Alexandra Danilova Overview

Alexandra Danilova was the first of George Balanchine's lifetime of muses. Balanchine created 18 ballets for her, the first of which was 1921's "Poeme." The partially spoken-word piece was one of the first "modern ballets" -- and positioned Danilova as the... [more]

Alexandra Danilova was the first of George Balanchine's lifetime of muses. Balanchine created 18 ballets for her, the first of which was 1921's "Poeme." The partially spoken-word piece was one of the first "modern ballets" -- and positioned Danilova as the first of the "modern" ballerinas. Born to wealthy parents in pre-revolutionary Russia, Danilova was an orphan by the time she entered the Imperial Ballet School at the age of eight. The October revolution landed on her most formative years, but did not set her back much. Modern creature that she was, she adapted when the Imperial Ballet School became the Vaganova school and the Imperial Ballet became the Kirov. The newly formed Soviet State Dancers accepted Danilova as a soloist in 1922. However, her big break came during a tour to Germany in 1924, when Serge Diaghilev co-opted her little company -- which also included the married George Balanchine -- into his Ballets Russes. Balanchine and Danilova began a romantic and artistic collaboration that would result in the most exciting roles of her career. With the face of a movie starlet and legendary gams (they supposedly merited standing ovations), Danilova went on to win show-stopping popularity as the prima ballerina of the Ballets Russes in all of its incarnations. She gave her last performance in 1957 at the age of 54, and then gave her vast knowledge of the classical repertoire to a teaching career. She served as choreographer for the Metropolitan Opera and was one of the best-loved teachers at Balanchine's School of American Ballet (she re-created this role in the 1977 film, "The Turning Point"). In 1974, she and Balanchine co-created a rarity for the New York City Ballet: a revival of the classical "Coppelia," which has been lovingly re-staged in homage to them both. She died in 1997 at 93, still bearing her trademark elegance. [show less]