February 12 – Happy Birthday, Anna Pavlova

nPostednon February 12, 2014

AnnanPavlova was not just any old ballet dancer—this Russian woman was a primanballerina. And not just that, she was the first ballerina to tournwith her ballet company around the world.

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nWencelebrate her birthday today, even though she was born on January 31.nWhy? Because, in 1881 when Anna Pavlova was born, Russia hadn’t yetnconverted to the Gregorian calendar—but most of the world had. Andnof course Russia has since made the conversion. So to make thingsnless confusing (still confusing, granted, but less confusing),nwe convert the Russian Julian-calendar dates to what the Gregorianncalendar called those dates at the time.

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nAnnanPavlova fell in love with the ballet as a child, when her mother tooknher to see a ballet called The Sleeping Beauty (which ofncourse came WAY before the Disney movie of the same name!). When shenauditioned for the Imperial Ballet School at age 9, she was turnedndown. She kept at it and was accepted a year later.

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nStill,nclassical ballet did not come easy to Pavlova. She had highly archednfeet, and she was taller and longer-legged than the other dancers hernage; and, at the time, ballet dancers were “supposed” to be smallnand strong. Pavlova had to endure teasing and taunts from the otherndancers.

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Butnshe kept at it. She trained and worked, and she worked and trained.nAnd she began to be chosen for roles in ballet productions, and whennshe graduated from the Ballet School, she was ahead of the corpsnde ballet (where most graduates found themselves), having beennchosen as a coryphee.

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n(Bynthe way, did you know that ballet terms are French?)

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Backnto Pavlova: Pavlova had thin ankles as well as a very arched foot.nShe was daintier and more delicate than most ballet dancers. But,nbeing a hard worker, she tried to do the things that other, strongerndancers did. One of her teachers told her, “Inbeg you to never again try to imitate those who are physicallynstronger than you. You must realize that your daintiness andnfragility are your greatest assets. You should always do the kind ofndancing which brings out your own rare qualities instead of trying tonwin praise by mere acrobatic tricks.”

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nThatnis a good lesson for all of us to learn: find out your own passionsnand talents and assets, and make the most of them. Don’t spend all ofnyour time focusing on the traits you don’t have!

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nWhennPavlova learned that lesson, she became great!

nAlsonon this date:

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