Marika Besobrasova (russian: Мари́ка Безобра́зова, Maríka Bezobrázova; 4 August 1918 – 25 April 2010)
was a
Monegasque dancer and ballet teacher of
Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
origin. She was a founder and a head of Princess Grace Classic Dance Academy in
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo (; ; french: Monte-Carlo , or colloquially ''Monte-Carl'' ; lij, Munte Carlu ; ) is officially an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is ...
.
Early life
Marika Besobrasova was born on 4 August 1918 in
Yalta
Yalta (: Я́лта) is a resort city on the south coast of the Crimean Peninsula surrounded by the Black Sea. It serves as the administrative center of Yalta Municipality, one of the regions within Crimea. Yalta, along with the rest of Crimea ...
.
Her family originally was from
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
. Her grandfather was a general in command of Tsar
Nicholas II
Nicholas II or Nikolai II Alexandrovich Romanov; spelled in pre-revolutionary script. ( 186817 July 1918), known in the Russian Orthodox Church as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer,. was the last Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Pola ...
’s guards and her grandmother was a lady-in-waiting to the Czar’s mother,
Maria Feodorovna. Besobrasova’s father fought in the
White Army
The White Army (russian: Белая армия, Belaya armiya) or White Guard (russian: Бѣлая гвардія/Белая гвардия, Belaya gvardiya, label=none), also referred to as the Whites or White Guardsmen (russian: Бѣлогв ...
before having to escape with his family to Europe.
Besobrasova was two years old when the family left for Europe. Their first stop was in
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
. There the family stayed on the pier for forty days, which resulted Besobrasova in getting
double pneumonia
Pneumonia can be classified in several ways, most commonly by where it was acquired (hospital versus community), but may also by the area of lung affected or by the causative organism. There is also a combined clinical classification, which combi ...
and double
pleurisy
Pleurisy, also known as pleuritis, is inflammation of the membranes that surround the lungs and line the chest cavity (pleurae). This can result in a sharp chest pain while breathing. Occasionally the pain may be a constant dull ache. Other sy ...
and the followed operation.
After leaving Constantinople, the family stopped briefly in
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...
, and traveled further first settling in
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
.
As the climate was difficult there, they decided to leave for the south of
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. From the age of nine Besobrasova attended Russian Lyceum in
Nice
Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative c ...
.
Besobrasova was married to Roger-Felix Médecin''.''
Marika Besobrasova died on 24 April 2010 in a Monte Carlo hospital, at the age of 91.
Career
At the age of 12, she received her first ballet classes from
Julia Sedova in Nice.
The years later, at fifteen, she started her professional career with the opera ballet in Monte Carlo.
In 1935, at the age of 17, she was noticed by the impresario
René Blum and became part of the “
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
The company Ballets Russes de Monte-Carlo (with a plural name) was formed in 1932 after the death of Sergei Diaghilev and the demise of Ballets Russes. Its director was Wassily de Basil (usually referred to as Colonel W. de Basil), and its a ...
” directed by
Michael Fokine
Michael Fokine, ''Mikhail Mikhaylovich Fokin'', group=lower-alpha ( – 22 August 1942) was a groundbreaking Imperial Russian choreographer and dancer.
Career Early years
Fokine was born in Saint Petersburg to a prosperous merchant an ...
.
Besobrasova spoke about Fokine as of the first genius she met.
In 1940 she founded the Ballet de Cannes de Marika Besobrasova.
Between 1947 and 1949 Besobrasova was the titular teacher of the
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 ...
Ballet, and went to the Ballet des Champs Elysées where she remained until 1951.
In 1952, she set up her own school in Monte Carlo called “Monte Carlo Classic Dance School”. Even though training background of the school was based on
Russian methods, the school program suggested universal professional education.
During the 1960s, Besobrasova developed a teaching system consisting of eleven-year program. Based on
Agrippina Vaganova
Agrippina Yakovlevna Vaganova (russian: Агриппина Яковлевна Ваганова; 26 June 1879 – 5 November 1951) was a Soviet and Russian ballet teacher who developed the Vaganova method – the technique which derived from the te ...
’s syllabus with heavy influence of French school, the program is now used by dance teachers in several countries.
From 1966, in addition to her school in Monte Carlo, Besobrasova headed the school of the Ballet and the Opera in
Zurich and the Ballet of the Opera in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
.
She was in great demand as an educator throughout Europe and from 1970 worked in close collaboration with the
Stuttgart Ballet
Stuttgart Ballet is a leading German ballet company. Dating back to 1609, then the court ballet of the dukes of Württemberg, the modern company was founded by John Cranko and is known for full-length narrative ballets. The company received the L ...
.
In 1971 Besobrasova staged
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 ...
’s ''Paquita'' for the
American Ballet Theatre in New York City.
For many years she was a member of the Migros Culture Percentage Scholarship jury,
as well as a frequent member of the jury at international dance competitions.
In 1974,
Prince Rainier
Rainier III (Rainier Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand Grimaldi; 31 May 1923 – 6 April 2005) was Prince of Monaco from 1949 to his death in 2005. Rainier ruled the Principality of Monaco for almost 56 years, making him one of the longest-ruling m ...
granted Besobrasova a villa Casa Mia in Monte Carlo, in which her dance academy was housed since then.
The next year, in 1975, Besobrasova’s school was renamed to
Princess Grace
Grace Patricia Kelly (November 12, 1929 – September 14, 1982) was an American actress who, after starring in several significant films in the early to mid-1950s, became Princess of Monaco by marrying Prince Rainier III in April 1956.
Kelly ...
Classical Dance Academy.
As royal family provided the facility for the Besobrasova’s ballet school, in some sources Grace Kelly, otherwise known as Princess Grace of Monaco, is named as a founder of the school. Besobrasova remained the head of the school for thirty-four years until her death.
Among Besobrasova’s outstanding students should be mentioned
Princess Caroline of Monaco
Princess Caroline of Monaco (Caroline Louise Marguerite; born 23 January 1957) is, by her marriage to Prince Ernst August, the Princess of Hanover. As the eldest child of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and Grace Kelly, she is the elder sister ...
, South Korean ballet dancer
Kang Sue-jin
Kang Sue-jin (; born 24 April 1967) is a South Korean ballerina. She is a principal dancer at Stuttgart Ballet.
Early life
Kang Sue-jin was born in Seoul, South Korea. After initial ballet lessons at Sun Hwa Arts Middle School, where she major ...
, Irish dancer and artistic director of Irish National Youth Ballet Katherine Lewis, French actress
Nathalie Baye
Nathalie Marie Andrée Baye (born 6 July 1948) is a French film, television and stage actress. She began her career in 1970 and has appeared in more than 80 films. A ten-time César Award nominee, her four wins were for '' Every Man for Himself' ...
, Irish ballet dancer Jane Magain, choreographer and artistic director of the
Béjart Ballet Lausanne
Béjart is the name of several French actors of the 17th century.
Family
The four actors listed here were children, and grandchildren, of Marie Hérve and Joseph Béjart (died 1643), the holder of a small government post. There were 10 children ...
Gil Roman,
dancer and director of the Sydney Opera Ballet
Maina Gielgud
Maina Gielgud (born 14 January 1945) is a British former ballet dancer and a veteran ballet administrator. She was artistic director of The Australian Ballet from 1983 to 1996. She had a twenty-year career as a dancer in Europe and the United Ki ...
, choreographer and director of Aterballetto Amedeo Amodio, director of the Balletto di Puglia Toni Candeloro, director of the Ballet de Teatres de Valencia Immaculate Gil Lázaro,
Roland Petit
Roland Petit (13 January 192410 July 2011) was a French ballet company director, choreographer and dancer. He trained at the Paris Opera Ballet school, and became well known for his creative ballets.
Life and work
The son of shoe designer Ros ...
's soloist dancer Francesca Sposi and others.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Besobrasova, Marika
1918 births
2010 deaths
Ballet teachers
Russian ballerinas
20th-century Russian ballet dancers
Soviet emigrants to Monaco