Violetta Elvin facts for kids
Violetta Elvin (born Violetta Prokhorova; on 3 November 1924) is a famous Russian ballerina who is now retired. A ballerina is a female ballet dancer, and a prima ballerina is the highest rank a female dancer can reach in a ballet company. In 1986, a newspaper called The Times said that Violetta Elvin was the only dancer who could truly compete with another very famous ballerina, Dame Margot Fonteyn.
Early Life and Training
Violetta Prokhorova was born in Moscow, Russia, on 3 November 1923. She loved ballet from a young age. She studied at the famous Bolshoi Ballet school and finished her training in 1942.
By the time she was just 20 years old, Violetta was already dancing the main roles in very famous ballets. She performed in Swan Lake, Don Quixote, and The Fountain of Bakhchisarai. She danced these important parts with the State Ballet in a city called Tashkent.
Life and Career Highlights
In 1945, Violetta met and married a British architect named Harold Elvin in Moscow. After they married, she was allowed to leave the Soviet Union, which was what Russia was called back then. On her journey, she even played chess with a famous composer named Dmitri Shostakovich.
From 1951 to 1956, Violetta Elvin was a prima ballerina for the Sadler's Wells Ballet. This ballet company is now known as The Royal Ballet, which is one of the most important ballet companies in the world. After her time with The Royal Ballet, she retired from dancing and moved to live in Italy.
Famous Ballets She Performed
Violetta Elvin danced in many well-known ballets during her career. Here are some of the famous performances she was part of:
- Swan Lake
- Don Quixote
- The Fountain of Bakhchisarai
- The Sleeping Beauty
- Ballet Imperial
- The Three-Cornered Hat
- Birthday Offering
- Cinderella
- Daphnis et Chloé
