCaslin, the U.S. Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs, followed by an outstanding performance by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Moscow Conservatory.

I am so proud of what were able to accomplish during this trip, and I hope we planted the seed for new business growth in Chicago and Russia in the years to come.

"Miss Debbie" and her student, Allison, at the Russian Pointe Dance Boutique.

When some people have spring break, they have their sights set on going on a cruise or relaxing in sunny Mexico.

But when Debbie Almohandis, a dance teacher and dancewear store manager in Tulsa, OK, realized she and one of her favorite students had spring break the same week, she knew where she wanted to go: The Russian Pointe Dance Boutique.

Ms. Almohandis and her student, Allison Soper, 18, and Allison’s mother all flew to Chicago and were so excited to visit Russian Pointe’s flagship store on Michigan Avenue.

Ms. Almohandis, who is the manager of Quest Dance Shop in Tulsa and teaches ballet at Footprints Dance Studio, says she has been a loyal Russian Pointe customer ever since she was introduced to the shoes more than 10 years ago.

“I have danced all of my life… and I still cannot find another shoe on the market that compares to their shoes,” she says. “They are truly some of the best handcrafted shoes that I have had on my feet.”

Ms. Almohandis says she loves the demi-flex shanks, which are excellent in helping dancers break in their shoes, and she says almost all of her dancers wear Russian Pointe shoes exclusively.

When the three arrived at the store, they were impressed with the elegant boutique and expert shoe fitting they received, and Ms. Almohandis bought Allison a new pair of Brava pointe shoes as a parting gift.

“We had a wonderful time meeting all of you face to face!” Ms. Almohandis says. “You have a lovely boutique, and I would make the trip all over again tomorrow if time permitted!”

Glenda Ward, owner of Prima Dance in Laurel, MD

Glenda Ward, owner of Prima Dancewear in Laurel, MD, is a huge fan of Russian Pointe® shoes.  “We love the quality and also the ability to customize the shoe to suit a variety of needs,” she says.

In 2007, Ward bought Prima Dancewear, which had been in business in Laurel for more than 20 years.

At the time, Ward, an IT consultant, had a dance background but didn’t know much about fitting pointe shoes. So in 2008, she flew to Chicago to attend a retailer seminar at the Russian Pointe Dance Boutique, where she enjoyed dinner with Aleksandra and went through an extensive training
session learning all about Russian Pointe’s signature method of fitting pointe shoes.

Ward said the expert training she received at Russian Pointe® was invaluable. “It’s definitely a fine art, which is why we appreciated Russian
Pointe,” she says.

It’s hard to diagnose how pointe shoes fit on dancers who have never worn them before, but Ward says Russian Pointe® makes it easy by suggesting ways to explain proper fit to customers. “We got general tips to help them articulate how it should fit,” she says.

Ward also appreciates the comprehensive training materials the company provides, which she uses to train her staff.

Today, Prima Dancewear sells all of the basic clothes and shoes required for ballet, tap, jazz and modern, as well as a small supply of cheerleading and gymnastics apparel. In addition, Prima Dancewear specializes in liturgical dance — a popular activity in her community, which is home to
many large churches.

Ward, herself, is involved in the dance ministry at her church, and she both teaches and performs with her church’s dance group.

“It’s a perfect opportunity to use a love and a passion to worship,” she says.

Growing Through Arts® is expanding again! This time, we are translating all of our storybooks into Russian, so that all of the Russian-speaking children in the United States can enjoy these charming, educational books.

According to the American Association for Russian Language, Culture and Education, there are 5.5 million Russian-speaking people in the Unites States. To me, it is important to serve this population, which has such a strong cultural background in music, ballet and other art forms, and to continue to support arts education and increased connections between the United States and Russia.

To launch the new versions of the books, we recently had a photo shoot at the Russian Pointe Dance Boutique where we invited 14 Eastern European children to play with the books and toys and get dressed up in the matching Growing Through Arts® tutus, tights and leotards!

The kids loved playing with the books and toys, and it was so wonderful to hear the boutique filled with shrieks of laughter all day long. I almost felt as if I were a child myself.

One of the boys who came to the photo shoot, Nick, loved his Music Series Alphabet so much that he stuck the characters to the window in the car and made up six different versions of the books on the way home.

Thank you to the parents who brought their children to the boutique for this very special experience!

We plan on unveiling the new Russian versions of the Ballet Series and Music Series storybooks, as well as the Ballet and Music Series Alphabet Sets, at the Russian Cultural Center in Washington, D.C., on June 6, in celebration of Russia Day, the national holiday of Russia.

The Russian versions of the books and toys are scheduled to arrive in stores at the beginning of June. To pre-order your copies today, please call 312-332-7200 ext. 505.

On March 28, I had the pleasure of welcoming dance legend Homer Bryant to the Russian Pointe Dance Boutique.

A former principal dancer with the world renowned Dance Theater of Harlem, Mr. Bryant has run the Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center for more than 20 years. He founded the Bryant Ballet School and Company in 1990 with the mission of integrating classical ballet technique with hip-hop and other diverse dance styles to honor our multicultural heritage.

Mr. Bryant has trained President Obama’s daughters, Sasha and Malia, as well as dancers who have gone on to perform with the Joffrey Ballet, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, in the Lion King on Broadway and more.

On March 31, Mr. Bryant left for a two-week trip to Moscow and St. Petersburg where he will be teaching classes at the Moscow School of Ballet, the Bolshoi Ballet, the Kirov Ballet and the Vaganova School of Ballet.

It’s wonderful that an American dance icon, such as Mr. Bryant, will be taking his unique approach to dance and sharing it with dancers in Russia, creating more cultural connections between both countries. I hope his experiences in Russia serve as inspiration for his upcoming choreography for his students!

A boy plays with the Ballet Series Alphabet Set at Dance Universe in Joplin, MO.

On May 22, 2011, Joplin, MO, was hit by a massive tornado that leveled most of the town – including the only dancewear store around for miles.

So in October 2011, Kelly Musick took it upon herself to open a new store, Dance Universe, to service the area.
Today, she is thrilled to be helping dancers in her community get back on their feet again.

Kelly says the Growing Through Arts® tutus, leotards and tiaras fit in well with the other clothes for dance, cheerleading and tumbling and theatrical makeup and jewelry that she carries, and she is a huge fan of the Growing Through Arts® books, which not only teach children not about ballet terms, but also share the rich history of classical ballet.

Kelly says there is a great need in her community for arts education. “Children are not being educated [about ballet], even the ones who are in class,” she says.

She’s found that boys as well as girls are drawn to the Growing Through Arts® products. Recently, two boys were engrossed playing with the colorful, removable characters from the Ballet Series Stage Scene Play Sets while their sister shopped. “They loved the books!” she says. “I am beyond excited to have my product.”

Kelly is also planning to use the books as a marketing tool. This summer, she is hosting a reading time in the store twice a week where parents can bring their children in to listen to one of the Growing Through Arts® stories. Then she is planning to offer parents a discount on merchandise if they purchase something during the story time.

“I’m totally pumped about it,” she says.

On March 31, I had the pleasure of reading The Peter and the Wolf Symphony by Aleksandra®, one of the books in the new Music Series collection from Growing Through Arts®, to a group of budding musicians at the Betty Haag Academy of Music.

The reading was part of a workshop entitled, “New Generation on Stage!,” presented by the North Shore Chamber Music Festival.

Located in Buffalo Grove, The Betty Haag Academy has been a musical training ground for children from pre-school through high school for more than 40 years, offering instruction in violin, viola, piano, note reading and repertoire.

As I sat in the middle of the circle, it was clear that the children who study at Betty Haag are passionate about music. As I read the story, I pointed to the illustrations and asked the children questions about the various instruments and musical terms. As soon as I asked a question, they shot their hands up in the air, eager to answer everything they knew.

Since most of the children study violin using the Suzuki method, they loved that the central character, Peter, is illustrated with a violin.

It was wonderful to see the children so engaged in the story, and so excited to learn more about classical music.

Angela Yoffe, executive director of the North Shore Chamber Music Festival and a piano teacher at Betty Haag Academy, said she was proud to have Growing Through Arts® visit the school. “Alexandra’s passion for arts education… and understanding of its importance is strongly connected to goals and beliefs of the North Shore Chamber Music Festival and we look forward to our collaboration in the future!” Angela said.

I am so grateful to Angela for inviting me and for making a commitment to teach the younger generations about the magic of music.

Mayor Emmanuel’s wife, Amy Rule, and Aleksandra Efimova

Aleksandra Efimova and Patricia Maza-Pittsford, consul general of El Salvador

From May 20 to 21, leaders from around the world will gather in Chicago for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) meetings, hosted by President Barack Obama.

This is the first time that an American city other than Washington, D.C., has hosted at NATO summit, and more than 60 countries are sending delegates to discuss topics such as support of Afghanistan, the debt crisis in Europe, intelligence and more.

To welcome the delegates, the Chicago 2012 Hosting Committee, headed by Mayor Rahm Emmanuel’s wife, Amy Rule, is planning a series of events, dinners, and cultural activities that will showcase Chicago’s rich heritage and economic vitality to the world. Two of the most anticipated events include a dinner with President Obama at Soldier Field and a visit to Gary Comer Youth Center with First Lady Michelle Obama.

I am so proud to be one of 70 prominent Chicagoans who has been asked to serve on the committee because of my devoted activism on behalf of the city and my deep commitment to strengthening international ties.

While the summit will be closed to the public, the Chicago NATO Host Committee is also planning a variety of programs to inform Chicagoans about this historic event. Some of the events will include: a kite festival at Montrose Harbor on May 19; a sports youth summit featuring soccer, basketball and wrestling; a culinary event; theater and restaurant specials; and international-themed events at Chicago Public Schools.

When I was deciding where I wanted to live seven years ago, I looked for a city that would value community service and would be a strong advocate for international cooperation, and after only living here seven years, I know that I have chosen the perfect place for me!

I am looking forward to enthusiastically promoting the city of Chicago and welcoming world leaders to our vibrant city.