Australia Dancing - Trunoff, Vassilie (1929

Trunoff, Vassilie (1929 - 1985)

Photographer unknown: Vassilie Trunoff, c. 1945

Born in Melbourne of Russian emigre parents, Vassilie Trunoff began dancing in his mother's folk dancing troupe. It was at a performance by this group that Trunoff was noticed by Edouard Borovansky. Trunoff was enticed to take classes at the Borovansky school and it was not long before he was working with the fledgling Borovansky Ballet. He performed a wide variety of roles in the Borovansky repertoire and in 1946 created the part of the Aborigine in Borovansky's Terra Australis. At the end of the 1947 Borovansky season Trunoff joined Ballet Rambert for its Australian tour and performed with the company under the name of Basil Truro. A season in the musical Oklahoma! followed and in 1950, after marrying fellow dancer Joan Potter, Trunoff left Australia for London.

In London Trunoff joined London Festival Ballet as a soloist. He was quickly promoted to principal and gained a reputation for his virtuosity of technique. At Borovansky's invitation Trunoff returned to Australia for the 1954 Borovansky season. He and Potter remained in Australia for the next few years but in 1958 returned to Festival Ballet where Trunoff became ballet master, Potter ballet mistress. As ballet master Trunoff toured to Australia in 1975 and 1977 with Festival Ballet productions that included Romeo and Juliet and Giselle. He returned again in 1980 to produce Scheherazade and Graduation Ball for the Australian Ballet's special tribute season in honour of Edouard Borovansky. Trunoff died in London in 1985.

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Articles - New York Public Library Dance Collection
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