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Xenia Nikolaeva Smirnova Krüger Borovansky (August 10, 1903 — November 25, 1985) was a Russian-born dancer and choreographer, based in Australia after 1939. She was principal teacher at the Melbourne Academy of Russian Ballet, and active in running the
"Krüger, Xenia Nicolaeva (1903–1985)"
''Australian Dictionary of Biography'' National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. In the early 1920s, Xenia emigrated with her family from Rostov, Russia to Berlin, Germany. It was in Berlin that Xenia met Edouard Borovansky.
''Australia Dances: Creating Australian Dance, 1945–1965''
(Wakefield Press 2010): 8, 119. Xenia Borovansky was the head teacher at the school. She also choreographed original pieces, and designed costumes for her school's productions. "I haven't any children, but a very large family of little boys and girls," she said of her students in 1955. Her students included
Australian Institute of Classical Dance. and Charles Lisner. Later in life, she helped form the Borovansky Memorial Australian Academy of Dancing, an examination board for Australian ballet dancers,"Our History"
Gay Wightman School of Ballet website. and worked with Agnes Babicheva on creating the Association of Teachers of the Russian Method of Ballet. Borovansky's syllabus continue in use at the Australian Institute of Classical Dance.
"Borovansky Takes a Bow"
''Canberra Times'' (May 3, 1990): 12. via
"Xenia Borovansky & Tamara Tchinarova Finch"
''Michelle Potter... on Dancing'' (September 29, 2017); a blog post around a 1980 letter to Borovansky, with photographs. * * Frank Salter, ''Borovansky: The Man Who Made Australian Ballet'' (Wildcat Press 1980). * Edward H. Pask, ''The Ballet in Australia: The Second Act'' (Oxford University Press 1982).
A painted portrait of Xenia Borovansky
in the collection of the National Library of Australia. {{DEFAULTSORT:Borovansky, Xenia 1903 births 1985 deaths Russian ballerinas 20th-century Australian women Soviet emigrants to Australia
Xenia Nikolaeva Smirnova Krüger Borovansky (August 10, 1903 — November 25, 1985) was a Russian-born dancer and choreographer, based in Australia after 1939. She was principal teacher at the Melbourne Academy of Russian Ballet, and active in running the Borovansky Ballet
The Australian Ballet is the largest classical ballet company in Australia. It was founded by J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in 1962, with the English-born dancer, teacher, repetiteur and direct ...
.
Early life
Xenia Nikolaeva Smirnova was born in Moscow. Her mother Aleksandra Adrianovna Smirnova (née Nikolaeva) was a dancer; her father Nikolay Vasilyevich Smirnov was a military officer. She had a brother Vladimir. She trained in ballet at the Bolshoi Ballet.Robin Grove"Krüger, Xenia Nicolaeva (1903–1985)"
''Australian Dictionary of Biography'' National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. In the early 1920s, Xenia emigrated with her family from Rostov, Russia to Berlin, Germany. It was in Berlin that Xenia met Edouard Borovansky.
Career
Xenia Borovansky danced with her aunt,Anna Pavlova
Anna Pavlovna Pavlova ( , rus, Анна Павловна Павлова ), born Anna Matveyevna Pavlova ( rus, Анна Матвеевна Павлова; – 23 January 1931), was a Russian prima ballerina of the late 19th and the early 20t ...
, and taught with her mother in Europe before she moved to Australia with her husband during the Covent Garden Russian Ballet tour in 1938–1939. They stayed in Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, and started a ballet school and dance company there.Alan Brissenden, Keith Glennon''Australia Dances: Creating Australian Dance, 1945–1965''
(Wakefield Press 2010): 8, 119. Xenia Borovansky was the head teacher at the school. She also choreographed original pieces, and designed costumes for her school's productions. "I haven't any children, but a very large family of little boys and girls," she said of her students in 1955. Her students included
Ludmilla Chiriaeff
Ludmilla Chiriaeff (January 10, 1924 – September 22, 1996) was a Latvian-Canadian ballet dancer, choreographer, teacher, and company director.
Biography
Ludmilla Alexandrovna Otsup was born in Riga to a Russian-Jewish father Alexandr Otsup ...
(in Berlin), Marilyn Jones,"History"Australian Institute of Classical Dance. and Charles Lisner. Later in life, she helped form the Borovansky Memorial Australian Academy of Dancing, an examination board for Australian ballet dancers,"Our History"
Gay Wightman School of Ballet website. and worked with Agnes Babicheva on creating the Association of Teachers of the Russian Method of Ballet. Borovansky's syllabus continue in use at the Australian Institute of Classical Dance.
Personal life
Xenia Smirnova married twice. Her first marriage to a man named Krüger ended in divorce. She married Czech-born dancerEdouard Borovansky
Edouard Borovansky (24 February 1902 – 18 December 1959) was a Czech-born Australian ballet dancer, choreographer and director. After touring with Anna Pavlova's company, he and his wife, Xenia, settled in Australia where they established th ...
in 1933, in London. She became a British citizen in Australia in 1945. She was a widow after Edouard died in 1959. Xenia Borovansky died in 1985, in Melbourne, aged 82 years. Her papers are in the Xenia Borovansky collection, Geoffrey Ingram Archive of Australian Ballet, at the National Library of Australia.Lisa Waller"Borovansky Takes a Bow"
''Canberra Times'' (May 3, 1990): 12. via
Trove
Trove is an Australian online library database owned by the National Library of Australia in which it holds partnerships with source providers National and State Libraries Australia, an aggregator and service which includes full text documen ...
References
External links
* Michelle Potter"Xenia Borovansky & Tamara Tchinarova Finch"
''Michelle Potter... on Dancing'' (September 29, 2017); a blog post around a 1980 letter to Borovansky, with photographs. * * Frank Salter, ''Borovansky: The Man Who Made Australian Ballet'' (Wildcat Press 1980). * Edward H. Pask, ''The Ballet in Australia: The Second Act'' (Oxford University Press 1982).
A painted portrait of Xenia Borovansky
in the collection of the National Library of Australia. {{DEFAULTSORT:Borovansky, Xenia 1903 births 1985 deaths Russian ballerinas 20th-century Australian women Soviet emigrants to Australia