White Swan or Black Swan

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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 how their day would go.  I wonder if Pavlova's clothing was a conscience choice or not. She was showing both the white swan and the black swan resonated inside her and depending on her mood, she would bring out whichever swan she felt like that day. 

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