Dance Masters & Ballerinas

(1880-1942) age 62

Michael was accepted to Saint Petersburg Imperial Ballet School (Vaganova Ballet Academy) at age 9. His debut at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre was in Paquita, at age 18 & became one of the youngest teachers there in 1902.  He danced with Ballet Russes taught in Europe.  He is best known for his choreography, staging more than 70 ballets in Europe and USA, such as The Dying Swan, Le Vigne, Le Pavilion de’Armide, Les Sylphides, Prince Igor, Cleopatra, Carnaval, Firebird, Scheherazade, Le Spectre de la Rose, He eventually moved to New York, USA where he died in 1942. Petrouchka, Daphnis & Chloe.  His concept of harmonizing music, scenery & dance as described in a 1916 letter,“Five Principles” revolutionized ballet. from www.wikipedia.org & www.yonkershistory.org

(1886-1958)

Vera, wife of Micheal, was a talented choreographer, producer, teacher.

(1884 - 1972) age 83

Alexander Fokine was brother of Michael Fokine. Aleksandra/Aleksandrovna Federova, was wife of Alexander Fokine.  She was a ballerina, studied at St. Petersburg Imperial School, the joined Maryinski Theater. She was prima ballerina for Trotsky Theatre where she met her husband.  In 1922, she became ballet mistress of the Latvian State Theater of Opera & Ballet in Riga, Latvia.  She moved to New York in 1937.  She was a choreographer and teacher for Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo in 1940.

(1905 - 1973) age 68

Leon was the son of Alexander and Alexandra Forkine, nephew of Michel Fokine. He too was a gifted teacher.  His mother, Alexandra taught classes at his Leon Fokine School of Dance. In later years he was associated with Harkness School of Ballet. His sister(?), Irene Fokine also a ballet teacher.

1899-1991 age 92

Born in Indianapolis, Ruth Page, was a pioneering American ballet dancer & choreographer based in Chicago.  When a teen, (1914) Anna Pavlova was a guest at the Page house & encouraged her to make dancing her career. Miss Page appeared briefly with Pavlova's company that year.  When she settled in Chicago, she linked up with Adolp Bolm. She danced and studied around the world with Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, Mary Wigman, the great German Expressionist and others.   She danced for the coronation of Emperor Hirohito of Japan in 1928. “An eclectic choreographer, Miss Page is known for "Hear Ye, Hear Ye" (1934), a ballet about a murder trial to a commissioned score by Aaron Copland; "An American Pattern" (1937), a feminist protest against conformity; "Billy Sunday" (1948), a ballet derived from a fiery evangelist's sermons, and several ballets based on famous operas…During the 1940's, she staged works in Chicago and for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. She choreographed Revanche, a ballet version of "Il Trovatore," for Les Ballets des Champs-Elysees in Paris in 1951, & Vilia, an adaptation of The Merry Widow, for the London Festival Ballet in 1953.”  In 1956 she founded  Chicago Opera Ballet & Ruth Page's International Ballet was active 1962 - 1970 . “Miss Page was the author of "Page by Page" (1980) and "Class" (1984). She received the Dance Magazine Award in 1980 and the Illinois Gubernatorial Award in 1985, and held honorary degrees from Indiana University, De Paul University and Columbia College of Chicago.”  From NY Times.

 

Revised:  April 2022

Page by Rozanne of Zandance

email: connect.with.rozanne@gmail.com