Georgia Isn’t on Princely Kirov Dancer Igor Zelensky’s Mind

Kirov Ballet heartthrob Igor Zelensky doesn’t mind trading on his finely honed dancer’s body. A heavily promoted magazine ad shows Zelensky with his head tossed back, an arm thrown moodily over his head and his naked torso stretched into an arch. It’s a beefcake sell for a pair of jeans.

“I like to do ads,” the 22-year-old Zelensky says. “When I go through magazines, I want to see the products on a nice body--a sportsman’s or an athlete’s. Designers want their products exhibited by someone with that physical aesthetic.”

You can catch Zelensky in person as one of the Princes in the Kirov production of the “Nutcracker” ballet opening Tuesday at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

Born in Georgia when it was part of the Soviet Union, Zelensky joined the Kirov in 1988 and currently is dancing as a guest with the New York City Ballet, as well as appearing with the Kirov in Los Angeles. He hasn’t been back to his hometown in four years.

“A sense of home interferes with an artist’s ability to exhibit his talent around the world,” he says, “particularly when he’s young and has to have as much opportunity as possible to exhibit that talent. A good artist or performer is always said to be living on the road. A Russian says, ‘living on wheels.’ ”

Despite being in great demand, Zelensky has turned down some invitations because he wants to stay focused on his current goals. “There’s simply not enough time,” he says. “I have to get accomplished what I want to accomplish in New York.

“I have a great deal I have to get done here--to grow, to develop in a new direction requires a devotion of time, a devotion of effort. It’s not something that you can do in a course of a few weeks or a few months.”

Besides, he’s dancing three ballets by Jerome Robbins that he would never have had a chance to do in the Soviet Union. “This sort of thing happens once in your life,” he says.