Full length posed photograph by Sasha, London, of Alexandra Danilova in costume for the role of the Lady which she created in Le Bal, performed by Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, 1929. In her hands she holds the domino mask and the mask for the old crone in the ballet. The simple narrative of Le Bal is that at a ball a young man is struck by the beauty of a lady accompanied by an astrologer. After the guests are entertained by Spanish and Italian dances, the beauty is persuaded to unmask and is seen as an elderly woman who pursues the young man. After further dancing the woman, again masked, and astrologer return and together they remove their disguises. The woman successively removes two masks, changing from crone to young beauty and the astrologer is revealed as her handsome partner. The young man watches the couple leave while he faints with disappointment.


Le Bal (The Ball), a modern ballet in one act and two scenes had sets and costumes designed Giorgio de Chirico, was created for Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes at the Théâtre de Monte Carlo on 7 May 1929. The musical score was by Vittorio Rieti, the narrative by Boris Kochno, after a story by Count Vladimir Sologub, and it was choreographed in 1929 by George Balanchine. The costumes executed under the direction of Mme A. Youkine. The original ballet had 15 performances being presented only during the last season of Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes in Monte Carlo, Paris, Berlin and London where it was first performed on 26 July 1929 also at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London.