She subtly merges strong Russian art traditions with the luminous Portuguese colour palette.

Alina Mayakovskaya’s philosophy is that creativity is the honest language of the soul. Whether she is dancing or painting, her art is a manifestation of freedom and beauty. From blank canvas to expressive abstraction, The Portugal News asked Alina to paint us a picture of her artistic process.

The Portugal News (TPN): You are both an artist and a ballerina; how do these two disciplines complement each other?

Alina Mayakovskaya (AM): Dance is the movement of the body, while painting is the movement of colour and line. For me, they are inseparable. In dance, I express myself through plasticity and music, and in painting – through brushstrokes and the rhythm of color. When I pick up a palette knife, it feels as if I continue to dance – only now on canvas. These two arts nourish one another and create harmony.
In addition, since 2011, I have been working with Vyacheslav Zaitsev’s modeling agency, where I have repeatedly taken part in Fashion Weeks and photo shoots for various magazines. This experience also enriched my perception of beauty, plasticity, and style.

TPN: How long have you been dancing?

AM: Dance has been with me since childhood. I have been in the profession for over 25 years: from student to performer at the Bolshoi Theatre, from dancer to teacher, choreographer, and ballet master. This is a journey on which I constantly discover new facets of art.

Credits: Supplied Image;

TPN: Tell us a little about your dance studio, MAYAKDANCE.

AM: MAYAKDANCE is not just a dance school, but my creation, which I founded in 2016 in Moscow. For me, it is a space of freedom and inspiration, where genuine art is born. We hold master classes, create competition numbers, and stage original productions – among them my ballet work, the one-act ballet “Chekhov and Clipper. Love in Décadance.” With this and other productions, we have repeatedly become laureates of international competitions.

We prepare children for admission to professional choreographic schools, help them reveal their potential, and teach them to love art.

Our works have been broadcast more than once on the main federal TV channel, featuring my original productions. Film stars, well-known bloggers, and artists have trained at the studio – their participation gave us a special atmosphere and inspired new projects.

A special source of pride is a feature about our studio published in Vogue magazine.

Today, MAYAKDANCE is also actively developing its online direction: we produce original programs, including the video guide “Stretching with a Ballerina” and a course in contemporary dance. For me, this studio is not just a project. It is a family, a creative workshop, and a living space where every step is filled with meaning.

Credits: Supplied Image;

TPN: How long have you been painting?

AM: My love for painting was born in childhood. I was deeply impressed by lessons in world cultural history, where I discovered the masterpieces of impressionists, abstractionists, surrealists, and many other movements. That was when I first realised: paints can speak as honestly and deeply as movement in dance.

TPN: What inspired you to start painting?

AM: The desire to express what cannot be conveyed in words or movement. Painting became a new language for me – intuitive, sincere, born directly on the canvas in the moment.

Credits: Supplied Image;

TPN: What do you enjoy most about painting?

AM: The process! When I paint, time seems to stop. There is only inspiration, energy, and total immersion. A painting is born like a dance – freely, improvisationally, and sincerely.

TPN: What inspires your art?

AM: Nature, music, travel, Paris – my special city of inspiration. And also people: their energy, stories, emotions.

TPN: What artistic techniques do you use?

AM: Most of my paintings are created with oil, using a palette knife – this tool allows me to convey energy, expression, and the living breath of a stroke. But I also love working with acrylics, brushes, and combining different materials. Each technique creates its own mood.

TPN: Why did you choose these particular techniques?

AM: Because they allow me to be honest and genuine in every moment. I choose the material depending on the feeling I want to express: sometimes it is impulse and expression, sometimes – tenderness and the breath of color. For me, it is important to leave not just an image, but a living testimony of emotions and time. Each painting becomes a trace – the very thing that will remain after me.

Credits: Supplied Image;

TPN: Which artists inspire you?

AM: I am inspired by Malevich, Kandinsky, Monet, Degas, and many others. I feel especially close to abstractionism and impressionism – in their expressiveness and poetry, I find resonance with my own world. I truly love painting from different eras and cultures, and wherever I go, I always visit exhibitions. For me, this is an endless source of inspiration and an inner dialogue with art.

TPN: How would you describe the genre of your art?

AM: I see my art as expressive abstraction – a language in which lines and colors become emotions, and the canvas becomes a space for inner dialogue.

TPN: Could you tell us more about your artistic style?

AM: My style is based on emotion and energy. In every stroke, you can hear movement, in every colour – feel breath. It is a dialogue with the viewer through sensation rather than image. Everything I create comes from within – from my thoughts, my heart, and my state in the moment. Each painting becomes a reflection of that instant, impulse, and inspiration that cannot be repeated. This, for me, is the value of art: it can capture a fleeting moment and turn it into eternity.

TPN: Why did you choose abstraction as your art form?

AM: Because it gives the viewer freedom. Abstraction does not impose, but invites to dialogue, allowing each person to discover something of their own in the painting.

TPN: What platforms do you use to present your work?

AM: I share my work on Instagram and Facebook, and I take part in online auctions, where collectors discover and purchase my paintings. I also have my own website-gallery – a special space where each work lives its own story and awaits its viewer. I warmly invite you to take a look and explore my world of art.
In addition, I dream of a solo exhibition, where viewers could see my paintings in person, feel their energy, and experience how they interact with each other in space.

TPN: What is your opinion of the art scene in Portugal compared to Russia?

AM: In Russia, there are strong academic traditions and depth; in Portugal – brightness, lightness, and freedom. I believe it is the combination of these two approaches that nourishes my creativity and makes it alive. What impressed me most in Portugal is how much art is present right on the streets – it creates a special atmosphere and constantly inspires me.

Alina Mayakovskaya creates commissioned paintings, and you can explore more of her artwork on her website at https://alinamayak.tilda.ws, her portfolio gallery at https://project14211325.tilda.ws, and her Instagram @mayak0vskaya.