Ruminations

[atm711]

Testing---1--2--3

Here goes--I don't know where this will turn up! There are many times when I start ruminating about all things related to ballet, and I guess it would be fun to see those thoughts in print. As I sit here writing this I have on my wall a 5x7 photo of Tamara Toumanova (Fred Fehl) taken many years ago at an outdoor arena in New York City (the Bronx) called Lewisohn Stadium--which was set up to look like a Greek theatre. Toumanova is in white practice clothes and not wearing makeup, and she never looked more beautiful. I have never seen this photo reproduced in any book. I would guess this photo is from the early 40's. Someday I will get a scanner, I would like to share it with others. She is lening against a white pillar in what I have seen described as 6th position (the w eight is on one foot, and the other leg is crossed at the ankle, in front). She is wearing a short simple practice tutu and a white short sleeved sweater knotted at her upper waist swhich reveals her lower waist. This is the only photo of a dancer that I have showing in my home, and I sometimes cannot understand why! I enjoyed seeing her perform, but she is not at the top of my list of favorites. At one time I made an oil painting of this photo (which I still have buried in a closet), but my skills were not too good at the time and I had problems with the face, although I was satisfied with the rest of the anatomy.

This is the photograph of Tamara Toumanova that I wrote about in my first blog. It's my favorite photo of her, taken by Fred Fehl at Lewisohn Stadium in New York in the early 1940's

This is a photograph of Tatiana Riabouchinska in one of her most famous roles--performing the Prelude in "Les Sylphides". It was taken during a performance at the old "Met" Opera House in New York during Ballet Theatre's 1945 season. It beautifully captures the dreaminess of her interpretation.

This is a photograph of Alexandra Danilova and Nicholas Magallanes taken during a performance of the Denham Ballet Russe at the "City Center" in New York---about 1946. I am almost certain that it is from "Raymonda".