Fanny Elssler facts for kids
Fanny Elssler (born Franziska Elßler; 23 June 1810 – 27 November 1884) was a very famous Austrian ballerina. She was one of the biggest stars of the Romantic Period of dance.
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Early Life and Dance Training
Fanny Elssler was born in Gumpendorf, a neighborhood in Vienna, Austria. Her father, Johann Florian Elssler, worked for Prince Nikolaus I, Prince Esterházy. He was a copyist, meaning he copied music for the Prince's music director, Joseph Haydn. Johann later became Haydn's personal assistant.
Fanny started ballet training when she was very young. She first performed at the Kärntnertortheater in Vienna before she was seven years old. She often danced with her older sister, Therese, who was two years older.
The sisters studied dancing with famous teachers like Jean-Pierre Aumer and Friedrich Horschelt. When Fanny was nine, they also traveled to Naples, Italy, to learn from Gaetano Gioja.
Rise to Fame in Europe
After dancing together in Vienna for several years, Fanny and Therese went to Naples in 1827. Their performances there were very successful, especially Fanny's. This success led them to get a job in Berlin in 1830.
This was the start of many triumphs for Fanny Elssler. People loved her beauty and amazing dancing skills. She became very popular in Berlin and Vienna. She then visited London, where she was kindly welcomed by George and Harriet Grote.
Dancing at the Paris Opera
In September 1834, Elssler joined the Ballet du Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique. This company is now known as the Paris Opera Ballet. Fanny was a bit worried because Marie Taglioni was the top dancer there.
However, Elssler and Taglioni danced in very different ways. The Opera's managers thought hiring Elssler would create excitement. Taglioni was known for her light, airy jumps and leaps. This style was called danseur ballonné.
Fanny Elssler, on the other hand, was famous for her quick, precise small steps. Her style was known as danse tacquetée. Her performances were a huge success, and for a time, she became even more popular than Taglioni.
The Famous Cachucha Dance
Fanny Elssler truly shined when she performed the Spanish Cachucha. This dance was from the 1836 ballet Le Diable boiteux. Even though Fanny was not Spanish, her Cachucha was full of energy and passion.
The writer Théophile Gautier called her the "pagan" dancer because of her fiery Cachucha. He called Taglioni the "Christian" dancer because of her gentle style. Fanny's success with the Cachucha made other national dances popular. She added a Polish cracovienne and an Italian tarantella to her dances.
Fanny Elssler was often shown wearing pink satin and black lace, looking like a lively Spanish dancer. This was very different from Taglioni, who was often shown as a modest sylph in white. Fanny was not only technically skilled but also a great actress on stage. Her performances in ballets like La Sylphide, Giselle, and La Esmeralda made the characters even more exciting. This made her one of the most important ballerinas of the Romantic ballet period.
American Tour and Retirement
In 1840, Fanny and her sister sailed to New York for a dance tour. The tour was a huge success for two years. While in New York City, Fanny Elssler spent time with John Van Buren, who was the son of the US President, Martin Van Buren.
In Washington D.C., Congress even closed so that no one would miss Elssler's performance! Many people cried during her final scene in La Sylphide. In New Orleans, she earned $1,000 for every night she danced. Fans across the country loved her so much that they bought "Elsslermania" products like champagne and cigars.
After her American tour, Fanny Elssler performed in Germany, Austria, France, England, and Russia for five more years. In 1845, she was invited to dance in Jules Perrot's Pas de Quatre in London. This ballet featured other famous dancers like Marie Taglioni, Carlotta Grisi, and Fanny Cerrito. However, Fanny Elssler chose not to participate.
In the same year, having earned a lot of money, she retired from dancing. She settled near Hamburg. Her sister Therese later married Prince Adalbert of Prussia. Therese became a widow in 1873 and passed away in 1878. Fanny Elssler died in Vienna on 27 November 1884.
Fanny Elssler's life was made into films. Lilian Harvey played her in the 1937 German film Fanny Elssler. Lya Mara also played her in the 1920 silent film Fanny Elssler.
See also
In Spanish: Fanny Elssler para niños
- List of dancers
- Women in dance
