In the 2013 summer, Lydia worked with The Pillow Project to create and premiere 'The Green Swan', an improv ballet pas de deux, which explored the fine lines between beauty and the grotesque.
In the fall of 2013, Lydia joined Ballet Fantastique in Eugene, Oregon. Since then she has performed in their premiere contemporary ballets; Zorro- The Ballet, Tales From The Floating World, The Book of Esther, An American Christmas Carol, and The Odyssey. She has also performed in pieces from familiar favorites, such as Pride and Prejudice, and Cinderella.
Lydia teaches and choreographs for Ballet Fantastique's academy, as well as local dance academy The Dance Factory.
Lydia Rakov began her dance training very young. At the age of eight, she auditioned for Theatre Arts Dance America (TADA), which was under the direction of former ABT principal dancers Elaine Kudo and Buddy Balou'. She spent many summers with the American Academy of Ballet, as well as with ABT, The Juilliard School, and The Bolshoi Ballet.
At the age of 18, Lydia went to the Rochester City Ballet to train with their company and affiliated school, The Draper Center.
In 2009, Lydia went to Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA. Majoring in both Jazz and Ballet Performance, Lydia graduated in 2013 under the direction of Dana Arey, Susan Stowe, Peter Merz, Douglas Benz, Jason McDole, Pearlann Porter, Kwang Suk Choi, Nicholas Petrov, Keisha Lalama-White, and Jodi Welsh. While there, Lydia participated in 2009's YAGP, , was a guest artist with Lake Erie Ballet for their Nutcracker, and participated in a student produced film 'Roses Are Red', which was submitted to various film festivals.