Eva Evdokimova facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eva Evdokimova
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| Born | December 1, 1948 Geneva, Switzerland
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| Died | April 3, 2009 (aged 60) New York City, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Education | Royal Ballet School |
| Occupation | dancer |
| Years active | 1966-2005 |
| Spouse(s) | Michael S. Gregori |
| Former groups | Berlin Opera Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, London Festival Ballet |
Eva Evdokimova (born December 1, 1948 – died April 3, 2009) was a famous American ballerina. She was known as a Prima Ballerina Assoluta, which is the highest title a ballerina can get. Eva danced with many important ballet companies around the world, like the Royal Danish Ballet, Berlin Opera Ballets, and English National Ballet.
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Early Life and Training
Eva Evdokimova was born in Geneva, Switzerland. Her father was from Bulgaria, and her mother was American. Eva was an American citizen from the day she was born.
She started learning ballet when she was a child in Munich, Germany. Later, she went to the famous Royal Ballet School in London. There, she studied for several years with a teacher named Maria Fay. In 1966, Eva joined the Royal Danish Ballet. She was the first dancer who was not Danish to join this company. She continued her ballet studies there with Vera Volkova.
A Star on Stage
Becoming a Prima Ballerina
In 1969, Eva joined the Berlin Opera Ballet. She danced her first main role, Giselle, in 1971. By 1973, she became a prima ballerina, which is the top female dancer in a ballet company. She held this important position for 12 years.
Eva also became a leading ballerina for the London Festival Ballet, which is now called the English National Ballet. A very famous dancer, Rudolf Nureyev, chose her for a special role. In 1975, she was the first Princess Aurora in his show of The Sleeping Beauty with that company.
Dancing Around the World
Throughout her career, Eva danced with almost every major ballet company in the world. This included the Kirov Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre. She also performed with the Paris Opéra Ballet.
Eva often danced with Rudolf Nureyev. They were a famous dance team for more than 15 years. They performed together hundreds of times.
After a show with the Kirov Ballet, Eva was given the special title "Prima Ballerina Assoluta." This means she was considered one of the very best ballerinas of all time.
Her Many Roles
Eva was amazing at dancing sad and romantic roles, like Giselle and La Sylphide. But her dance list included about 150 different roles! These roles ranged from classic ballets to more modern dances.
In 2002, a new dance was created just for her. A newspaper critic from The New York Times said that the dance and Eva's performance showed "the kind of artistry that comes only with maturity and experience." This means her dancing got even better as she grew older and gained more experience.
Awards and Achievements
Eva Evdokimova was the first American dancer to win an international ballet competition. She won the Varna International Ballet Competition in 1970. In 2005, she received the first-ever Ulanova Prize. This award was given to her for her "selfless dedication to the art of dance."
Later Years
After her dancing career, Eva became a dance teacher. She also worked as a ballet mistress at the Boston Ballet. This means she helped train dancers and rehearsed performances. She also helped judge many international ballet competitions. You can find many videos of her performances on YouTube.
Death
Eva Evdokimova passed away on April 3, 2009, when she was 60 years old. She died in Manhattan, New York from problems caused by cancer. She is survived by her husband, Michael S. Gregori, and her brother, Boris Santini.
Images for kids
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Eva Evdokimova, a famous American ballerina.
