Jordan McCaskill

Robyn Schroth
Ballet

Anna Pavlova

Anna Pavlova, a Russian ballerina, is widely recognized in the

world of dance for many reasons. Known for the piece, The Dying
Swan, and for starting the use of the modern pointe shoe, Pavlova is
one of the most influential ballet dancers.
Anna Pavlova was born in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1881 to
Lyubov Feodorovna, a washerwoman, and Matvey Pavlov, who was
her step father and a reserve soldier. It was never known who
Annas biological father was, however there were many guesses.
One, being that Feodorovna had an affair with a banker with the
name Lazar Poliakoff. Anna, on the other hand, believed that she
was a product of a marriage that ended in the death of her
biological father, a man named Pavlov, when she was a toddler.
Pavlova was first inspired to become a ballerina as an eight
year old when she and her mother attended a performance of The
Sleeping Beauty at the Mayinsky Theatre. When she turned ten,
Anna Pavlova started going to the school, St. Petersburg Imperial

Ballet. Anna had many famous teachers, such as Pavel Gerdt,

Christian Johannsen, and Enrico Cecchetti. Pavlova was thought to
be different from all of the other girls in her class. Standing at only
five-feet-tall, yet incredibly strong and graceful for her size. In 1899
and at age of eighteen, Pavlova graduated from Imperial Ballet and
began dancing at the Maryinsky Theater.
Unlike most dancers in her position, Pavlova left the Imperial
Ballet as a coryphe. This means that as opposed to having to
dance in large groups, she was allowed to dance in the smaller
groups. Her first performance was in La Fille Mal Garde. With only
two other girls in this piece, Anna Pavlova made her company debut
at the Maryinsky Theatre. Pavlova continued to be a part of
performances, but in 1905, Pavlova broke out as the lead soloist in
Michael Fokines The Dying Swan.
The Dying Swan became Pavlovas signature role. Written
specifically for her, many said that Pavlovas portrayal as the swan
was eerily beautiful. It was believed that she managed to convey
to the audience the plays complex message about the fragility and
preciousness of life. Not only did Pavlova express herself through
the movements, but her dramatic facial expressions enhanced the
piece.

By 1906 and only seven years into her career, Anna became
prima ballerina. In 1907 Anna began taking tours abroad, stopping
in European cities such as Berlin, Prague, and Copenhagen. Due to
the great critical response Pavlova signed to do a second tour in
1908.
When Anna completed her second tour in 1909 she was
invited to join Sergei Diaghilevs Ballet Rousse on the historic tour
while in its opening season in Paris. Continuing to travel the world,
Anna Pavlova toured the United States and United Kingdom in 1910.
After knowing him for seven years, Pavlova married French
aristocrat, Victor DAndre in 1911. That same year, Anna Pavlova
started her own ballet company. With her own company, Pavlova
was capable of having control pver her own performances, organize
independent tours, and even choreograph her own roles.
Around the same time, Pavlova began to be known for the
birth of the modern pointe shoe. Pablovas insteps tended to be
high and arched, which made it very easy for her to be injured while
on pointe. In addition to her instep, she had slender and tapered
feet as a result of all of the pressure put on her big toes. To
compensate, Anna put leather in the soles of her pointe shoes. This
flattened and hardened the toe area, forming a box, and in turn,
providing her with the extra support she needed to continue

dancing, Many found her method to be cheating, believing that

ballerinas should truly be able to balance on their toes, however,
Annas new invention made in possible for ballerinas to increase
the time of their career with safer shoes to dance in.
In late 1930, and at 50 years old, Anna Pavlova was on the
train, when there was a crash. Although unharmed by the incident,
Pavlova had to wait 12 hours on a platform in the snow. Not
wearing many layers, Anna got double pneumonia and died soon
after on January 23, 1931. Right before she died, it is said that she
asked to see her costume from The Dying Swan one last time.
Anna Pavlova was the first ballerina to travel around the whole
world and was a pioneer of the modern pointe shoe. From a young
age, she was inspired to be a ballerina, and to do so, she climbed
the ranks and worked as hard as she could. Pavlova is a great role
model for all ballerina, especially those just starting out, and who
may not have the body type that people are used to seeing in
ballerinas.