Pavley-Oukrainsky

[Jane Simpson]

I've just been staying in a small hotel which included in its treats for guests a wonderful scrap book of cuttings and photographs about theatre and dance in the first quarter of last century. It was mainly about London, but I was intrigued by some photographs of Andreas Pavley and Serge Oukrainsky, 'who are pronounced by the critics to be the two most wonderful male dancers since Nijinsky', in Samson and Delilah at the Chicago Opera.

I knew nothing about them, but after some checking in Koegler etc I've learned who they were, and that they formed their own company - but what sort of company was it? Who choreographed for them? Who were their ballerinas? How long did it last? Did they tour the country or stay in Chicago?

Any information would be much appreciated!

[Mel Johnson]

The Pavley-Oukrainsky Ballet was a semi-detached arm of the Chicago Civic Opera. Serge Oukrainsky did most of the choreography (Andeas Pavley died about 1930), and Helen Grenelle was a leading dancer, as was Anna Louise Gumm. They toured the US and Canada during the twenties. They had a sort of "back to Greece" aesthetic. And that's about what I can remember about that company.

[Mme. Hermine]

edna mcrae, who taught in chicago for so long, danced for pavley and oukrainsky. there was something tragic about pavley's death that i remember but i'm not sure what (other than that he died young). there was a lot written about it in the magazines, etc. also i think oukrainsky was a san francisco ballet balletmaster-type person very early on after pavley died.

[Mel Johnson]

Right, I'd forgotten that about Edna. Whoo! There was one tough old gal!

[Alexandra]

This will duplicate some information, but I'm posting what George Jackson emailed me about these dancers:

----------------

Yes, I do know a bit about P & O. They were historic names in Chicago and the authority on them is Ann Barzel. There was also an article about them in Dance Magazine a number of years ago, probably by Ann.

I believe they became prominent in the Chicago Opera Ballet that danced for Insull's and Mary Garden's Chicago Opera in the 1920s and also did its own productions. Oukrainksy was a ballet master of the company but its most prominent one was Adolph Bolm. Ruth Page, Anna Ludmilla and Ruth Pryor were, I believe, among the principal women.

Bolm did some interesting choreography for this group, including the first staging of Stravinsky's Apollo (starring himself, Page, Bernice Holmes and Elise Reiman) although the premiere was not at the Civic Opera House in Chicago but in Washington, DC at the Library of Congress. The concept was much more in the Court of the Sun King than neoclassical ballet manner; I once urged Ruth Page to try to revive it (Holmes and Reiman were still alive) but by then the Balanchine was so well established. P & O also had a touring company based in Chicago. When the economic crash came at the end of the '20s, it pretty much put an end to the first big era of opera and ballet in Chicago. Bolm went to Hollywood but I believe that P & O remained for a while. -- George

[grace]

as dancepig says, mel, it's "scary" what you remember! jane - what a hotel! i can't imagine a hotel that would offer such a thing. not meaning to lead people off-topic, but can you offer a bit more info, as to WHY this hotel has this offering? thanks.

[glebb]

Tough old gal, no kidding!

A coworker of mine told me that Edna Mcrae made two male dancers crawl on hands and knees to their places at the barre, when they were late to company class.

Ah the good old days.

[Mme. Hermine]

story was that miss mcrae, when she was nutcracker children's supervisor, with a boy playing the little prince who was a bit shall we say full of himself, went to the boy, who was about 12, picked him up by both arms, took him in the air over to a garbage can, put him in there and told him to stay there!

[mbjerk]

The story about Ms. McRae and the boy in the trashcan is true - I was there and the boy was not the Prince that year, but one of the party boys. She made us write out all of the choreography and turn in our notebooks. A favorite memory was Edna in the wings with us before our party entrance in Ms. Page's Nuts doing facial exercises with us - she had the widest smile. She really taught in the broadest sense of the word - technique, performance, responsibility and love.

Patty Klekovic (sp?) was a pupil of hers and is now a great teacher for young children.

I was never late for class, but could only imagine her wrath at such unprofessional behavior. She was also great with stage parents - they were not allowed near her nor us and were made to wait in the downstairs outer halls of the Opera House.

[Jane Simpson]

Thankyou to all for this - I love it when a chance find opens up a chapter of history I know nothing about!

(grace - the scrapbook was just among a shelf-ful of books for guests to look through. I think the owners had been given it by a previous guest who knew they had an interest in dance.)

[Laughinghawk]

My grandmother, Edris Milar was a Premiere Danseuse for the Pavley-Oukrainsky Ballet. I have a playbill for the Orpheum for a matinee dated January 11, 1930. I think they must have had a film made as this flyer boasts the best talking and sound pictures.

[Paul Parish]

Way to go, JANE!!! THis thread is just like a string of diamonds.... WONDERFUL anecdotes.

I'm specially fond of hte facial exercises. WHAT WERE THEY? Who teaches those any more? Another lost art....

[bart]

My grandmother, Edris Milar was a Premiere Danseuse for the Pavley-Oukrainsky Ballet. I have a playbill for the Orpheum for a matinee dated January 11, 1930. I think they must have had a film made as this flyer boasts the best talking and sound pictures.

Welcome to Ballet Talk, Laughinghawk, and thank you for reviving this thread. It's faqscinating, and I don't remember having seen it earlier.

Can you share with us some of the playbill information with us -- program, dancers, choreographers, etc.? We have quite a few people who love US ballet history during this period, and I know we would all appreciate learning about this performance.

A coworker of mine told me that Edna Mcrae made two male dancers crawl on hands and knees to their places at the barre, when they were late to company class.

Ah the good old days.

story was that miss mcrae, when she was nutcracker children's supervisor, with a boy playing the little prince who was a bit shall we say full of himself, went to the boy, who was about 12, picked him up by both arms, took him in the air over to a garbage can, put him in there and told him to stay there!

And I thought the line "If you can make it there, you'll make it anywhere" was about New York! Apparently you can't be Chicago when it comes to tough love and character-building.

[leonid17]

I've just been staying in a small hotel which included in its treats for guests a wonderful scrap book of cuttings and photographs about theatre and dance in the first quarter of last century. It was mainly about London, but I was intrigued by some photographs of Andreas Pavley and Serge Oukrainsky, 'who are pronounced by the critics to be the two most wonderful male dancers since Nijinsky', in Samson and Delilah at the Chicago Opera.

I knew nothing about them, but after some checking in Koegler etc I've learned who they were, and that they formed their own company - but what sort of company was it? Who choreographed for them? Who were their ballerinas? How long did it last? Did they tour the country or stay in Chicago?

Any information would be much appreciated!

Serge Oukrainsky born Leonidas Orlay de Carva (1886-1972) danced in Anna Pavlova's company.

I will try to find more information on Pavley, but at present I cannot find the material I have. as my research took place some 34 years ago and I never expected to look at it again.