Victoria Jaiani

Born and raised in Tbilisi, Georgia, Victoria Jaiani began her training at the age of 10 at the V. Chabukiani Ballet School in Tbilisi. She continued her studies in New York, and in June 2003 was awarded a bronze medal at the New York International Ballet Competition.

Ms.Jaiani joined the Joffrey Ballet in August 2003. Since joining the company, she has danced leading roles in many ballets: Giselle (Giselle), Ashton’s Cinderella (Cinderella), Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet (Juliet), Possokhov’s Don Quixote (Kitri), Hynd’s The Merry Widow (Hanna Glawari), Lubovitch’s Othello (Desdemona), and the Sugar Plum Fairy in Joffrey’s Nutcracker.

Ms. Jaiani originated leading pas de deux in Liang’s Age of Innocence and Woven Dreams, Kudelka’s Pretty BALLET, Possokhov’s Bells, and Welch’s Son of Chamber Symphony. Other significant performances include Wheeldon’s Carousel A Dance and After the Rain, McGregor’s Infra, Kylian’s Return to a Strange Land and Forgotten Land, Jooss’ The Green Table, Forsythe’s In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated, Lang’s Crossed, Lubovitch’s …smile with my heart, Arpino’s Sea Shadow, Birthday Variations, Light Rain, Round of Angels, Reflections, Kettentanz and Viva Vivaldi, Tudor’s Dark Elegies, Lilac Garden, and as the operetta star in Offenbach in the Underworld.  She danced Terpsichore in Balanchine’s Apollo, Aria II in Stravinsky Violin Concerto, and Square Dance. She has danced Robbins’ In the Night and the ballerina in The Concert.  Other roles include Alegro Consabor, Creative Force, Laurencia Pas d’Action,, Monotones II, Pas Des Deesses (Grahn), Petrouchka, Postcards, Les Presages (Passion), and A Wedding Bouquet.

In 2010, Ms. Jaiani was featured on the cover of Dance Magazine.   Later the same year, she was named “Chicagoan of the Year” by the Chicago Tribune arts critic. In 2012, Today’s Chicago Woman named her one of Chicago’s top women in the arts.

Victoria Jaiani is married to Joffrey dancer Temur Suluashvili.