Ruslan Sprague lived in an orphanage specializing in music and dance in Jaroslavl, Russia, until he was three years old. Then he was adopted by Carl Sprague and Susan Merrill of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, where he has lived ever since. One of the first things he did in the United States was to see the Albany Berkshire Ballet’s production of THE NUTCRACKER, which inspired the passion he has had for dance and choreography ever since.
The following spring he performed his first role as the changeling in the Albany Berkshire Ballet’s production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM and has been performing with ABB ever since, in the annual touring production of THE NUTCRACKER. As a student he danced under Madeline Culpo, Deirdre Duffin, and Nancy King, at the Cantarella School of Dance. Later, he also danced at Studio One under Darrell Pucciarello, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
He also danced at the Boston Conservatory and Boston Ballet summer intensive programs, as well as two Boston Ballet choreography workshops, in which he worked with Helen Pickett (Forsythe) and Jorma Elo.
After graduating from Monument Mountain Regional High School, where he designed, choreographed, and danced THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA as his senior WISE project, he spent two years in Salt Lake City, Utah, with Ballet West, performing in Anna Marie Holmes’ DON QUIXOTE and Frederick Ashton”s CINDERELLA.
Since returning to the East Coast, he has been freelancing, guesting, teaching, and choreographing with various companies.
Other roles and performances include: Darrell Pulciarello's DRACULA, with Ballet Metropolis, in which he danced the title role; Paula Weber’s CARMINA BURANA; Albany Berkshire Ballet’s PETRUSHKA; Western Chicago Ballet’s CINDERELLA; Charleston Ballet’s CINDERELLA; as well the Albany Berkshire Ballet’s THE NUTCRACKER, in which he dances the Snow Prince and the Russian divertissement.
He has recently been working with Moscow Ballet for a new choreography project.
His own choreography includes: ASTAIRE TRIBUTE, GYMNOPEDIE (Satie), WHO’s LOVIN’ YOU (Buble) as well as "THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA.
He has taught with the Renaissance Arts Center, Hinsdale Dance Academy, Ballet Institute of Atlanta, and Albany Berkshire Ballet.
