In 2023, among dozens of letters that Creative Fellowship received in response to the 2024 Opera Camps announcement, an outstanding motivation letter from a ballet academy student in Belgrade drew our attention. In his essay, the applicant not only persuasively delivered his arguments but also clearly stated his goals for the future. In his vision to become a celebrated soloist at one of the top European ballet companies, the young dancer sought assistance with two main objectives: to be accepted into and successfully graduate from the Vienna State Opera Ballet Academy, and to find a missing piece in his family’s dance heritage.

Born on March 23, 2010, into a family with a dancing heritage, Savely was never encouraged to dance. Initially, he planned a career in tennis and even started training at the age of three, but genetics decided differently.

In the second grade of elementary school, Savely saw an announcement for a ballet studio near his home and told his mother he wanted to try it out. This marked the beginning of his journey with ballet. When he was in the fourth grade, Savely enrolled in the state ballet school Lujo Davićo in Belgrade, which he graduated from with excellent marks this year. His ballet excellence is marked by extensive participation at local and national levels. In 2023 and 2024, Savely won awards in his category at a competition in Novi Sad, Serbia.

After graduating from the state ballet school Lujo Davićo, Savely passed entrance exams at the secondary ballet school in Belgrade, ranking third among all the applicants. With the assistance of Creative Fellowship, Savely also applied for an audition at the Vienna Opera Ballet Academy and successfully passed it.

As per an agreement with his parents, we will continue providing mentorship, communication, and monetary assistance to Savely during the 2024/2025 school year. This partnership may be extended depending on the results of the first year of our cooperation.

Our new fellow has two younger siblings and apart from dance has a strong interest in sport orienteering.

Savely is truly a man with a mission. As he stated in his motivation letter, he wants to write his ancestral dance heritage. From family stories, Savely knows that his grandfather danced with the State Alma-Ata Opera and Ballet company in the 1960s. Apart from the name – Gennady Vladimirovich Shimchik, two photos, and the fact that his ancestor passed away around 20 years before his birth, Savely has no other information about his dancing grandfather. Savely’s curiosity is of a pure anthropological nature with no financial or other interests attached.

We are reaching out to our followers, supporters, and their friends with a request to share any information, personal stories, and documentary evidence if they have any details about this artist.