Nijinsky's Last Year At The Imperial Theatrical School Part 2

Photo Credit: Vaslav Nijinsky as Prince Albrecht from the "Giselle" Ballet, Paris, 1910  

 Vaslav was in his last year of the Imperial Theatrical School and preparing for his role in the Nutcracker for the Christmas season. Bronislava Nijinska explains this memory in her own words.

"Every year just before Christmas all the government schools in St. Petersburg, including the Imperial Theatrical School, were taken to the Maryinsky Theatre to see a performance of the ballet The Nutcracker. Traditionally the roles of the Nutcracker and the King of the Mice were assigned to graduating students. That year Leni Gontcharov danced the role of the Nutcracker, and Vaslav danced the role of the King of the Mice."

"Vaslav had worked his role well, and he was splendid. He wore a gray cloak with red lining, and as he expertly flung it around himself the bright red accentuated the gray mouse costume and the crown on his mouse head. Majestically he commanded his army of mice as the attacked the forces of the Nutcracker."

"His magnificent gestures were obviously copying Chaliapin, while his steps and movements remained mouselike."

"The forces battled together fiercely until at last the King of the Mice was vanquished and died, wounded by the Nutcracker."

"Everyone was delighted with Vaslav. All the artists onstage praised him during the intermission, saying they had never seen such an artistically perfect rendering of the King of the Mice."

"Vaslav was considered the best student in the School in fencing, and he told me later that he and Leni had practiced a lot together on their own, with Vaslav teaching Leni to fence and fight with the short swords."- Quote on Bronislava Nijinska on her brother Nijinsky's role in the Nutcracker.

 You can hear in Bronislava's words how proud she was of her brother in his role of the Mouse King. You can also begin to see how Nijinsky is seen as a serious dancer, with people seeing how well he performed the role and made it his own. Also, being seen by everyone as the best in fencing at the school builds him some confidence. 

Knowing the sport of fencing, Nijinsky made the fight scene between the Nutcracker and the Mouse King more exciting and believable since Nijinsky knew how the fencing movements worked with swords. He could apply the same principles to ballet, making it more exciting for the audience, and it was. Nijinsky was now separating himself finally from the troubled schoolboy version to become the dancer he was  meant to be.