Not currently on display at the V&A

Felia Doubrovska

Photograph
ca.1928 (photographed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Felia Doubrovska (1896-1981) was an important ballerina, a collaborator with George Balanchine as he developed his choreographic ideas, and a significant teacher.

Doubrovska trained with Enrico Cecchetti and at the Imperial Ballet School, St Petersburg, where she was in the same class as Olga Spessivtzeva, graduating in 1913. At 5’ 6” and slim, she appeared tall, making her a challenge to cast in the corps de ballet. Later her physical appearance became a template for a 'Balanchine dancer'. In 1920 she left the Soviet Union via Finland and, with her partner Pierre Vladimirov, joined Maria Kuznetsova’s Russian season at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées, where she made an impression in the solo, Valse Bluette. Doubrovska and Vladimirov were invited to join the Ballets Russes for The Sleeping Princess in which she performed as the Fairy of the Pine Woods, a duchess and as Sister Anne. During the run in January 1922 she married Vladimirov. With the Ballets Russes she created the roles of the Bride in Bronislava Nijinska’s Les Noces, the ballerina in Léonide Massine’s Ode, the film star in La Pastorale, Calliope in Apollon Musagette and the Siren in The Prodigal Son. She briefly danced with Anna Pavlova’s Company, became ballerina at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires and with the Ballet de l’Opéra Russe as well as with Serge Lifar. Her performing career ended with performances at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1939 and she settled with Vladimirov in the USA, both becoming influential teachers at the School of American Ballet.




Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleFelia Doubrovska (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Photograph
Brief description
Photographic postcard by Albin of Monte Carlo of Felia Doubrovska offstage, late 1920s
Physical description
Three-quarter length portrait photograph of a seated ballerina in a pale gown. Her hair is centre parted and tied back. Her hands are folded on her lap. She wears pearl earrings.
Dimensions
  • Height: 14cm
  • Width: 9cm
Credit line
Given by John Taras and Richard Buckle
Summary
Felia Doubrovska (1896-1981) was an important ballerina, a collaborator with George Balanchine as he developed his choreographic ideas, and a significant teacher.

Doubrovska trained with Enrico Cecchetti and at the Imperial Ballet School, St Petersburg, where she was in the same class as Olga Spessivtzeva, graduating in 1913. At 5’ 6” and slim, she appeared tall, making her a challenge to cast in the corps de ballet. Later her physical appearance became a template for a 'Balanchine dancer'. In 1920 she left the Soviet Union via Finland and, with her partner Pierre Vladimirov, joined Maria Kuznetsova’s Russian season at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées, where she made an impression in the solo, Valse Bluette. Doubrovska and Vladimirov were invited to join the Ballets Russes for The Sleeping Princess in which she performed as the Fairy of the Pine Woods, a duchess and as Sister Anne. During the run in January 1922 she married Vladimirov. With the Ballets Russes she created the roles of the Bride in Bronislava Nijinska’s Les Noces, the ballerina in Léonide Massine’s Ode, the film star in La Pastorale, Calliope in Apollon Musagette and the Siren in The Prodigal Son. She briefly danced with Anna Pavlova’s Company, became ballerina at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires and with the Ballet de l’Opéra Russe as well as with Serge Lifar. Her performing career ended with performances at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1939 and she settled with Vladimirov in the USA, both becoming influential teachers at the School of American Ballet.


Collection
Accession number
S.530-2021

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Record createdAugust 12, 2021
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