45 Ballet biographical stubs

Esmeralda Agoglia was a former Argentine prima ballerina, choreographer and director of Argentina's Ballet Estable.

Marie Allard (1742–1802) was a French ballerina. She debuted in the Paris Opera in 1761.

Gasparo Angiolini, real name Domenico Maria Gasparo, son of Francesco Angiolini and Maria Maddalena Torzi, was an Italian dancer and choreographer, and composer. He was born in Florence and died in Milan.

Mia Arbatova was an Israeli ballet dancer and teacher. In Israel, she was one of the leading pioneers of classical ballet.

Serafina Astafieva was a Russian dancer and ballet teacher.

Giovanna Baccelli, real name Giovanna Francesca Antonia Giuseppe Zanerini, (1753–1801) was a Venetian ballerina who was the principal ballerina at the King's Theatre, Haymarket.

Marietta Baderna Giannini or Maria Baderna was an Italian ballerina, born in 1828, died c. 1892. At age 16 she was the principal dancer at La Scala in Milan, when the unusual lithograph of her, surrounded by 16 poses, was published. She appeared in Drury Lane, when Carlo Blasis was guest choreographer there. On her first appearance there, in a new ballet The Pretty Sicilian in 1847, one reviewer saw room for improvement:"In form she is petite, her features are most expressive and pleasing. She wears her hair in the most trying of all fashions-- the Chinese, but, withal, looks sweetly pretty; as candid critics we are bound to say there was nothing astonishing in her execution - it wanted that neatness which her predecessor, Fuoco, so eminently possessed. Still, it must be remembered that she is very young, and practice will make perfect for she is most graceful, especially in the position of that most difficult portion of the human frame divine - her arms. Even as the ballet proceeded we thought we saw improvement, for in the pas de deux with the Count she was deservedly and enthusiastically applauded."

Natalia Igorevna Bessmertnova was a Soviet prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet and a People's Artist of the USSR (1976).

Bübüsara Beyşenalieva, known simply as Bübüsara in her native Kyrgyzstan, was the first great Kyrgyz ballerina. She was born in village of Vorontsovka, Kyrgyzstan ASSR on 15 September 1926. She studied at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in Leningrad under the legendary Russian ballerina Agrippina Vaganova and made her debut at the famed Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.

Hermine Blangy was a French ballet dancer in the Paris Opéra. In 1840 she danced the title role of La Sylphide there. She was also prima ballerina for the Hofoper in Vienna, and danced on tour in the USA. Blangy's first appearance in America was at Niblo's Garden in July 1846, as Calista in Vengeance of Diana. Noah Miller Ludlow reports that "this artist gave unqualified satisfaction in all of her performances, and was unquestionably a fine pantomimist as well as dancer."

Anna Maria Felicita Bonfanti (1845-1921), known as Marie or Marietta Bonfanti, was a 19th-century ballet dancer whose New York City debut came at Niblo's Garden on Monday, September 10, 1866. She then was the prima ballerina in The Black Crook at the same theatre, which premièred two days later. She appeared in Sylvia by Léo Delibes at the Metropolitan Alcazar concert hall on July 15, 1882. In August 1901, Bonfanti performed with Rita Sangalli at the Metropolitan Opera House, during the inaugural season of ballet at the New York City venue. Her talent for expressionist dancing and her private life were covered widely from the mid-1860s until the early 20th century.

Ana Botafogo is a Brazilian ballet dancer and actress.

Janine Charrat was a French dancer and choreographer. She appeared in Ballerina at the age of 12, and went on to choreograph over 50 ballets. She was an officer of the Legion of Honour.

Gyda Martha Kristine Christensen was a Norwegian actress, dancer, choreographer and Managing Director.

James Harvey D'Egville was an English dancer and choreographer.

Flora Fabbri was a 19th-century Italian ballet dancer. She was trained by Carlo Blasis, and was one of his 'Les Pleiades', being the first among those to become internationally famous. Fabbri danced to acclaim in Italy and Paris, before her London debut at Drury Lane Theatre in 1845, dancing as Mazourka in the ballet The Devil to Pay.

Nikolai Borisovich Fadeyechev was a Soviet and Russian ballet dancer and teacher. People's Artist of the USSR (1976).

Olga Ferri was an Argentine choreographer and ballet dancer. She joined the Ballet of the Teatro Colón at eighteen and was prima ballerina from 1949.

Nathalie Fitzjames was a Romantic era French ballerina who was especially admired in Italy. Fitzjames appeared in La Resemblance at the Her Majesty's Theatre in London in May 1838, receiving the following review of her first appearance:"She resembles, both in expression, figure, and style of dancing, our favourite of three years past, Pauline Leroux. Her pretensions as an artiste as not so high as those of Fanny Elssler or Duvernay, but she has been taught in the best school, and in the present state of the ballet she must be considered a decided acquisition here. She is full of spirits and gaiety, and flies about the stage in a manner that is very captivating. The dancing of her feet is near perfection, but her arms are not moved with freedom, and she is deficient to a certain extent both in dignity and grace."

Alina Frasa (1834–1899) was a Finnish ballerina. She is regarded as the first ballerina in Finland.

Giovanni Galzerani was an Italian choreographer, ballet dancer, and composer who was active in major theatres throughout Italy from 1808 to 1853. He was born in Porto Azzurro on the Isle of Elba and began his education in Gaeta where his father was the military commandant at the time. At his father's wish he enrolled in the Collegio della Nunziatella in Naples to train for a military career, remaining there until the age of 17. While at the college, he also studied ballroom dancing with Ferdinando Gioia, the brother of the celebrated dancer and choreographer Gaetano Gioia, and became one of his best pupils. After his father's death in 1806, Galzerani abandoned preparations for a military career and dedicated himself entirely to the ballet, first as a dancer and then as a choreographer. He also composed the music for some of his ballets, such as Il pericolo which premiered in 1818 at the Teatro Regio in Turin.

Pavel Andreyevich Gerdt, also known as Paul Gerdt, was the Premier Danseur Noble of the Imperial Ballet, the Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre, and the Mariinsky Theatre for 56 years, making his debut in 1860, and retiring in 1916. His daughter Elisaveta Gerdt was also a prominent ballerina and teacher.

Elena Glurjidze is a senior principal ballerina at the English National Ballet.

Beryl Fleur Karney, known formerly as Beryl Goldwyn, is an English ballet dancer.

Irina Igorevna Gubanova was a Russian ballerina and film actress. She was married to the actor Sergei Gurzo.

Evdokia or (informally) Avdotia Ilyinichna Istomina was the most celebrated Russian Empire ballerina of the 19th century.

Falco Kapuste is a German former ballet dancer and choreographer.

Nikolai Gustavovich Legat was a premier dancer with the Russian Imperial Ballet from 1888 to 1914, and also with the Mariinsky Ballet. Both he and his younger brother, Sergey, became ballet masters and caricaturists.

Sara Luzita is an English dancer who specialises in ballet and Spanish dancing. She was a soloist for the Ballet Rambert, performing in the West End, the international stage and on screen, including the films Moulin Rouge and Oh... Rosalinda!!.

Jean-Christophe Maillot is a French dancer and choreographer born in Tours.

Luigi Manzotti was an Italian mime dancer and choreographer.

Thalia Mara Mahoney was an American ballet dancer and educator who authored 11 books on the subject.

Itziar Mendizabal is a Spanish ballet dancer who has performed as a First Soloist with The Royal Ballet since 2010.

Pino Mlakar was a Slovenian ballet dancer, choreographer, and teacher. He was born in Novo Mesto.

Alina Nanu is a professional ballet dancer, a principal dancer with the National Theatre (Prague). Becoming the youngest principal dancer in the history of the National Theatre of the Czech Republic.

Nancy Osbaldeston is an English ballet dancer who is currently a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet of Flanders.

Jann Parry is a British ballet critic and writer. She was ballet critic of The Observer from 1983 to 2004. Her biography, Different Drummer: a Life of Kenneth MacMillan, was the Society for Theatre Research’s book of the year in 2010.

Samantha Raine is a dance teacher and an English retired ballerina. She is the ballet mistress of the Royal Ballet, at the Royal Opera House, in London's Covent Garden, having previously been a soloist with the Company.

Elena Carter Richardson was an American ballerina and dance instructor.

Rita Sangalli was an Italian ballet dancer. Born in Antegnate, she danced in the Italian provinces of Asti, Piacenza, and Turin, making her 1865 debut at Milan's La Scala in Paul Taglioni's (1808-1884) Flik and Flok, before being hired for the opera at Her Majesty's Theatre in London. In 1872, she danced the principal role in La source at its successful revival. In the same year, she joined the Paris Opera Ballet, where she performed in numerous premieres, including in the role of Sylvia, Yedda (1879), and Namouna. She retired from the company in 1884. Sangalli toured America where she performed in The Black Crook and Flick Flock. In August 1901, Sangali and Marie Bonfanti performed at the Metropolitan Opera House, during the inaugural season of ballet at the New York City venue. She died in Carpesino d'Arcellasco, Italy.

Anna Margrethe Schall,, was a Danish ballerina. She was one of the most notable ballet dancers in Denmark.

Ludmila Semenyaka is a Soviet ballerina, born in Leningrad. She studied at the Vaganova School as a pupil of Nina Belikova. She joined the Kirov Ballet in 1970 and later the Bolshoi Ballet in 1972, where she was a prima ballerina. She was named People's Artist of the USSR in 1986 and received the USSR State Prize.

Marie-Thérèse Perdou de Subligny (1666–1735) was a French ballerina. She entered the l'Académie Royale de Musique in 1688, where she succeeded Mademoiselle de Lafontaine as prima ballerina, a position she held until 1707. She appeared mostly in opera ballets of Jean-Baptiste Lully and André Campra. She was the first professional ballerina to appear in England (1702-3). She was seen as one of the Queens of ballet.

Vassilie Trunoff was an Australian ballet dancer. He was born of Russian emigre parents and began dancing in his mother's folk dancing troupe. His dancing was noticed by Edouard Borovansky who offered him classes at the Borovansky school. He soon became a member of the fledgling Borovansky Ballet. He performed a wide variety of roles in the Borovansky repertoire and in 1946 created the part of the Aborigine in Borovansky's Terra Australis. At the end of the 1947 Borovansky season Trunoff joined Ballet Rambert for its Australian tour and performed with the company under the name of Basil Truro. He performed in a season of the musical Oklahoma! and subsequently married fellow dancer Joan Potter. In 1950, Trunoff left Australia for London. He joined the London Festival Ballet as a soloist and he was soon promoted to principal, gaining a reputation for his virtuosity of technique. At Borovansky's invitation, Trunoff and his wife returned to Australia in 1954, however in 1958 they both rejoined the London Festival Ballet as ballet master and ballet mistress respectively. As ballet master, Trunoff toured to Australia in 1975 and 1977 with Festival Ballet productions that included Romeo and Juliet and Giselle. He returned again in 1980 to produce Scheherazade and Graduation Ball for the Australian Ballet's special tribute season in honour of Edouard Borovansky. Trunoff died in London in 1985.

Víctor Ullate is a dancer, choreographer, ballet director and ballet teacher.