Ballet Archives

  Photo Credit: Mary Jane Red shoes designed by A. Argence the same designer and style that Anna Pavlova wore from the Museum of London Anna Pavlova loved shoes, especially red shoes, which were her favorite color shoes to wear. She ordered many red shoes that were all in the one style she most favored. Her favorite red shoes were made in Paris by the designer A. Argence. The shoe style she enjoyed wearing was the Mary Jane; it had a low heel that was referred as the Louis XIV style and had lattice work. These are the shoes she was usually  photographed wearing when she was enjoying life off the stage. Anna Pavlova was already known for  being very particular on her pointe shoes and the same went for her everyday shoes. Like most people, having shoes that fit correctly and not cause pain is important. Her Musical Director Theodore Stier recounts his moments when Pavlova needed new shoes: "It was a grim day for the company when the word passed round that Pavlova was going ...

  Photo Credit: Invitation to the Dance was one of the ballets, Pavlova filmed in Australia in 1929 from the Museum of London Anna Pavlova was fascinated with the movie camera because she saw endless possibilities for the camera to be used in dance. She saw it as a device that could record her dancing and her company's dancers, but she also saw it as an educational device that people could learn ballet from the recording. Pavlova was the first ballerina who viewed the movie camera as an essential tool for dance. When Pavlova got her movie camera, she filmed ballet sequences and when her company's dancers danced. Some of these films still exist. She also liked to film daily life at her home, the Ivy House, and on company tours. She saw a whole new world with the movie camera. Today just as Pavlova said, a movie camera can teach people ballet. That is what has happened. There are now ballet classes taught online through video, which now reaches a much wider audience. Ballet perfo...

  Photo Credit: Anna Pavlova with her pupils at the Ivy House for ballet classes 1913 from Anna Pavlova Her Life And Art by Keith Money During Anna Pavlova's ballet lessons with her pupils, she would wear either white or black pieces of clothing; depending on her mood. One of her students, Muriel Stuart, remembered this being a typical day at the Ivy House for their ballet classes. "Usually she was kind, but we could tell in  advance if she was in a good mood. If she wore her white Grecian robe it was more or less a good day. But when she came in that black crepe thing... Oh! We tried her patience... As I look back, I wish we had someone who prepared us for her... she was such a supreme example of grace and poetry."   -Murial Stuart, student of Anna Pavlova I can't help envisioning the white and black swan from the Swan Lake ballet, with the change of clothes depending on Anna Pavlova's mood. I can imagine how the students felt seeing those clothes and thinking ho...

  Photo Credit: Cover of Opera News featuring The Sleeping Beauty Ballet with Anna Pavlova as Aurora at the Hippodrome from Anna Pavlova Her Life Her Art by Keith Money. Anna Pavlova who was known to participate in charity events attended an event that raised money for Serbian refugees on December 21st at Mrs. Astor's home. Pavlova, days later, with her dance partner Volinine performed at the Hippodrome. Pavlova's Ballet Company was in Atlantic City while Pavlova and Volinine continued to perform in Baltimore, Wilmington, and Philadelphia. However, a dark cloud hovered over The Pavlova Ballet Company when her colleague Rabinoff informed her that the Company was bankrupt. Anna Pavlova wanting to keep the Company together and loyal to her dancers. She decided to pay for all the dancers' salaries and company expenses. Most saw this as dangerously risky, but Anna Pavlova believed in her dancers and her Company, so Pavlova was determined to take that financial risk. She was than...