Drawing
mid-1920s (hand drawn)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The Italian, former virtuoso dancer, Enrico Cecchetti (1850-1928), was invited to join Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in 1910, and, although he was absent touring with Anna Pavlova during the 1913-14 season and did not accompany the Ballets Russes during its second tour of the USA, he was the principal teacher until retiring to Italy in 1924. For dancers at the turn of the century in St Petersburg Cecchetti's classes were inspirational and he was a key figure in the enriching of the dancers' epaulement - the more flowing use of the upper body.
Cecchetti opened a school in London in 1918 where British dancer, Laura Wilson, who danced with the Ballets Russes 1918-19 and 1921, found Cecchetti's classes fast - 'in no part of the class was one allowed to stop after a correction' but 'everything had a precise logic'. His system of teaching was codified by Cyril Beaumont with the assistance of dancers, Stanislas Idzikowsky, Margaret Craske and Derra de Meroda.
Cecchetti opened a school in London in 1918 where British dancer, Laura Wilson, who danced with the Ballets Russes 1918-19 and 1921, found Cecchetti's classes fast - 'in no part of the class was one allowed to stop after a correction' but 'everything had a precise logic'. His system of teaching was codified by Cyril Beaumont with the assistance of dancers, Stanislas Idzikowsky, Margaret Craske and Derra de Meroda.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Charcoal and pencil on paper |
| Brief description | Charcoal drawing of Enrico Cecchetti teaching a class, by Laura Knight, 1920s. |
| Physical description | A man sitting in a wooden chair against a mirror in which his back is reflected. In his right hand he holds a cane and behind is another wooden chair and a window |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | Laura Knight (Artist's signature) |
| Credit line | Given by the Friends of the Museum of the Performing Arts |
| Object history | Enrico Cecchetti settled in London to teach |
| Summary | The Italian, former virtuoso dancer, Enrico Cecchetti (1850-1928), was invited to join Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in 1910, and, although he was absent touring with Anna Pavlova during the 1913-14 season and did not accompany the Ballets Russes during its second tour of the USA, he was the principal teacher until retiring to Italy in 1924. For dancers at the turn of the century in St Petersburg Cecchetti's classes were inspirational and he was a key figure in the enriching of the dancers' epaulement - the more flowing use of the upper body. Cecchetti opened a school in London in 1918 where British dancer, Laura Wilson, who danced with the Ballets Russes 1918-19 and 1921, found Cecchetti's classes fast - 'in no part of the class was one allowed to stop after a correction' but 'everything had a precise logic'. His system of teaching was codified by Cyril Beaumont with the assistance of dancers, Stanislas Idzikowsky, Margaret Craske and Derra de Meroda. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.195-2008 |
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| Record created | July 1, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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