Alexandra Danilova will be 120 years old in November 2024. Known as Choura by her friends and colleagues, the Russian ballerina is one of the legends of classical dance with a professional career spanning over 50 years, having been the muse and partner of geniuses such as Leonide Massine and George Balanchine, to name just two.

Versatile, musical, and friendly, it was for her that Balanchine created some of his most famous works, such as Apollo and Danses Consertantes, as well as the lesser-known Coppélia, whose 50th anniversary will be commemorated by the NYCB this year. She deserves to be remembered for much more, as she was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, first on stage and later as a teacher to several American stars.

Born near St. Petersburg on November 20, 1904, Choura was orphaned as a child and raised by relatives and adoptive parents. As soon as her dancing ability developed, she was sent to the Imperial School to pursue a career in ballet. The Russian Revolution of 1917 happened while she was still a student, and years later she recalled that it was a time of hardship, hunger, and uncertainty. “But I survived,” she shrugged years later in an interview.

She joined the Mariinsky Ballet, now Kirov, in 1920, where she befriended (and later dated) her colleague Balanchine, who created some original pieces especially for her. In the company, she had the privilege of working alongside the greatest stars of the time: Vaslav Nijinsky, Anna Pavlova, Mathilda Kschessinska, Olga Preobrajenska, and Olga Spessivtseva, learning the technique for the most traditional works directly from the best. She pleased the choreographer Mikhail Fokine and in her second year with the company she was cast in solos and duets and made her debut as the principal in the ballet The Firebird, choreographed by Fyodor Lopokov.

In 1924, she, Tamara Geva, and Balanchine left Russia for Paris and were immediately hired by Diaghilev. At the Ballets Russes, she quickly rose to prominence, dancing everything from Swan Lake and Giselle to Balanchine’s innovative pieces.

Alexandra Danilova had characteristics such as elasticity, musicality, charisma, and versatility, which is why she immediately captivated audiences and friends around the world, becoming a star adored by colleagues and audiences alike. It is often impossible not to think how much her career paralleled that of Victoria Page, from The Red Shoes. The film, which is inspired by Diaghlev’s story, tells the story of a young woman who has the opportunity to become the biggest ballet star after the leading lady retires, and in real life, Choura – at just 20 years old – had the chance to shine when Vera Nemchinova left the Ballets Russes and her roles went to Danilova, who danced with Serge Lifar and Anton Dolin, among others. As the star, she created many roles that are still in the repertoires of many companies today, such as the Can-Can dancer in La Boutique Fantasque, the Masked Lady in Le Bal, Terpsichore in Apollon Musagete, as well as appearing in the traditional Swan Lake and The Wedding of Aurora.

Legend has it that behind the scenes before she became famous, Diaghilev complained that Danilova was a little chubby and she went on a strict diet to lose weight, keeping her figure in perfect shape for the rest of her life. Her legs, they say, were considered the most beautiful in the world and were insured with a policy worth more than 7 million reais in today’s values.

The years with Diaghilev were happy and she remained as prima ballerina for 5 years, until he died in 1929, a shock that moved her until her old age. Returning to Russia was out of the question and she remained in Europe, dancing with the Ballet Russe of Monte Carlo in 1938, after Massine took over as director of the company. One of her greatest hits with them was Coppélia, and she is always referred to as the “definitive Swanilda”.

With World War II reducing her performances, Alexandra Danilova traveled to the United States and never returned. She became an American citizen in 1946.

In her new country, Danilova remained on stage with several performances and reconnected with Balanchine, who took advantage of his partner’s meticulous memory to revive ballets from the old repertoire, such as Paquita, which became one of her signatures.

She toured the world performing as a principal but also began to teach and train new talents until she retired in 1958 and fully embraced the role of mentor. Her participation in The Turning Point was precisely as the coach of the rising ballerina, played by Leslie Browne, and years before she had starred in the musical Oh Captain, on Broadway.

Between classes and mentoring, Danilova worked closely with Balanchine on the revivals of several ballets and it was a shock to her when he died suddenly, in 1983. Three years later she released her autobiography, Choura.

Her death in July 1997, at the age of 93, was due to heart disease. She undoubtedly had a unique and full life. In the year in which her leading roles once again became prominent in the NYCB repertoire, here is a tribute to one of the greatest of all time: the great Alexandra Danilova.

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