Evgenia "Genia" Melikova (January 6, 1924 – March 5, 2004) was a well-known ballet dancer in Europe in the 1950s and 60s who then established a long and prestigious teaching career in the United States. Melikova was born in

Marseilles, France Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern France ...

to Russian parents. She began her ballet training in Nice with Julia Sedova. At an early age, she joined the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo under the direction of

Leonide Massine Leonide or Léonide is a masculine given name which may refer to: * Leonide or Leonid of Georgia (1861–1921), Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia * Leonid Berman (1896–1976), Russian Neo-romantic painter and theater and opera designer * Léo ...

. Following World War II, Melikova emigrated to the United States with her parents, where she continued her studies under the direction of Anatole Vilzak,

Lubov Egorova Lubov Nikolayevna Yegorova (Любовь Николаевна Егорова; 8 August 1880 – 18 August 1972) was a Russian Empire ballerina who danced with the Imperial Ballet and the Ballets Russes. Life and career Lubov Yegorova was born in ...

, Igor Schwezoff and

Antony Tudor Antony Tudor (born William Cook; 4 April 1908 – 19 April 1987) was an English ballet choreographer, teacher and dancer. He founded the London Ballet, and later the Philadelphia Ballet Guild in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., in the mid-195 ...

. She performed briefly with American Ballet Theatre before joining the Paris-based

Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas Jorge Cuevas Bartholín, known as George de Cuevas (1885 – 22 February 1961), was a Chilean-born ballet impresario and choreographer who was best known for the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas that he formed in 1944. Life and career Cueva ...

company (1954–1962), the first European troupe to feature ballets by American choreographers and American dancers. Her roles included Aurora and the Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty and Odette-Odile in Swan Lake. Ms. Melikova was the first Western ballerina to perform with

Rudolf Nureyev Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev ( ; Tatar/ Bashkir: Рудольф Хәмит улы Нуриев; rus, Рудо́льф Хаме́тович Нуре́ев, p=rʊˈdolʲf xɐˈmʲetəvʲɪtɕ nʊˈrʲejɪf; 17 March 19386 January 1993) was a Soviet ...

after his defection to the West in 1961. They danced together numerous times - ''The Sleeping Beauty'' and the Black Swan Pas de deux - in France, Italy, and Israel (Ballet Today April 1964). She also danced with the Grand Ballet Classique de France and the

London Festival Ballet English National Ballet is a classical ballet company founded by Dame Alicia Markova and Sir Anton Dolin as London Festival Ballet and based in London, England. Along with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Northern Ballet and Scottis ...

(1963–64) before moving to New York where she performed at Radio City Music Hall and on Broadway. In 1969, the ballet choreographer

suggested Ms. Melikova join the dance faculty at

The Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most elit ...

. She was a gifted teacher and taught there for 26 years where she choreographed and directed Vivaldiana (March 1985) and restaged the Pas de trois from George Balanchine's

Paquita ''Paquita'' is a ballet in two acts and three scenes originally choreographed by Joseph Mazilier to music by Édouard Deldevez and Ludwig Minkus. Paul Foucher received royalties as librettist. History ''Paquita'' is the creation of French comp ...

. She also taught at the

Igor Youskevitch Igor Youskevitch (russian: link=no, Игорь Юскевич, uk, Ігор Юскевич) (13 March 1912 – 13 June 1994) was a ballet dancer and a choreographer of Russian-Ukrainian origin, famous as one of the greatest male ballet dancers ...

School of Ballet and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, directed the Bridgeport Ballet Company in Connecticut and was a guest instructor at Randolph-Macon Woman's College. Genia Melikova died on March 5, 2004 at the age of 80 in New York City.

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Melikova, Genia French ballerinas 2004 deaths Ballets Russes dancers French emigrants to the United States 1924 births 20th-century French women