[5] In June she won a silver medal at the Moscow Ballet Competition[6] and impressed the audience in Musketeer by Alla Rubina.

She subsequently joined the Kyiv Ballet in November 1998, believing she would gain greater experience as a principal dancer.

In 2012, Cojocaru became the first ballerina to receive the Prix Benois de la Danse twice, this time for John Neumeier's Liliom with the Hamburg Ballet.

However, in 2016, actions by new leadership at the Bucharest National Opera House resulted in both Kobborg and Cojocaru resigning, triggering protests by dancers.

[12] She won the Critics' Circle National Dance Awards 2017 Outstanding Female Performance (Classical) for her portrayal of the title role in Akram Khan's Giselle.

The show included Frederick Ashton's Marguerite and Armand, and Tim Rushton's Reminiscence, a new commissioned piece, which was danced with Johan Kobborg.

[15] Cojocaru was appointed an Honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2023 Special Honours for services to ballet.

[16] In 2008, during rehearsal when an unidentified partner handled her awkwardly in a lift, Cojocaru suffered a whiplash injury that could have ended her career.

But after surgery and months of rest, and following the rehabilitation regimen guided by Patrick Rump,[17] she successfully recovered and eventually returned to dancing.

Her performance as Giselle, alongside Johan Kobborg as Albrecht was recorded in 2006, broadcast in England on Boxing Day, and released on DVD the following year.