{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1650085"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1650085/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1650085","accessionNumber":"S.533-2021","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Felia Doubrovska and Pierre Vladimirov","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Felia Doubrovska (1896 -1981) was an important ballerina, a collaborator with George Balanchine as he developed his choreographic ideas, and a significant teacher. During the run of <i>The Sleeping Princess</i> in London, 1921-22, she married leading dancer Pierrre Vladimirov.\r\n\r\nDoubrovska trained with Enrico Cecchetti and at the Imperial Ballet School, St Petersburg, where she was in the same class as Olga Spessivtzeva, graduating in 1913. At 5’ 6” and slim, she appeared tall, making her a challenge to cast in the corps de ballet. Later her physical appearance became a template for a 'Balanchine dancer'. In 1920 she left the Soviet Union via Finland and, with Pierre Vladimirov, joined Maria Kuznetsova’s Russian season at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées, where she made an impression in the solo, Valse Bluette. Doubrovska and Vladimirov were invited to join the Ballets Russes for <i>The Sleeping Princess</i> in which she performed as the Fairy of the Pine Woods, a duchess and as Sister Anne. With the Ballets Russes she created the roles of the Bride in Bronislava Nijinska’s <i>Les Noces</i>, the ballerina in Léonide Massine’s <i>Ode</i>, the film star in <i>La Pastorale</i>, Calliope in <i>Apollon Musagette</i> and the Siren in <i>The Prodigal Son</i>. She briefly danced with Anna Pavlova’s Company, became ballerina at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires and with the Ballet de l’Opéra Russe as well as with Serge Lifar. Her performing career ended with performances at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1939 and she settled with Vladimirov in the USA, both becoming teachers at the School of American Ballet.\n\nPierre Vladimirov (ca.1893-1970) was a danseur noble and stage partner for Tamara Karsavina and Anna Pavlova. He was proud of his Cossack heritage – ‘he frequently went about the school in a Cossack costume complete with dagger.’ He graduated from the Imperial Ballet School, St Petersburg, in 1911 when ballerina Mathilde Kschesinskaya selected him to be her partner. Vladimirov joined Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes for several seasons, most notably as the first cast Prince Charming in <i>The Sleeping Princess</i>, 1921-22.  He was one of Anna Pavlova’s most noted partners and retired from dancing with her death. He became an influential teacher in America as 20th century American ballet came of age.\n\r\n","physicalDescription":"Photograph of a stylishly-dressed couple, seated at a table in a deserted outdoor cafe by a formal garden. There are circular tables, cane chairs and folded garden umbrellas.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"photographers","id":"AAT25687"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"photographic paper","id":"AAT14190"}],"techniques":[{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Photograph ","categories":[{"text":"Dance","id":"THES252984"},{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES356629"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photographs","id":"AAT46300"}],[{"text":"photographic postcards","id":"AAT192703"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Monte Carlo","id":"x37235"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1930","earliest":"1925-01-01","latest":"1934-12-31"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by John Taras and Richard Buckle","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"8.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"14","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Photographic postcard of Felia Doubrovska and Pierre Vladimirov, seated at a cafe table in the gardens at Monte Carlo, ca.1930","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.533-2021"],"accessionNumberNum":"533","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2021,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-17","recordCreationDate":"2021-08-12","availableToBook":true}}