Elena Tiuriakulova graduated with Excellence in 1975 from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet In St.Petersburg, Russia. She trained at the Mariinskii Theatre of Opera and Ballet and went on to become a principal Dancer at the Kyrgyz Theatre of Opera and Ballet, in Bishkek,Kyrgyzstan. There she danced principal roles in Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadere, Don-Quixote, Paquita,La Fille Mal Gardee, Spartacus and others. She received awards - Honored Artist of Ballet ot Kyrkyz Republic, Laureate of the prize of Youth Union of Kygyzstan. Following her ballet career, she taught ballet at Kyrgyz State Conservatory, and the Kyrgyz Children Academy of Music. Since coming to the US in 2000, Elena has taught at several schools in the Philadelphia area, including Wissahickon Dance Academy, Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center, Kristina Pulcini Ballet Academy, participate at Dance Program at High Schools of Philadelphia.