let ▁Theatre ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁and ▁with ▁the ▁Berlin ▁State ▁Bal let . ▁She ▁is ▁a ▁professor ▁at ▁the ▁Berlin ▁State ▁Bal let ▁School . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Pol ina ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁and ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁Moscow , ▁Russia . ▁She ▁attended ▁Bal let ▁school ▁with ▁her ▁older ▁brother ▁D mit ry ▁Sem ion ov , ▁who ▁is ▁now ▁a ▁principal ▁dan cer ▁with ▁the ▁Staats b alle tt ▁Berlin . ▁Stud ying ▁at ▁the ▁Bol sh oi ▁Bal let ▁School ▁in ▁Moscow , ▁she ▁won ▁awards ▁in ▁the ▁top ▁bal let ▁compet itions ; ▁including ▁a ▁gold ▁medal ▁at ▁the ▁Moscow ▁International ▁Bal let ▁Compet ition ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁First ▁Prize ▁at ▁the ▁V agan ova - P rix ▁Bal let ▁Compet ition ▁in ▁St ▁Petersburg ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁and ▁Junior ▁Prize ▁at ▁the ▁N ago ya ▁( J apan ) ▁International ▁Bal let ▁Compet ition ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁ ▁Gr adu ating ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁Sem ion ova ▁joined ▁the ▁Berlin ▁State ▁Bal let ▁as ▁a ▁principal ▁upon ▁the ▁inv itation ▁of ▁its ▁art istic ▁director ▁Vladimir ▁Mal akh ov , ▁becoming ▁the ▁young est ▁principal ▁in ▁the ▁company ' s ▁history ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 8 . ▁She ▁tou red ▁Japan ▁as ▁Mal akh ov ' s ▁partner , ▁the ▁reason ▁he ▁had ▁invited ▁her ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁principal ▁in ▁the ▁company . ▁He ▁gave ▁her ▁the ▁lead ▁roles ▁in ▁The ▁N ut cra