Professor Andrei Malaev-Babel Completes Winter 2026 Demidov Masterclass Tour: New York City • Chicago • Los Angeles
In the winter of 2026, the Demidov Association marked a major milestone: an unprecedented national tour of on-site Demidov masterclasses led by Professor Andrei Malaev-Babel, bringing the Nikolai Demidov School of Acting directly to artists in three of the United States’ most influential theatre and film communities.
The tour’s three full-day masterclasses took place in:
- New York City — January 8, 2026
- Chicago — January 24, 2026
- Los Angeles — February 9, 2026
Across all three cities, participants engaged in intensive studio training devoted to Demidov’s core principles: creative freedom, involuntariness, imaginative perception, and the actor’s capacity to let character and emotional life arise organically—without forcing, constructing, or relying on an external “toolkit” of effects.
“This tour was not simply a series of workshops,” said the Demidov Association team. “It was a living continuation of Demidov’s artistic mission—restoring the actor’s process to genuine life: spontaneous, truthful, and deeply human.”
A Milestone for the Demidov School in the United States
Professor Malaev-Babel—Head of Acting at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training, and the reviver and publisher of the Demidov School worldwide—has spent decades restoring Demidov’s legacy to its rightful place in modern actor training. The Winter 2026 tour advanced that mission in a tangible way: by placing the work back where it belongs—inside the studio, in direct contact with professional actors, directors, teachers, and advanced students.
What Comes Next
The Demidov Association will continue developing on-site opportunities while sustaining its robust online training program, which has served artists worldwide since 2020. Announcements of upcoming masterclasses, intensives, and the annual summer program will be released through the Association’s mailing list and News & Events page.
To be notified first about future on-site and online opportunities, we invite you to subscribe to the Demidov Association updates and follow our official channels.