Irina Prokofieva was born in Leningrad. In 2001, she graduated from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Performing Arts. Immediately after graduating, she joined the Mariinsky Theatre (St Petersburg). There, she worked for 18 years, performing numerous solo parts.
In 2009, Irina entered the Pedagogic Department of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, graduating in 2012 with a Master’s Degree.
Since 2010, Irina has been holding classical dance master classes abroad, in such countries as China, South Korea, Italy, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Hungary, etc. She has taught at Nanjing University of the Arts (China), Hunan First Normal University (China), Seoul University (South Korea), Ljubljana Music and Ballet Conservatory (Slovenia), Zurich Opera (Switzerland), Jean M. Wong School of Ballet (Hong Kong), and at theatres in Budapest, Astana, Bratislava, Split, and elsewhere. In 2010 she was awarded the title of Honorary Professor of Jilin University of Arts (Changchun).
In 2019, Irina Prokofieva was invited to Hungary, where she became the ballet mistress of the Hungarian State Opera. In that capacity, she worked on such productions as Zwanenmeer (Swan Lake) choreographed by Rudi van Dantzig, The Nutcracker choreographed by Wayne Eagling, Giselle choreographed by Mikhail Lavrovsky, Don Quixote, Laurencia, and Flames of Paris choreographed by Mikhail Messerer, Scheherazade choreographed by László Seregi, Études choreographed by Harald Lander, Mayerling choreographed by Kenneth MacMillan, Onegin choreographed by John Cranko, Petite Mort choreographed by Jiří Kylián, The Pygmalion Effect choreographed by Boris Eifman, and other outstanding works.
In 2022, especially for the Hungarian State Opera, Irina created her own choreographic version of the ballet Paquita, based on M. Petipa’s production.
Since 2024, Irina Prokofieva has worked as a guest ballet mistress and repetiteur with leading international ballet companies, including the Astana Opera, World Ballet Company, Croatian National Theatre in Split (HNK Split), and others. In 2025, as an assistant choreographer for the HNK Split, Irina helped to create a stage version of the ballet Scheherazade.
In 2025, Irina participated in the organization of “Les Ballets Russes” Gala Concert in Florence, which featured pieces of classical works such as Chopiniana, and Grand pas from the ballet Raymonda.
Irina Prokofieva is also the author of a book dedicated to the ballet classes held by Sergei Vikharev, one of the outstanding baller masters of the Mariinsky Theatre.
In September 2025, Irina Prokofieva joined the Ballet Company of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre as a coach and repetiteur.
