Two "albums" of Russian Postcards

[rg]

here are two more links to two more selections of russian postcards. in this case there is a mix of both captioned and uncaptioned cards, as well as mix of imperial and post-imperial dancers.

if any interested viewer finds identifications that need altering, feel free to offer your thoughts.

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p...496&uid=1471587

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p...546&uid=1471587

[Alexandra]

What a lovely way to spend a Sunday morning! Thank you, rg. The dancers are gorgeous, of course, but the costumes!!!!

[atm711]

Thanks, rg. I particularly enjoyed the many photographs of Mordkin---I only know of him from his later years as a forerunner of ABT. He was a very handsome fellow in his youth.---and that photograph of Spessivtseva --what a devilish look in her eye.

[Watermill]

Gorgeous, marvelous, splendid....Thanks again, rg!

Could almost see Mordkin dancing....

Oh, for a time machine!

Watermill

[Alexandra]

This is such a vague comment, I hesitate to post it, but...... it's August

I was struck, looking at these albums, that by the 1910s, the dancers are starting to look....not exactly contemporary, but they're identifiably "cousins" of dancers I've actually seen. What I"m trying to say is, I can't imagine how Legnani MOVED. But I can look at these photos and imagine how Pavlova and Mordkin and Koralli and Preo and Olga S. and those dancers moved. Partly may be because I've seen bits of videos (but not of Preo, so I don't think it's that. I've had the same reaction to Danish photos -- there was a lightening at the beginning of the 20th century, in dance as in architecture.

[carbro]

I agree, Alexandra, and I wonder how much is due to the change in the dancers or the less stringent "posing" demands of more advanced photography. There is definitely a more kinetic quality to these newer pix.

Thanks, rg! A pleasure, and an education.