diane Posted December 6, 2003 Posted December 6, 2003 Here is a question for all you with access to books on Ballet history: Which ballet company, presumably "Russian" (my mother was nearly 7 and thought they were Russian) could have been on tour of the American midwest in January of 1940? I thought it might have been the Ballet Russe, but now I am not so sure. My mother was very impressed, and drew pictures of ballerinas with lovely, shapely legs for weeks afterwards. Any ideas which company this might have been?? -d-
Simon G Posted December 6, 2003 Posted December 6, 2003 It definitely would not have been Diaghilev's original Ballet Russes, that kicked the bucket in 1929. However, several companies subsequently sprung up made up of members of Diaghilev's company. It could have been the Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo, or more likely could have been the Dolin Markova company.
Mel Johnson Posted December 6, 2003 Posted December 6, 2003 But didn't the Markova-Dolin Ballet fold in 1938? They re-formed the company after WWII and it became a part of the historic base of the English National Ballet.
Mel Johnson Posted December 6, 2003 Posted December 6, 2003 In January 1940, the de Basil Ballet Russe was still in Australia, I think. But the Fleischmann/Denham/Massine Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo toured like that. They hit the midwest hard! One of their financial "capitals" was Cincinnati!
Nanatchka Posted December 7, 2003 Posted December 7, 2003 Jack Anderson's book on the various Ballets Russes probably has this information. I also have, somewhere, a biography of the impresario Sol Hurok, who may have booked this tour. Absent finding the information in the book, you might find something in a local newspaper of the day....
Alexandra Posted December 7, 2003 Posted December 7, 2003 Original Ballet Russe (not the De Basil, which toured Europe, but the other one, the subject of Jack Anderson's book). The photo has to be of Alexandra a/k/a "Legs" Danilova!!! (well, it doesn't HAVE to be, but chances are.....)
sandik Posted December 7, 2003 Posted December 7, 2003 Acc. to Jack Anderson, the BR d Monte Carlo broke box office records for their autumn 1939 season, and then went on tour. They were back in New York by April 1940, but certainly could have been the company your mother saw. And I'd agree with Alexandra -- Danilova's legs were extremely well known at the time!
diane Posted December 7, 2003 Author Posted December 7, 2003 You are all fantastic! Thank you very much! There does not exist a program or anything anymore; and my mother and siblings have since all left the midwest for different pastures. But my mother likes to remember this; it was apparently one of the highlights of her childhood. editing to add: Yes, it could indeed have been Danilova's legs! -d-
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