The most famous Soviet ballerina. Who is she? Russian ballerinas with world fame (11 photos)

Ballet is called an integral part of the art of our country. Russian ballet is considered the most authoritative in the world, the standard. This review contains the success stories of five great Russian ballerinas who are still looked up to today.

Anna Pavlova

What is curious is that the aspiring ballerina was not placed in the corps de ballet, but immediately began to give her responsible roles in productions. Anna Pavlova danced under the direction of several choreographers, but the most successful and fruitful tandem, which had a fundamental influence on her performance style, was with Mikhail Fokin.

Galina Ulanova

After graduating from the choreographic technical school in 1928, Ulanova was accepted into the ballet troupe of the Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater. From the very first performances, the young ballerina attracted the attention of spectators and critics. A year later, Ulanova was entrusted with performing the leading role of Odette-Odile in Swan Lake. Giselle is considered one of the ballerina’s triumphant roles. Performing the scene of the heroine's madness, Galina Ulanova did it so soulfully and selflessly that even the men in the audience could not hold back their tears.

Galina Ulanova danced on stage until she was 50 years old. She was always strict and demanding of herself. Even in old age, the ballerina began every morning with classes and weighed 49 kg.

Olga Lepeshinskaya

Olga Lepeshinskaya easily coped with both ballet classics (“ Swan Lake", "Sleeping Beauty"), and with modern productions ("Red Poppy", "Flames of Paris.") During the Great Patriotic War Lepeshinskaya fearlessly performed at the front, raising the morale of the soldiers.

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Olga Lepeshinskaya -
ballerina with a passionate temperament. | Photo: www.etoretro.ru.

Maya Plisetskaya

Aunt Plisetskaya was a ballerina at the Bolshoi Theater, so Maya also began attending choreography classes. The girl achieved great success in this field and after graduating from college she was accepted into the Bolshoi Theater troupe.

After the ballerina was fired from the Bolshoi Theater in 1990, she did not despair and continued to give solo performances. The overflowing energy allowed Plisetskaya to make her debut in the production of “Ave Maya” on her 70th birthday.

Lyudmila Semenyaka

Semenyaka coped with any part so naturally and effortlessly that from the outside it seemed as if she was not making any effort, but was simply enjoying the dance. In 1976, Lyudmila Ivanovna was awarded the Anna Pavlova Prize from the Paris Academy of Dance.

But he mastered the art of ballet in Russia, and most life performed in the USA.

Born in St. Petersburg. After graduating from the St. Petersburg Theater School, in 1899 she was accepted into the troupe of the Mariinsky Theater. She danced parts in the classical ballets “The Nutcracker”, “The Little Humpbacked Horse”, “Raymonda”, “La Bayadère”, “Giselle”. Natural data and continuous improvement performing skills helped Pavlova become the leading dancer of the troupe in 1906. Anna Pavlova

Born into the family of dancer F.I. Kshesinsky, a Pole by nationality. In 1890 she graduated from the ballet department of the St. Petersburg Theater School. In her years she danced at the Mariinsky Theater. She became famous in the roles of Aurora in the ballet The Sleeping Beauty, Esmeralda, Teresa in the ballet Cavalry Rest. Her dance was distinguished by its bright artistry and cheerfulness. At the beginning of the 1990s she was a participant in M. M. Fokine’s ballets: “Eunika”, “Chopiniana”, “Eros”, and in the years she performed in the Diaghilev Russian Ballet troupe. Matilda Kshesinskaya

Galina Sergeevna Ulanova was born in St. Petersburg on January 08, 1910, in a family of masters of ballet art. Ulanova graduated from the Leningrad Choreographic School. Pretty soon she joined the troupe of the Leningrad State academic theater opera and ballet (now Mariinsky). During the Great Patriotic War, Ulanova danced in theaters in Perm, Alma-Ata, Sverdlovsk, performing in hospitals in front of the wounded. In 1944, Galina Sergeevna moved to the Bolshoi Theater, where she periodically performed since 1934. Galina Ulanova

Maya Mikhailovna Plisetskaya was born in 1925 in Moscow. Maya Plisetskaya is a symbol of Russian ballet. The owner of expressive plasticity, a phenomenal jump, a flexible back, a light step and high musicality. She was the first to introduce such a jump as a “ring” into ballet vocabulary. The ballerina created her own own style, distinguished by grace, graphics, sharpness and completeness of gesture and pose. One of her main roles is Odette - Odile from Swan Lake. It was this Tchaikovsky ballet that became the core of her biography. Maya Plisetskaya

Svetlana Zakharova was born in Ukraine in 1979. At the age of ten she entered the Kiev Choreographic School. After studying for four months, Zakharova left the school, as her family moved to East Germany in accordance with the new assignment of her father, a military man. Returning to Ukraine six months later, Zakharova again passed the exams at the Kiev Choreographic School and was immediately accepted into the second grade. Svetlana has performed in many cities around the world. In 2008, she was recognized as the star of the famous Milan theater La Scala. Svetlana Zakharova

Ulyana Lopatkina was born in Ukraine in 1973. As a child, she studied in dance clubs and in the gymnastics section. On the initiative of her mother, she entered the Academy of Russian Ballet. AND I. Vaganova in Leningrad. In 1990, as a student, Lopatkina participated in the Second All-Russian Competition named after. AND I. Vaganova for students of choreographic schools and received first prize. In 1995, Ulyana became a prima ballerina. Her track record includes the best roles in classical and modern productions. Ulyana Lopatkina

Famous ballerinas of the Russian school of ballet of the 19th century

The history of ballet in Russia begins in the 30s of the 18th century. In 1731, the Land Noble Corps was opened in St. Petersburg. Since the graduates of the corps in the future were expected to occupy high government positions and needed knowledge of secular manners, the study fine arts, including ballroom dance, a significant space was allocated in the building.

Jean-Baptiste Lande, who is considered the founder of Russian ballet art, became the dance master of the corps in 1734.

Jean Baptiste Lande, unknown

In 1738 Jean Baptiste Landais The first ballet school in Russia was opened - Her Imperial Majesty's Dance School (now the Academy of Russian Ballet named after A. Ya. Vaganova). Ballet in Russia gradually developed and in 1794 began productions of the first Russian choreographer by nationality Ivan Valberkh.

Pushkinsky Petersburg. A.M. Gordin

Under Paul I they were published special rules for ballet - it was ordered that there should not be a single man on stage during the performance and male roles at that time were performed by women, for example, Evgenia Ivanovna Kolosova (1780-1869). Kolosova was one of the first to perform on ballet stage Russian dances. Another of her innovations was that she changed her puffy stylized costume for an antique chiton.

Evgenia Kolosova (1782-1869), Alexander Grigorievich Varnek

Ballet dancer and choreographer Adam Glushkovsky wrote about Kolosova: “I have been following for more than forty years dance art, I saw a lot of famous ballet dancers coming to Russia, but in none of them did I see such talent as Evgenia Ivanovna Kolosova, a dancer of the St. Petersburg theater, possessed. Every movement of her face, every gesture was so natural and understandable that it decisively replaced speech for the viewer." Evgenia Kolosova was on stage from 1794 to 1826, after which she took up teaching.

Evgenia (Evdokia) Ivanovna Kolosova (1782-1869)

One of Evgenia Kolosova’s students was Avdotya (Evdokia) Ilyinichna Istomina (1799-1848), sung by Pushkin in “Eugene Onegin”:

Avdotya Ilyinichna Istomina (1799-1848)

Avdotya Ilyinichna Istomina (1799-1848), Henri-François Riesener

The theater is already full; the boxes shine;

The stalls and the chairs, everything is boiling;

In paradise they splash impatiently,

And, rising, the curtain makes noise.

Brilliant, half-air,

obedient to the magic bow,

Surrounded by a crowd of nymphs,

Worth Istomin; she,

One foot touching the floor,

The other slowly circles,

And suddenly he jumps, and suddenly he flies,

Flies like feathers from the lips of Aeolus;

Now the camp will sow, then it will develop,

And with a quick foot he hits the leg.

Portrait of A.I. Istomina. Pushkin Museum, A (?). Winterhalter.

Another famous ballerina of those years was Maria Ivanovna Danilova (1793-1810), whose creative way was cut short by death from tuberculosis at the age of 17 years.

Maria Ivanovna Danilova

Historians are still arguing about which Russian ballerina was the first to dance on pointe shoes (leaning only on the tips of her toes). Some believe that it was Maria Danilova, others are of the opinion that it was Avdotya Istomina.

Another student of Evgenia Kolosova was Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Telesheva (1804-1857).

Portrait of E.A. Telesheva as Louise from the ballet “The Deserter” to the music of P.A. Monsigny, Pietro de Rossi Pietro de Rossi (1761-1831)

One of her contemporaries wrote about her: “With the most charming appearance, she had so many feelings and games that she captivated the most impassive spectator.” Patron and lover, in fact common-law husband Teleshova, was a count, Governor-General of St. Petersburg Mikhail Miloradovich.

Count Mikhail Andreevich Miloradovich, George Dow

Ekaterina Telesheva. Portrait by Orest Kiprensky

Zephyr and Flora

A famous Russian ballerina of the 19th century was (1836-1882). The ballerina's husband was ballet dancer Marius Petipa.

Maria Sergeevna Surovshchikova-Petipa

Maria Sergeevna Surovshchikova-Petipa

"Adele Dumilâtre as Myrtha in Giselle", Bouvier, Jules (1800-1867)

Marius Petipa in the ballet "The Pharaoh's Daughter"

Marius Petipa.

The fruit of the union of the artistic couple Maria Surovshchikova - Marius Petipa was the daughter Maria Mariusovna Petipa (1857-1930), who, like her parents, became a famous ballet dancer. Ballet historian Mikhail Borisoglebsky wrote about her: “Happy” stage fate“, great figure, support famous father made her an indispensable performer of characteristic dances, a first-class ballerina, diverse in her repertoire.

Maria Mariusovna Petipa

Maria Mariusovna Petipa

For 17 years (from 1861 to 1878) she performed on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater Matilda Nikolaevna Madaeva(stage name Matryona Tikhonovna). A big scandal in St. Petersburg society was her marriage to Prince Mikhail Mikhailovich Golitsyn, a representative of one of the most noble Russian families, an officer who rose to the rank of Adjutant General of His Majesty's Retinue.

Prince Mikhail Mikhailovich Golitsyn (1840-1918) - cavalry general

This marriage was considered a misalliance, since the spouses came from different classes, and according to the laws of the 19th century, officers imperial army could not be officially married to people from the lower classes. The prince chose to retire, having made a choice in favor of the family.

Scenery and costumes by A. Benois for the ballet Giselle

A prominent representative of the Moscow ballet school of the 19th century was Praskovia Prokhorovna Lebedeva (1839-1917), who was the leading dancer of the Bolshoi Theater for 10 years.

Cambon, Charles-Antoine (1802-1875). Dessinateur

Another famous ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater was Lydia Nikolaevna Geiten (1857-1920).

For two decades, Gaten danced almost all the female roles, having no Big rivals on stage. In 1883, the Bolshoi Theater ballet troupe was significantly reduced, but Gaten refused offers to move to St. Petersburg theaters in order to preserve the traditions of Moscow ballet. After leaving the stage, Gaten taught at the Moscow Choreographic School.

Coppélia 1870 decor

She worked on stage for 30 years (from 1855 to 1885) imperial theaters St. Petersburg Lyubov Petrovna Radina (1838-1917). Contemporaries wrote about her: "She had outstanding success in characteristic dances, requiring fire and passion, but she also excelled in mimic roles."

Bayadere -Decor Design -Act II -K Brozh -1877

In the 60s of the 19th century she shone on the stages of St. Petersburg, Moscow and Paris Marfa Nikolaevna Muravyova (1838-1879). The Italian choreographer Carlo Blasis wrote that “diamond sparks rain down from under her feet while dancing” and that her “fast and constantly changing pas can involuntarily be compared to a thread of spilling pearls.”

Giselle (A. Benois)

Giselle Queen of the Vintage

From 1859 to 1879 she performed at the Bolshoi Theater Anna Iosifovna Sobeshchanskaya (1842-1918). Yuri Bakhrushin in the book “History of Russian Ballet” wrote: “being a strong dancer and a good actress, Sobeshenskaya was the first to deviate from generally accepted rules and, performing in ballet parts, began to apply characteristic makeup. Blazis, who observed Sobeschanskaya at the beginning of her career, wrote that she was “admirable as a dancer and as a mimic” and that in her dances “the soul is visible, she is expressive” and sometimes even reaches “frenzy.” Later, another contemporary asserted that “it is not the difficulty of jumps and the speed of turns that makes the best impression on the viewer, but the integral creation of a role in which dance is the interpreter of facial expressions.”

From 1877 to 1893 in St. Petersburg ballet troupe danced at the imperial theaters Varvara Ivanovna Nikitina (1857-1920).

sleeping Beauty

Photo: State Library Queensland (1938)
Girls taking an exam at the Royal Academy of Dance (London)

Maya Plisetskaya, born 1925 89 years old, alive and well

I was reading a magazine here and was surprised to discover that Maya Plisetskaya is already nearly 90! And she still looks very decent. The same journal indicated the life years of several more famous ballerinas, so many of them managed to “pass” the 80-year mark!

I started rummaging further. I selected from Wikipedia only Russian and Soviet ballerinas who lived for more than 80 years, and it turned out that there were enough of them for three posts - 70 percent of the ballerinas from the list of the Mariinsky Theater's principal dancers! I had to filter out those who are over 85. Now I will show them and tell you a few words.

Alexandra Kemmerer (1842-1931). 89 years old

She shone in the "Mariinsky" when "Russophile" ballets came into fashion - with kokoshniks and balalaikas. Raised adopted daughter, even married her to Count Orlov. She herself, it seems, had no family.

Ekaterina Vazem (1848-1937), 89 years old
Performed at the Mariinsky Theater at the same time as Kemmerer
One of the highest paid ballerinas of that time. They said that her manner was a little cold, but her dance was precise and technical. She was married twice and gave birth to a son, the future critic Nil Nasilov.

Matilda Kshesinskaya, 1872-1971 (99 years old)

You know this one. A virtuoso ballerina and a well-deserved prima, she went down in history not only because of this: Matilda had a fairly close friendship with the Romanovs. With the male part of him. Very close. She began, as is believed, with the brother of the future Tsar, Georgy Alexandrovich, then switched to the Tsarevich himself, and when he married Alice of Hesse, she began to be “friends” with his cousins ​​- first with Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich (she gave birth to a son from him), and then with Andrei Mikhailovich. However, she stopped there, and Prince Andrei even married her, adopting an actual nephew. Malechka died in exile at a very old age. She was absolutely tiny - 1.53 m tall. And as for me, she’s not an acquired taste.

Olga Preobrazhenskaya (1871-1962), 91 years old

She shared the stage with Kshesinskaya, almost her peer and eternal rival. Even in longevity, they seemed to compete. 30 years on stage, performed at La Scala. 40 years of teaching. She died in exile.

Tamara Karsavina (1885-1978) 93 years old

Her surname should not be “Karsavina”, but “Krasavina” - a very beautiful woman! And not as “sociable” as Kshesinskaya. She married an English diplomat and left with him after the revolution for England. She performed with Dyagelev, often her partner was Nijinsky.

Lyubov Chernysheva (1890-1976), 86 years old

A soloist with the Diaghilev troupe and then with the Monte Carlo Ballet, she spent most of her life abroad. She was married to Diaghilev’s assistant Grigoriev, but she flirted recklessly with everyone, changing lovers at the speed of sound, for which Diaghilev himself called her “burning cowards.” And what? The lady is very attractive!

Olga Spesivtseva (1895-1991) 96 years old

The sorrow of Russian ballet. The unfortunate prima, having ended her career prematurely, spent 20 years in a psychiatric hospital. Her “Giselle,” they say, was inimitable and even frightening. She seemed to have driven her crazy. Oddly enough, over time the ballerina almost recovered, but she remained lonely and broken. Beautiful woman, was married three times, but as a result, she was left alone. Look good about her Feature Film"Giselle Mania"

Alexandra Danilova (1904-1997), 93 years old

She also started with Diaghilev, then worked with Balanchine, even at one time she was passionate about him, but George Balanchine preferred another ballerina to her - he married Tamara Zheverzheeva (she is also on the list, below). I taught for a long time. She was described as a very “technical” dancer. She ended her career as a ballerina in 1959, but appeared on stage several times in musicals. Her performance in a solo pantomime in 1971 (67 years old, that is!) created a real sensation in the press.

Tamara Zheverzheeva (1907-1997), 90 years old

As already mentioned, the ballerina was married to Georges Balanchine, but the marriage lasted only three years. Then she got married twice more. She acted in films. Even in old age she looked very impressive.

Shulamith Messerer (1908 - 2004), 95 years old

Aunt and foster mom Maya Plisetskaya - Maya’s father was repressed, and her mother was sent into exile.
Shulamith's parents gave all the children in the family biblical names (also Rachel and Asaph). She was very optimistic, energetic and cheerful woman. They say that the ballerina is the most talented - technical, artistic and temperamental. In addition to ballet, she was involved in swimming and managed to become a two-time champion at the All-Union Spartakiad. She emigrated in the 1980s.

Marina Semyonova (1908-2010), 101 years old (!!!)


Star of the Leningrad Ballet, performed in Paris at the invitation of Serge Lifar. She is more famous as a ballet teacher. And also as a teacher of ballet teachers.
The first marriage with ballet dancer Viktor Semenov was short-lived, but the second husband was repressed. The daughter was also a ballerina.

Galina Ulanova (1909-1998), 88 years old

The main ballerina of the Soviet Union. Childfree claimed that she spent her entire life wearing blinders, seeing nothing around her except ballet. But she managed to get married three times.

Natalya Dudinskaya (1912-2003), 90 years old

4 Stalin Prize! It was difficult for her to compete with Ulanova, but the ballet directors considered her special style: she was especially good in heroic roles. Abrupt, energetic, with powerful rotations, Natalya performed for a long time - she last appeared on stage in “age” roles at 56 years old, and her technique, they say, was impeccable. I taught for a long time.

Sofia Golovkina (1915-2004), 88 years old


The talented ballerina is memorable not only for her brilliant solo parts, but also for her teaching activities, and most importantly, for her managerial abilities, as they say now. She for a long time directed the Moscow Choreographic School, and even “knocked out” a new building for it.

Olga Lepeshinskaya (1916-2008), 92 years old

Another winner of 4 Stalin Prizes.
Energetic, precise, technical ballerina. I taught for a long time. She was married three times - once to a director, twice to generals. Childfree.

Irina Baronova (1919-2008), 89 years old

Her parents took her from Russia at the age of 2. She performed from the age of 11, and from the age of 13 Balanchine took her into his troupe, she became one of the three famous “baby ballerinas”. Having started her career early, she stopped it early - it became prerequisite her second husband. She lived in the USA, acted a little in films, then returned to ballet as a teacher. One of her daughters is actress Victoria Tannat.

Marianna Bogolyubskaya (1919-2013), 94 years old

A versatile ballerina, she was successful in a variety of roles. In addition to ballet, she was fond of sculpting and made sculptural portraits of her fellow ballerinas. She was married to a ballet dancer.

Marina Svetlova (1922-2009), 87 years old

Actually, her name was Yvette von Hartmann. Her parents were Russian emigrants, but Ivetta-Marina herself never lived in Russia. But Russian ballerinas taught her. She began her career in Ida Rubinstein's troupe, then performed with Balanchine. She taught for a long time and was a professor at Indiana University in the ballet department. There was no family.

Rimma Karelskaya (1927) Alive and well, 87 years old


A wonderful virtuoso ballerina who once performed at the Bolshoi Theater. Then she worked there as a teacher and choreographer-tutor. Five years ago I broke my hip, but it seemed like they had surgery and everything turned out okay.

Olga Moiseeva, (1928) Alive and well, 85 years old

One of Vaganova's favorite students. She danced on stage for 26 years and had a special dramatic talent. Then I taught. He still gives lessons, apparently. And always well-groomed and impressive.

Alicia Alonso (1920, Cuba). Alive and well, 93 years old

And this is a foreigner, Cuban, but she studied with Russian ballet masters. In fact, the creator of the National Ballet of Cuba. One of the most talented ballerinas living today, despite the fact that she has been almost blind since the age of 19.

Cleo de Merode (1875-1966), 91 years old


Another “foreign” exception, but it’s too good. In addition, being a Parisian, Cleo (or Cleopatra) performed in St. Petersburg during her tour. Oddly enough, Cleo was the scion of a very noble family. I don’t know whether she was a great ballerina, but her extraordinary beauty amazed her contemporaries, the king of Belgium went crazy for her, Degas painted her and Folgier sculpted her.

Alicia Markova (1910-2004), 94 years old

In fact, the ballerina's name was Lilian Alicia Marks and she was English. Jewish origin. She began dancing at the age of 10, and at the age of 14 she was accepted into Diaghilev’s troupe. He suggested changing his stage name. She shone in the performances of Giselle, La Sylphide and others. She performed until she was 52 years old. Stood at the foundations of British classical ballet, her merits in the national ballet are comparable to those of Margot Fonteyn. She was not married.

Now think about what kind of phenomenon this is: crazy workloads, a strict diet, nervous work - envy, theatrical intrigue, ups and downs - and come on, they live to almost 100.

And what’s also interesting is that male ballerinas barely reach 60! Well, with rare exceptions: Balanchine lived 79 years, Marius Petipa - 92, Lifar - 82, Bejar - 80, Asaf Messerer - 88. And the rest - nothing...
Why is that?

(January 31 (February 12) 1881, St. Petersburg, Russian empire- January 23, 1931, The Hague, the Netherlands) - Russian ballet dancer, one of the greatest ballerinas of the 20th century.

She soon became one of the first Russian film stars, releasing eight films in 1915. After the revolution of 1917, Caralli emigrated, lived in Lithuania, where she taught dance in Kaunas, worked in Romania, and acted in France and Austria. She eventually settled in Vienna, where she gave ballet lessons. Vera Caralli died in Baden, Austria, on November 16, 1972, at the age of eighty. three years. She submitted a petition asking to return to her homeland, received a Soviet passport on November 1, 1972, but two weeks later she was gone.

Matilda Kshesinskaya graduated from the Imperial Theater School in 1890. She danced at the Mariinsky Theater from 1890 to 1917.

Olga Preobrazhenskaya began studying ballet in 1879 under the guidance of Nikolai Legat and Enrico Cecchetti at the Vaganova School. After 10 years, Preobrazhenskaya was accepted into the Mariinsky Theater, where Matilda Kshesinskaya became her main rival. Since 1895, Olga Preobrazhenskaya toured Europe and South America, successfully performed at La Scala. In 1900, Preobrazhenskaya became a prima ballerina. In 1921, Olga Preobrazhenskaya left the USSR; from 1923 she lived in Paris, where she opened a ballet studio and continued pedagogical activity. In addition, Olga Preobrazhenskaya taught in Milan, London, Buenos Aires, and Berlin.
Olga Iosifovna Preobrazhenskaya died in 1962. She was buried in the Cemetery of Saint-Genevieve des Bois.

Lyubov Roslavleva received her choreographic education at the Moscow Theater School from the Spanish choreographer and teacher Jose Mendez. Since 1892, Lyubov Roslavleva performed at the Bolshoi Theater. In 1902, Lyubov Roslavleva took part in tours in Monte Carlo and Warsaw.

At a very young age, Olga Spesivtseva toured with great success with the Diaghilev Russian Ballet in the United States. She was Nijinsky's partner in Les Sylphides and The Specter of the Rose. Since 1918, Olga Spesivtseva became the leading dancer, and since 1920, the prima ballerina of the Mariinsky Theater. Shortly after the revolution of 1917, she became the wife of a prominent Soviet Chekist Boris Kaplun, who helped her emigrate with her mother in 1923 to France, where during 1924-1932. She performed at the Paris Grand Opera, becoming the leading guest ballerina of the Paris Opera.

Since 1932, Spesivtseva has been working with the Fokine troupe in Buenos Aires, and in 1934, in the position of a star, she visits Australia as part of the former troupe of Anna Pavlova. Last performance Spesivtseva in Paris took place in 1939. After that, she moved to the USA.

In 1943, the mental illness worsened, Spesivtseva was losing her memory more and more. This is how my career ended great ballerina. From 1943 to 1963 Olga Spesivtseva spent time in a psychiatric hospital, her memory gradually recovered, and the outstanding ballerina recovered. Last years Olga Spesivtseva spent her life in a boarding house on the farm of the Tolstoy Foundation, Inc., created youngest daughter writer Leo Tolstoy Alexandra Lvovna Tolstoy near the city of New York.

Olga Spesivtseva

Vera Aleksandrovna Trefilova (in some sources Ivanova; October 8, 1875, Vladikavkaz - July 11, 1943, Paris) - Russian ballet dancer and teacher.

In 1894, Vera Trefilova graduated from the St. Petersburg Theater School (teachers Ekaterina Vazem and Pavel Gerdt). From 1894 to 1910 Vera Trefilova worked at the Mariinsky Theater. After the revolution, Vera Trefilova left the USSR and settled in Paris, where she opened her own ballet school. In 1921-1926. Vera Trefilova danced in Diaghilev's Russian Ballet, performing the main roles in the ballets The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and The Vision of a Rose. Last time Vera Trefilova danced in 1926 with Diaghilev. Vera Trefilova died on July 11, 1943 in Paris.