Anna Pavlova Essay

The historical figures that I have chosen to research are Anna Pavlova and Doris Humphry. My research over this past summer has influenced me to choose these two women who both started from humble means and rose up to become pioneers in their respective fields. Both Humphry and Pavlova came from humble beginnings but felt an undeniable pull towards dance and made vast strides in their field.

Anna Pavlova, a Russian born ballerina came from poverty and became one of the biggest faces of ballet as it is known today. She was born to unmarried laundress Lyubov Feodorovna in St. Petersburg, Russia, and was formally adopted by her stepfather, Matvey Pavlo. Her biological father is unknown. She was first introduced to ballet through a performance of "The Sleeping Beauty" by the Mariinsy Theatre when she was eight years old. Inspired by the performance Pavlova auditioned and was accepted to study at the St. Petersburg Imperial Dance School at the age of

Pavlova is known most famously for her role as The Dying Swan, choreographed by Micheal Fokine, which she debuted in 1905. This became her signature role; to this day it is hard to mention the role without speaking of Pavlova as well. She joined the Ballet Russe on tour in 1909 and toured through Europe and Australia with the Ballet before forming her own company in 1911, of which she named her husband, Victor Dandre, manager.

Anna Pavlova changed the face of ballet across the world. She was told at a young age that she did not have the body shape or the strength to become a ballerina yet, she persisted and through her influence the ballet world adopted her style as the new standard. Through her many tours she spread Russian ballet through the world. She was an entrepreneur, a creative mind, a performer and a global influencer, in a time when it was extremely uncommon for women to do