Baronova, Irina (1919 - )

Photographer unknown: Irina Baronova in costume for 'Le lac des cygnes' (Swan Lake), Covent Garden Russian Ballet, c. 1939

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Irina Baronova, born in Petrograd, was one of the three legendary 'baby ballerinas' who made such an impact on dance audiences in the 1930s and 1940s. After training in Romania and then in Paris with Olga Preobrajenska, she danced as a soloist at the Paris Opera in 1930 and the Theatre Mogador in 1931. In 1932 she was engaged by George Balanchine as ballerina for the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo. She continued to dance with the de Basil Ballets Russes companies until 1939, coming to Australia on tour with the Covent Garden Russian Ballet in 1938-1939.

From 1941 Baronova appeared with (American) Ballet Theatre in North and South America and worked in Hollywood in the 1940s before retiring to devote herself to her family. She came out of retirement to serve on the technical committee of the Royal Academy of Dance and to teach and coach, which she has continued to do to the present.

Bibliography:

A list of Baronova's roles from 1931 to 1945 is in Martha Bremser (ed.), International Dictionary of Ballet, Volume 1 (Detroit: St James Press, 1993), p. 101-102

See also: Ballets Russes Australian tours ; de Basil, Wassily

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Find more about Baronova, Irina in:

• Internet - Google
• Articles - New York Public Library Dance Collection
• Pictures - Picture Australia
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