Throwback Thursday and Yekaterina
Geltzer
Today’s subject was inspired by the (1913?) film in the link
below. It features husband and wife ballet dancers Yekaterina Geltzer and her husband Vasili Tikhomirov. They were
stars of the Bolshoi at the time, but the film shows how much ballet has
changed in little more than one hundred years.
Yekaterina Geltzer was born November 2, 1876, and began
training at age 8 at the Bolshoi school. Her father worked at the
Bolshoi Theatre, and despite the fact that he believed her body type was not
suitable for ballet, she convinced him to let her try. She went on to develop a
strong, sure technique and graduated in 1894. Later, she studied in St.
Petersburg with Christian Johansson where she developed the style and grace that
caused her to be named “queen of adagio”.
In addition to performing with the Bolshoi, she also danced
with the Ballet Russes in 1910 and the Metropolitan Opera in 1912. Afterward,
she returned to Russia where she remained. Her career at the Bolshoi was a long
one – more than 40 years. In 1925 she was named People’s Artist of the Soviet
Union.
Yekaterina Geltzer died on December 12, 1962.
From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:
Dance History Factoid #125:
“Yekaterina Geltzer
was named the People’s Artist of the Soviet Union in 1925.”
Link of the Day:
Quote
of the Day:
“Character consists of what you do on the
third and fourth tries.”
― James A. Michener
― James A. Michener
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