World's First NFT Ballet Featuring Russian Dancer Osipova Set For Auction – All You Need To Know

Three video performances by Osipova, lead dancer of London's Royal Ballet, are included in the NFTs, Reuters reported.

Russian ballerina Natalia Osipova. (Getty Images)

New Delhi: Auction house Bonhams on Monday announced the sale of the world's first non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for ballet, starring Russian ballerina Natalia Osipova.

Three video performances by Osipova, lead dancer of London's Royal Ballet, are included in the NFTs, Reuters reported.

The first two are from the traditional ballet "Giselle," while the third is from "Left Behind," a modern dance she performed with her partner Jason Kittelberger. 

During a preview of the pieces, Nima Sagharchi, Bonhams' director of digital art, revealed that Osipova and her partner hoped to use some of the cash to start a dance company.

"Performing artists up till now have had no way to

sell ownership in their performances. NFTs afford them that opportunity," Sagharchi was quoted by Reuters in its report.

They also hope to build a platform that will offer more grassroots musicians access to NFT technology, according to Sagharchi.

"I really hope that we can create an art platform because dance is always left behind," Osipova said.

The market for NFTs - specialised crypto assets that are blockchain-based records of ownership of a digital property such as an image or video - has been booming, but sceptics are warning of a bubble.

The artwork will be fully licenced to the successful buyer.

The collection, titled "Natalia Osipova: Triptych," will be auctioned off at Bonhams' "Encore! Modern Art on Stage" sale, which will take place from Monday until December 10.

Paintings, prints, manuscripts, and costume designs, among other objects for theatre, ballet, dance, music, and circus, are being offered alongside the NFTs.

(With inputs from Reuters)