The Imperial Theatrical School's Strict Rule & Nijinsky Admired

Vaslav Nijinsky in "The Pharaoh's Daughter, 1905, Maryinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, Russia

The Imperial Theatrical School had stringent rules, and one of the most strict was the prohibited communication between the boys' and girls' divisions of the school. Bronislava Nijinska discusses how she and her brother broke that rule and what that meant in her own words.

"I had brought with my savings, a croquet set with heavy mallets made of Karelian birch. Vaslav and I stamped out a smooth level playing area and played the game. For some time Vaslav always won, but eventually I acquired a skill like his and could pass through all the wickets and the mousetrap."

"Then we lost interest in the game, until it was revived with the appearance in the garden of a student from my class, Antonia Tchumakova. Tonya had only recently joined my class, so at this time I knew her just slightly."

"She was a pretty girl, a brunette with big blue eyes framed by long black eyelashes. Though not very tall, she had a Ukrainian build, robust and sturdy. She had a reputation as a mischievous girl with bad grades in conduct."

"I knew she was Vaslav's simpatiya, as a special boy or girl friends were called in the School, and that he liked her very much for her splendid dancing." 

"Tonya was the younger sister of the famous character dancer of the Imperial Ballet, Olga Tchumakova, for many years the common-law wife of Nikolai Legat. For this summer Tonya was staying with them in their apartment, which was also on Nikolaevskya Ulitza."

"Vaslav stopped going out for long walks on his own, and now strolled more often with me along  Nikolaevskya Ulitza, or we waited for Tonya in our garden. The three of us would play croquet together or wander up and down Nikolaevskya Ulitza , talking about dancing, artists and ballet."

"Vaslav was amused by Tonya's jokes and stories about the School; he was always cheerful with us." 

 

 "For ballroom and character dancing lessons, the boy students would join us in The Girls' Division, and at the beginning of the year Vaslav always went to his simpatiya, Tonya Tchumakova, for partner in the pairs. His pleasure in dancing with Tchumakova did not last long  ... after one unpleasant incident in the fall, he was no longer allowed to dance with her."

"It happened  just after the Catholic Instruction Class. A Catholic priest came to the School to teach Vaslav, Julia Pugni, and me. We met for the class in the music room in the Girls Division. At the end of the lesson the priest and Vaslav left the room.

 

I was standing with Julia when Vaslav came back quickly slipped a narrow envelope in my hand, saying,"It's for Tonya." and left the room  again.

"I had no time to hide the envelope before the governess Julia Popova grabbed me by the arm and sternly demanded that I give her the letter. "

"Then I realized the seriousness of infringing the rules of the Imperial Theatrical School. I got scared thinking what could happen to Vaslav and me. We were both guilty, of violating the strict rule prohibiting communications between the Girls' and the Boys' Divisions."

I tried to tear up the envelope, but Julia Popova seized both my hands.

"Give me that letter."

"I was still trying to tear it up. She then added"

"I promise not to read it, I will destroy the letter myself."

"As I continued to resist she swore that she would not even open the letter. Finally I had to give in. She put the envelope in her pocket and sharply ordered me back to my classroom. "

"I was upset, not knowing whether I could believe her. We did not like Julia Popova, and had always distrusted her."

"I was called to the office of the Inspectrice. She was sitting at her desk, and I could see that she had in her hand Vaslav's pink letter-- open. I was asked where the meetings between Vaslav and Tchumakova had taken place, what they had talked about , and how they had behaved ."

"My voice was trembling and I began to cry as I told about our summer meetings, our games of croquet, and that we three were always together, that Vaslav and Tonya were never alone."

 "Then it was Tchumakova turn to come in and face the questions, and her answers were the same as mine."

"I never asked Vaslav what was written in the pink letter, but judging by the punishment, the contents were quite proper. Vaslav only got a severe reprimand from the Inspector and was forbidden to dance with Tchumakovain classes."

"This did not seem to sadden Tchumakova at all. At this time she was spending all her free time and weekends with her sister, Olga, and Nikolai Legat. She began to praise the teaching and artistic qualities of Legat and to criticize Fokine and the other artist-dancers, including Nijinsky."

"Vaslav soon forgot about Tchumakova It was enough for me to tell him that another girl student, Inna Neslukhovskaya, worshipped and adored him, for her to become his simpatiya for the rest of the school year. "

"Inna  Nesclukhovskaya was also a graduating student like Vaslav and did well in her academic studies, and in the mime and character dance classes, but she was not very strong in classical dancing. Sometimes when she went home for the weekends, accompanied like all the girl students by her mother or a maid, Vaslav would wait for her and walk home with them."

 

 "Tchumakova  graduated in 1908, at the same time I did. Though she surpassed everyone in the Maryinsky with her dancing mechanics on toe, her ballet career was  quite short. She married Nikolai Legat in 1910, and after the birth of her child grew so stout that she had to leave dancing and she resigned from the Imperial Theatres." - Quote from Bronislava Nijinska on The Imperial Theatrical School's strict rule and her brother Nijinsky being admired.

 

It looks like for this rule Nijinsky and his sister weren't punished severely like Nijinsky had before when he was almost expelled and faced with humiliation for the broken rules. This punishment however was he  wasn't allowed to dance any more with Tonya Tchumakova, the girl he liked at that time. It's interesting to note years into the future Tchumakova's career ended and Nijinsky's was just taking off.

 

Also, from Nijinska's words, it seems that Nijinsky had to have someone admire him who would people please for him to feel appreciated. When Nijinska tells Nijinsky, another girl worships him, it makes him feel better and he gets over Tchumakova quickly.

Nijinsky's need for appreciation for his dancing and approval from his peers gave him confidence because others criticized him for anything he did outside dancing, so I think applause from the audience when he danced it really soothed his soul.