Haideh Ahmadzadeh
Born in Tehran to a Tartar mother and an Azeri father, Haideh Ahmadzadeh’s passion for dance began at a young age. She commenced her training with Madame Cornelli at the age of six, quickly becoming a soloist and leading dancer in the school’s performances.
Early Training and Influences
At sixteen, she joined Nilla Cram Cook's dance studio, further developing her skills and participating as a permanent member of the "Revival of the Iranian Ancient Arts" company, which toured internationally. In 1951, she married Nejad Ahmadzadeh, whom she had met at Cram Cook's studio in 1947.
Pioneering Contributions to Iranian Ballet
Haideh Ahmadzadeh received training in methodical classical ballet technique and youth ballet pedagogy from invited guest ballet master William Dollar in Tehran. She later completed her dance studies in the United States at the Ballet Theatre of New York. As a founding member of the Iranian National Ballet, she was appointed the company's first prima ballerina, performing principal roles in renowned ballets such as La Péri, Giselle, Nutcracker, Bolero, Love and The Clown, Firebird, and Coppelia, among others. Concurrently with her performing career, she continued teaching at the National Ballet Academy of Iran. She choreographed numerous traditional and folkloric dance performances for the Iranian National and Folk Dance, Song and Music Ensemble, as well as for the Iranian National Ballet, most notably Roonama, a theatrical interpretation of Qajar style dance. Alongside Robert Urazgildiev, she co-choreographed Bijan and Manijeh, the Iranian National Ballet's first full-length Persian classical ballet production. As a key pedagogue at the Academy, she taught a diverse range of students, from members of the royal family to children with disabilities at the Baghcheban institution. Haideh Ahmadzadeh, along with her husband, received several medals for their artistic endeavors.