Olga Spessivtseva facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Olga Spessivtseva
|
|
|---|---|
| Ольга Алекса́ндровна Спеси́вцева | |
Olga Spessivtseva in Sydney, 1934
|
|
| Born |
Olga Alexandrovna Spessivtseva
18 July 1895 |
| Died | September 16, 1991 (aged 96) Valley Cottage, New York, United States
|
| Occupation | ballet dancer, choreographer, ballet teacher |
Olga Alexandrovna Spessivtseva (born July 18, 1895 – died September 16, 1991) was a famous Russian ballerina. She danced on stage from 1913 to 1939. Many people consider her one of the best ballerinas of the 1900s. She was known for her amazing classical dance skills. Her style was perfect, and she brought a special feeling to her performances. She truly represented what a "romantic ballerina" should be.
Contents
Life and Career of Olga Spessivtseva
Early Life and Training
.jpg)
Olga Spessivtseva was born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. Her father was an opera singer. After he passed away, Olga was sent to an orphanage. This orphanage had connections to the theater world in St. Petersburg.
In 1906, she joined the Imperial Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg. There, she learned from famous teachers like Klavdia Kulichevskaya, Yevgenia Sokolova, and Agrippina Vaganova.
Becoming a Ballerina
After finishing her studies in 1913, Olga joined the Mariinsky Theatre ballet company. By 1916, she became a soloist. She was an amazing romantic dancer with perfect technique. She was especially good in roles like Giselle and Odette-Odile in Swan Lake. Soon, she became one of the most admired dancers in the company.
In 1916, Sergei Diaghilev invited her to tour with the Ballets Russes in the United States. She danced with Vaslav Nijinsky in ballets like Le Spectre de la Rose and Les Sylphides. She also performed the "Bluebird pas de deux" from The Sleeping Beauty.
International Fame
In 1918, Olga returned to the Mariinsky Theatre. After the Russian Revolution, it was renamed the Petrograd Opera and Ballet Theater. She was promoted to the highest rank: ballerina. At this time, not many people in the West knew about her.
She continued to perform with the Ballets Russes outside Russia. In 1921, she danced as "Aurora" in Diaghilev's famous The Sleeping Princess in London. She also performed at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires in 1923.
With help from her ex-husband, Boris Kaplun, she left Russia for good in 1924. She was invited to be a prima ballerina at the Paris Opera Ballet. She stayed there until 1932. During this time, she also kept dancing with the Ballets Russes.
In 1932, she made another important guest appearance in London. She danced Giselle with Anton Dolin from the Royal Ballet. From 1932 to 1937, she toured the world with different dance companies. She performed in classical ballets and new works by choreographers like Michel Fokine and Bronislava Nijinska. When she danced abroad, she was often mistakenly called Olga Spessiva.
Later Life and Legacy
Olga Spessivtseva faced health challenges as early as 1934. She needed to be hospitalized in Sydney for a period of rest. In 1937, she stopped performing due to a nervous breakdown. She taught ballet for a while. Then, she briefly returned to the stage, giving her last performance at the Teatro Colón in 1939.
That same year, she moved to the United States. She continued to teach ballet and advised the Ballet Theatre Foundation in New York City. In 1943, she had another nervous breakdown and was hospitalized again.
In 1964, the BBC made a short program about her life. Two years later, Anton Dolin wrote a book about her. Both were titled The Sleeping Ballerina. Dance experts have called her "the greatest of Russian ballerinas" of her time. They also described her as "The supreme classical ballerina of the century."
In 1998, Russian choreographer Boris Eifman created a ballet about her. It was called Red Giselle.
See also
- List of Russian ballet dancers
- Women in dance
- Learn more about Olga Spessivtseva in Spanish: Olga Spesívtseva para niños
