Nathalie Krassovska: February's Remembered Ballerina

Dear Balletomanes,

Nathalie Krassovska passed away February 8, 2005. Nathalie was born in Leningrad, Russia in 1919. She was the third generation of amazing ballerinas. Her mother was a dancer with Diaghilev's Ballets Russes and her grandmother was a soloist with the Bolshoi Ballet. She studied with Olga Preobrajenska in Paris and Legat in London.

She danced with Nijinska's Company in Paris 1932, with Balanchine's Les Ballets 1933 and with Serge Lifar in South America 1934. She then danced with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo 1936-1950 and with the London Festival Ballet 1950-1955. Nathalie performed in Warner Brothers movie featuring the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo called Gaite Parisienne.

Jack Anderson, dance critic for the The New York Times, remembers Madame Krassovska as the first ballerina he ever saw perform the Black Swan Pas de Deux from Swan Lake, leaving he said, "an indelible impression."

After her dancing career she settled in Dallas, Texas and worked as a ballet teacher.

Nathalie appeared in the Zeitgeist Film, Ballets Russes film by Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine, click here. In honor of Nathalie, take a few hours one evening this month and watch it, is fabulous.

Curtsy, Bow, Acknowledge the Orchestra,

Stacey