Anna Pavlova

Anna Pavlovna Pavlova was a Russian prima ballerina who lived in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. She was a member of the Imperial Russian Ballet and Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. Pavlova was accepted into the elite St. Petersburg Imperial Ballet School (modern-day Vaganova Ballet Academy) within two years. She aced the school's entrance exam, which was then led by a famous ballet instructor, Marius Petipa.

Pavlova immediately climbed to prominence, and with each performance, her name became a regular in the news. Her career high point came in 1906, when she performed the main solo in Michael Fokine's The Dying Swan. Her beautiful motions and strong facial expressions portrayed the vulnerability and cost of life flawlessly. The Dying Swan would go on to become Pavlova's most talked-about performance.

Anna Pavlova died on January 23rd but her influence and legacy are still felt today. Pavlova is also credited for inventing the modern-day pointe shoe, which has a strong shank and a sole that curves around the dancer's foot to provide greater support. Her legacy continues on through dance schools and organizations named after her, but perhaps most importantly through the generations of dancers she inspired.

Born: 1881
Died: 1931
Nationality: Russian