Jordan McCaskill

Robyn Schroth
Ballet




Anna Pavlova

Anna Pavlova, a Russian ballerina, is widely recognized in the world of
dance for many reasons. Known for the piece, The Dying Swan, and for starting
the use of the modern pointe shoe, Pavlova is one of the most influential ballet
dancers.
Anna Pavlova was born in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1881 to Lyubov
Feodorovna, a washerwoman, and Matvey Pavlov, who was her step father and a
reserve soldier. It was never known who Annas biological father was, however
there were many guesses. One, being that Feodorovna had an affair with a
banker with the name Lazar Poliakoff. Anna, on the other hand, believed that she
was a product of a marriage that ended in the death of her biological father, a
man named Pavlov, when she was a toddler.
Pavlova was first inspired to become a ballerina as an eight year old when
she and her mother attended a performance of The Sleeping Beauty at the
Mayinsky Theatre. When she turned ten, Anna Pavlova started going to the
school, St. Petersburg Imperial Ballet. Anna had many famous teachers, such as
Pavel Gerdt, Christian Johannsen, and Enrico Cecchetti. Pavlova was thought to
be different from all of the other girls in her class. Standing at only five-feet-tall,
yet incredibly strong and graceful for her size. In 1899 and at age of eighteen,
Pavlova graduated from Imperial Ballet and began dancing at the Maryinsky
Theater.
Unlike most dancers in her position, Pavlova left the Imperial Ballet as a
coryphe. This means that as opposed to having to dance in large groups, she
was allowed to dance in the smaller groups. Her first performance was in La
Fille Mal Garde. With only two other girls in this piece, Anna Pavlova made her
company debut at the Maryinsky Theatre. Pavlova continued to be a part of
performances, but in 1905, Pavlova broke out as the lead soloist in Michael
Fokines The Dying Swan.
The Dying Swan became Pavlovas signature role. Written specifically for
her, many said that Pavlovas portrayal as the swan was eerily beautiful. It was
believed that she managed to convey to the audience the plays complex
message about the fragility and preciousness of life. Not only did Pavlova
express herself through the movements, but her dramatic facial expressions
enhanced the piece.
By 1906 and only seven years into her career, Anna became prima
ballerina. In 1907 Anna began taking tours abroad, stopping in European cities
such as Berlin, Prague, and Copenhagen. Due to the great critical response
Pavlova signed to do a second tour in 1908.
When Anna completed her second tour in 1909 she was invited to join
Sergei Diaghilevs Ballet Rousse on the historic tour while in its opening season
in Paris. Continuing to travel the world, Anna Pavlova toured the United States
and United Kingdom in 1910.
After knowing him for seven years, Pavlova married French aristocrat,
Victor DAndre in 1911. That same year, Anna Pavlova started her own ballet
company. With her own company, Pavlova was capable of having control pver
her own performances, organize independent tours, and even choreograph her
own roles.
Around the same time, Pavlova began to be known for the birth of the
modern pointe shoe. Pablovas insteps tended to be high and arched, which
made it very easy for her to be injured while on pointe. In addition to her instep,
she had slender and tapered feet as a result of all of the pressure put on her big
toes. To compensate, Anna put leather in the soles of her pointe shoes. This
flattened and hardened the toe area, forming a box, and in turn, providing her
with the extra support she needed to continue dancing, Many found her method
to be cheating, believing that ballerinas should truly be able to balance on their
toes, however, Annas new invention made in possible for ballerinas to
increase the time of their career with safer shoes to dance in.
In late 1930, and at 50 years old, Anna Pavlova was on the train, when
there was a crash. Although unharmed by the incident, Pavlova had to wait 12
hours on a platform in the snow. Not wearing many layers, Anna got double
pneumonia and died soon after on January 23, 1931. Right before she died, it is
said that she asked to see her costume from The Dying Swan one last time.
Anna Pavlova was the first ballerina to travel around the whole world and
was a pioneer of the modern pointe shoe. From a young age, she was inspired to
be a ballerina, and to do so, she climbed the ranks and worked as hard as she
could. Pavlova is a great role model for all ballerina, especially those just starting
out, and who may not have the body type that people are used to seeing in
ballerinas.