Marina Svetlova
Encyclopedia
Marina Svetlova was a French ballerina
and ballet instructor.
, France with the name Yvette von Hartmann to Russian parents. She began studying dance as a young child and made her professional debut as a child performer in Paris in 1931 with the experimental ballet troupe of Ida Rubinstein
. In Paris, she studied under Vera Trefilova
, Lubov Egorova, and various other Russian emigres.. In her late teens she became a soloist with the Original Ballet Russe
, dancing with that company for three seasons. While there she notably created roles in David Lichine
's Graduation Ball
and George Balanchine
's Balustrade.
After leaving the Ballet Russe, Svetlova came to the United States to dance as a guest artist with the American Ballet Theatre
in New York City
. She then joined the Metropolitan Opera Ballet
, where she appeared for seven seasons, beginning in 1943–44. In 1951 she danced with the New York City Opera Ballet
as a featured soloist for one season. From 1944-1969 Svetlova led her own touring dance concert group.
Svetlova's accomplishments as a ballerina were later eclipsed by her second career as a dance teacher and choreographer at the Southern Vermont Art Center (1959–64); the Svetlova Dance Center in Dorset, VT (1965–95); and Indiana University
where she was professor of ballet and chairwoman of the ballet department (1969–92). She died in Bloomington, Indiana
in 2009.
Ballerina
A ballerina is a title used to describe a principal female professional ballet dancer in a large company; the male equivalent to this title is danseur or ballerino...
and ballet instructor.
Biography
Svetlova was born in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France with the name Yvette von Hartmann to Russian parents. She began studying dance as a young child and made her professional debut as a child performer in Paris in 1931 with the experimental ballet troupe of Ida Rubinstein
Ida Rubinstein
Ida Lvovna Rubinstein was a Russian ballerina, actress, patron and Belle Époque figure.- Early life :Born in Kharkov, or possibly St. Petersburg,p408 into a wealthy Jewish family, Rubinstein was orphaned at an early age. She had, by the standard of Russian ballet, little formal training. Tutored...
. In Paris, she studied under Vera Trefilova
Vera Trefilova
Vera Trefilova was a Russian dancer and teacher.She studied at the Imperial Ballet School in St Petersburg with Ekaterina Vazem and graduated in 1894. She later studied with Evgenia Sokolova, Nikolai Legat, Catarina Beretta and Enrico Cecchetti...
, Lubov Egorova, and various other Russian emigres.. In her late teens she became a soloist with the Original Ballet Russe
Original Ballet Russe
The Original Ballet Russe was a ballet company established in 1932 by René Blum and Colonel Wassily de Basil as a successor to the Ballets Russes. The company assumed the new name Original Ballet Russe after a split between de Basil and Blum...
, dancing with that company for three seasons. While there she notably created roles in David Lichine
David Lichine
David Lichine / Дэвид Лишин was a Russian/French/US ballet dancer and choreographer; he was born as Давид Лихтенштейн David Lichtenštejn / David Lichtenstein ....
's Graduation Ball
Graduation Ball
"Graduation Ball" is a ballet, choreographed in 1940 in Australia by David Lichine during the 1939-1940 tour of the Original Ballet Russe. The single-act, light-hearted comic ballet was premiered on Friday, March 1st, 1940, in Sydney...
and George Balanchine
George Balanchine
George Balanchine , born Giorgi Balanchivadze in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to a Georgian father and a Russian mother, was one of the 20th century's most famous choreographers, a developer of ballet in the United States, co-founder and balletmaster of New York City Ballet...
's Balustrade.
After leaving the Ballet Russe, Svetlova came to the United States to dance as a guest artist with the American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. She then joined the Metropolitan Opera Ballet
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
, where she appeared for seven seasons, beginning in 1943–44. In 1951 she danced with the New York City Opera Ballet
New York City Opera
The New York City Opera is an American opera company located in New York City.The company, called "the people's opera" by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, was founded in 1943 with the aim of making opera financially accessible to a wide audience, producing an innovative choice of repertory, and...
as a featured soloist for one season. From 1944-1969 Svetlova led her own touring dance concert group.
Svetlova's accomplishments as a ballerina were later eclipsed by her second career as a dance teacher and choreographer at the Southern Vermont Art Center (1959–64); the Svetlova Dance Center in Dorset, VT (1965–95); and Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
where she was professor of ballet and chairwoman of the ballet department (1969–92). She died in Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
in 2009.