Kira Abricossova Bousloff (1914–2001) was a dancer with

Ballets Russes The Ballets Russes () was an itinerant ballet company begun in Paris that performed between 1909 and 1929 throughout Europe and on tours to North and South America. The company never performed in Russia, where the Revolution disrupted society. A ...

who toured Australia in 1938 and stayed, divorcing first husband Serge Bousloff then marrying (and divorcing) James Penberthy while having a significant influence on the evolution of ballet in Western Australia. Born Kira Abricossova in Russia, the child of an aristocratic Russian family who were stranded in Monte Carlo by the 1917 Russian Revolution, she was raised in France, taking lessons from Russian émigrés. She established

West Australian Ballet West Australian Ballet is the State ballet company of Western Australia and is based in Perth, at the Western Australian Ballet Centre in Maylands. The company was founded in 1952 by Madame Kira Bousloff (formerly of the Ballets Russes) and ...

in Perth (1952) and founded a ballet school which continues to this day. A number of significant Australian dancers came through the school, including Stephen Heathcote. In recognition of her contributions to Australian Ballet she was awarded a

Medal of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...

(OAM) in 2000. She was the recipient of an Australia Dance Award for lifetime achievement in 2000. Made a Western Australian State Living Treasure 1998

References

1914 births 2001 deaths Australian ballerinas French emigrants to Australia Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia 20th-century ballet dancers {{Russia-bio-stub