Geltzer, Yekaterina Vasilyevna

Geltzer, Yekaterina Vasilyevna

▪ Russian dancer

born Nov. 14 [Nov. 2, old style], 1876, Moscow
died Dec. 12, 1962, Moscow
 prima ballerina of the Moscow Bolshoi Theatre who, during the period of disorder following the Revolution of 1917, helped preserve and pass on the classical technique and repertory of the Imperial Russian Ballet.

      Though her father, Vasily Geltzer, an outstanding mime dancer and regisseur of the Bolshoi Theatre, believed her physique was unsuitable for dancing, Yekaterina persuaded him to enroll her at eight in the Bolshoi's ballet school. There she developed strong pointe and pirouette technique under her teacher Joseph Mendes and graduated in 1894. After two years with the Bolshoi company, she went to St. Petersburg to study with Christian Johansson, who helped her attain the elegant grace that earned her the title “queen of adagio.” In 1901 she became prima ballerina. Though she danced in most of the classic ballets at the Bolshoi, including Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, and Coppélia, she excelled in dramatic roles and in the so-called demi-caractère style of dance, in which classical ballet technique is used to perform character dance. She also performed in Paris (1910) with the Diaghilev company and in London (1911) with the famous Russian dancer and teacher Vasili Tikhomirov, whom she later married.

      After the Revolution of 1917, Geltzer remained with the Moscow company, and in 1927 she created one of her most famous roles, that of Tao-Hoa, the self-sacrificing heroine of The Red Poppy who dies to save the life of a Soviet captain. Her career at the Bolshoi spanned more than 40 years, and she was one of the first to receive (1925) the title People's Artist of the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Geltzer, Yekaterina (Vasilyevna) — born Nov. 14, 1876, Moscow, Russia died Dec. 12, 1962, Moscow Russian prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet. She graduated from the Bolshoi Theatre s ballet school in 1894 and joined the company, becoming prima ballerina in 1901. She was known… …   Universalium

  • Yekaterina Geltzer — Yekaterina Vasilyevna Geltzer (en ruso: Екатерина Васильевна Гельцер, 14 de noviembre de 1876 12 de diciembre de 1962) fue una bailarina rusa, siendo prima ballerina en el Teatro Bolshói desde 1898 hasta 1935. Biografía Yekaterina era hija de… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Yekaterina Geltzer — Yekaterina Vasilyevna Geltzer (November 2, 1876 December 12, 1962) was a prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet who danced in the theatre from 1898 to 1935. She worked with Marius Petipa, Sergei Diaghilev, and Reinhold Glière. After the Russian… …   Wikipedia

  • Tikhomirov, Vasily Dmitrievich — ▪ Russian dancer born March 30, 1876, Moscow, Russia died June 20, 1956, Moscow  ballet dancer and influential teacher who helped develop the vigorous style and technical virtuosity of the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow. He trained such dancers as… …   Universalium

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