RESOURCES
Discover unique treasures and published works relating to the Ballets Russes in Australia and to their lasting influence on Australian arts and culture.
- Albums
- Archives
- Artworks
- Ephemera
- Photographic collections
- Books
- Articles
- Newspaper reviews and articles
- Websites
ALBUMS
Albums assembled by Margaret Walker
Born in Bendigo, Victoria, Margaret Walker was first inspired by dance when she went to a Melbourne performance by the visiting Covent Garden Russian Ballet in 1939. As a result of her visit to the theatre, Walker, a pharmacy student at the time, started taking ballet classes with Edouard Borovansky and his wife Xenia. Dance was to occupy Walker's life for the next five decades until her death in 1996.
These three albums feature photographs and clippings relating to dance artists and performances between 1938 and 1940. Album 1 contains over seventy photographs, some fifty of which are of dancers, particularly Irina Baronova, who toured Australia with the Ballets Russes. Most are souvenir photographs sold in theatre foyers during the tours. The other albums feature diverse photographs and clippings, many related to the Ballets Russes. They include photographs of Colonel de Basil, the first performance of Graduation Ball, and the ballet Icare.
Margaret Walker Dance Archives: Ballets Russes photographs, 1938-1940
http://www.nla.gov.au/cdview/nla.ms-ms8495-23
Anton Dolin album of photographs
Anton Dolin, born in England as Sydney Francis Patrick Chippendall Healey-Kay, made his debut as a child performer in 1916. He went on to appear with leading ballet companies, notably Diaghilev's Ballet Russe. He partnered some of the world's most acclaimed ballerinas including Tamara Karsarvina, Alicia Alonso, Irina Baronova and, perhaps most famously, Alicia Markova with whom he founded the Markova-Dolin Ballet in 1935.Dolin travelled extensively throughout his life and came to Australia in 1938, where he was a popular leading dancer with the Covent Garden Russian Ballet.
Anton Dolin assembled this album as a record of his performances in Australia with the Covent Garden Russian Ballet between 1937 and 1938.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an11855452
Collection of photographs assembled by Dr Ewan Murray-Will
Dr Ewan Murray-Will was a Sydney-based dermatologist and amateur film maker. Using a hand-held movie camera and recording on 16 mm film, sometimes in black and white, sometimes in colour, he documented excerpts from the repertoire of the Ballets Russes companies who visited Australia between 1936 and 1940. Murray-Will's album records the leisure moments he spent with Ballets Russes dancers at his beach house at Bungan Beach, Sydney. It also contains performance shots of dancers whom hel knew particularly well.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-vn3426795
Scrapbook assembled by Algeranoff
Algeranoff, London-born Harcourt Algernon Leighton Essex, joined Anna Pavlova's company in 1921. With her toured North America, Asia, Europe and South Africa and partnered her in several ballets. Algeranoff came to Australia on the Pavlova tours of 1926 and 1929, and described his experiences in his 1957 book. My Years with Pavlova. After Pavlova's death Algeranoff danced with the Dandre-Levitoff Russian Ballet, which visited Australia in 1934-35 and with which Olga Spessivtseva appeared, the Markova-Dolin Ballet, with which he appeared in 1936, and the Ballets Russes, with which he danced from 1933 to 1934 and 1937 to 1942.
This scrapbook, entitled 'Algeranoff: Algunas Fotografias y Criticas de Sus Varios Papeles', features photographs, newspaper clippings and programs recording various performances by Algeranoff from the 1920s to the 1950s. The largest proportion of the material concerns Algeranoff's career with the Ballets Russes during tours to South America in the 1940s.
http://www.nla.gov.au/apps/cdview?pi=nla.ms-ms2376-6-134
ARCHIVES
Ballets Russes Symposium
In May 2008, the Ballets Russes Symposium held at the Elder Conservatorium, University of Adelaide, attracted 150 participants, speakers and performers to discuss the collaborative practice amongst the arts instigaged by the great Russian impresario, Serge Diaghilev. International speakers including preeminent Ballets Russes scholar Dr Lynn Garafola and Dr Stephanie Jordan, who has written extensively on the work of Diaghilev's collaborators Igor Stravinsky and George Balanchine, were joined by Australian musicologists, Dr Mark Carrol and Michael Christoforidis, photography curator and scholar Helen Ennis and conductor Nicolette Fraillon, music director of The Australian Ballet. Ballets Russes Symposium Program
Maroussia Richardson Collection
This collection of letters, photographs and other documents records the experiences of English dancer Betty Scorer who, as Elisabeth Souvorova, danced in Australia in 1936 to 1937 with the Monte Carlo Russian Ballet.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.ms-ms9915
Papers of Algeranoff
Algeranoff's extensive collection of papers includes letters written from around the world while he was on tour with Anna Pavlova and later with Ballets Russes companies in Australia and the United States. The letters, to his mother in London, Alice Essex, record the life and activities of a touring dancer over four decades from the 1920s to the 1950s. Letters from Australia relating to the Ballets Russes are concentrated in Series1, Sub-series 1.1, Folder 15.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.ms-ms2376
Papers of Moya Beaver
Moya Beaver danced in Australia with the First Australian Ballet of Louise Lightfoot and Mischa Burlakov, with Leon Kellaway's Ballet Nationale and in several J. C. Williamson productions in the 1940s. She was a great fan of the Ballets Russes dancers and collected many autographed photos of them. Selected photos from Series 1 of her papers have been digitised. The Ballets Russes images can be found as items 104-140 of Series 1.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.ms-ms9803
Papers of Tamara Finch
After touring with de Basil's Ballets Russes, Tamara Tchinarova Finch remained in Australia for a number of years, making important contributions to the Kirsova Ballet, the Polish-Australian Ballet and the Borovansky Ballet. Selected images from her archive collection can be viewed online.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.ms-ms9733-5
ARTWORKS
Spirit of the ballet: impressions in aquatint and line by Harold Byrne
This book was created by Harold Byrne (1899-1966) around the repertoire of the Monte Carlo Russian Ballet during its tour to Australia in 1936 to 1937. For biographical information on Byrne see The Australian Financial Review, 24 November 1977, p. 22.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.aus-vn2275440-t-cd
EPHEMERA
The Ballets Russes in Australasia, 1936-1940: theatre programs and ephemera held at the National Library of Australia
A link to digitised programs, advertising material and other ephemera in the National Library's PROMPT collection
http://nla.gov.au/nla.aus-vn143713
Ballets Russes Australasian Tours 1936-1940 (Australian Performing Arts (PROMPT) Collection)
This listing of programs, cast lists and promotional material records the chronology and repertoire of tours to Australia by the Monte Carlo Russian Ballet (1936-1937), the Covent Garden Russian Ballet (1938-1939) and the Original Ballet Russe (1939-1840). It also contains a list of personnel associated with the tours and background information.
http://www.nla.gov.au/collect/prompt/russes.html
PHOTOGRAPHIC COLLECTIONS
Collection of photographs of the Covent Garden Russian Ballet dancers, September, 1938
This collection of photographs was taken by Patricia Mary Cape, an Australian balletomane who met the dancers of the Convent Garden Russian Ballet on board the ship 'Maloja' when they were travelling to Australia.
The photographs include ballet dancers rehearsing and sunbathing on the ship's deck, group portraits and docking at Adelaide wharf.
The photographs were donated to the Ballets Russes Project by Mrs Cape's daughter in 2006.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-vn3792077
Hugh P. Hall collection of photographs, 1939-1940
Late in 2006, the National Library purchased a magnificent collection of 1182 photographs by Melbourne solicitor Hugh P Hall. He took them at His Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne, during Col. Wassily de Basil’s Ballets Russes company performances from 1938 to 1940. Hall’s passion for ballet was revealed in his coveted 1948 book, Ballet in Australia: From Pavlova to Rambert, filled with dynamic and atmospheric action shots taken during performances. Hall remained enamoured of the ballet and went on to photograph every international visiting dance artist and company, from Anna Pavlova in 1929 to the Ballet Rambert in 1948. He also photographed Australia’s early professional companies established by Helene Kirsova and Eduoard Borovansky.
http://www.australiadancing.org/subjects/5841.html
Collection of photographs of Ballets Russes performances in Australia
This collection of 16 photographs, thought to be taken by Colin Ferguson, documents performances in Australia by the Original Ballet Russe in 1940.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an11464080
Geoffrey Ingram archive of Australian ballet
The Geoffrey Ingram archive chronicles the history of ballet in Australia. The collection contains a series of images of the Ballets Russes and of the Borovansky Ballet.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an11030051
Max Dupain's dancers
A collection of images of dancers from the touring Ballets Russes companies captured by Max Dupain. It includes photographs taken at Frenchs Forest that show dancers in outdoor studies.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an7518182
Valrene Tweedie collection of dance photographs from the Ballets Russes
Australian dancer, Valrene Tweedie, became a member of the Original Ballet Russe in 1940 and toured with the company to North and South America. These 52 images are from her personal collection.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-vn3422817
BOOKS
- Breen, T. Essington & Kuehn, Nanette, Balletomane's art book : pictorial parade of Russian ballet 1940 (Sydney : London Book Co., 1940)
http://nla.gov.au/nla.aus-vn3016378 - Hall, Hugh P., Ballet in Australia : from Pavlova to Rambert (Melbourne : Georgian House, 1948)
- Lindsay, Daryl, Back stage with the Covent Garden Russian Ballet (Sydney : Peerless Press, [1938?])
- Pask, Edward H., Enter the colonies dancing. A history of dance in Australia 1935-1940 (Melbourne : OUP, 1979)
- Philippoff, Olia, Marina Svetlova (New York : Cameron & Bulkley, [194-?])
http://nla.gov.au/nla.gen-vn3660968 - Walker, Kathrine Sorley, De Basil's Ballets Russes (London: Hutchinson, 1982)
ARTICLES
- Bedford, Ruth 'Daryl Lindsay's Art'. Art in Australia (February 1939), pp. 26-36
- Christofis, Lee, 'Diaghilev's Legacy' .National Library of Australia News (March 2008), pp. 15-18
- Christofis, Lee,'New Light on the Ballets Russes: the Hugh P Hall Photographic Collection'. National Library of Australia News (October 2007), pp. 3-7
- Forwood, Gillian, 'Ballets Russes: from St Petersburg to St Kilda'. Art and Australia, Vol. 26 No. 2 (Summer 1988), pp. 270-276
- Haskell, Arnold, 'The Dancer's Influence on Ballet'. Art in Australia (February 1937), pp. 39-51
- Lichine David, 'Scenery of the Ballet'. Art in Australia (February 1939), pp. 40-42
- Miller, H. Tatlock, 'Designs for the Theatre'. Art in Australia (February 1940), pp. 13-19
- Potter, Michelle, 'Arnold Haskell in Australia: did politics or connoisseurship determine his role? Dance Research (Edinburgh), 24:1 (Summer 2006), pp. 37-53
- Potter, Michelle, 'International notes: the how and why of collecting dance materials at the National Library of Australia'. Performance (Summer 2006), pp.12-14
- Potter, Michelle, 'Madame Ballet'. National Library of Australia News (April 2006), pp. 3-6
- Potter, Michelle, ‘Challenging perceptions’. National Library of Australia News (December 2005), pp. 12-14
- Potter, Michelle, 'Mir iskusstva: Serge Diaghilev’s art journal’. National Library of Australia News (July 2005), pp. 3-6
- Potter, Michelle, ‘Boro’s Ballet: the making of an Australian ballet, 1939-1961’. National Library of Australia News (July 2001), pp. 3-6
- Potter, Michelle, ‘Dance in letters: the correspondence of Algeranoff’. National Library of Australia News (January 2001), pp. 11-14
- Potter, Michelle, ‘Every picture tells a story’. National Library of Australia News (December 2000), pp. 7-10
- Potter, Michelle, 'A dancer's dream: Hélène Kirsova and the development of Australian dance'. National Library of Australia News (August 2000), pp. 3-6
- Potter, Michelle, ‘Mutual Fascination: the Ballets Russes in Australia 1936-1940’. Brolga (Canberra), 11 (December 1999), pp. 7-15
- Potter, Michelle, ‘Avalanche: de Basil's Ballets Russes in Australia’. From Russia with Love (Canberra: National Gallery of Australia, 1998), pp. 74-83
- Potter, Michelle, ‘Personal Gestures: Early Choreography by Edouard Borovansky.’ The Europeans: Emigré Artists in Australia 1930-1960 (Canberra: National Gallery of Australia, 1997), pp. 25-36
- Potter, Michelle, ‘Spatial Boundaries: Sidney Nolan's Ballet Designs’. Brolga (Canberra), 3 (December 1995), pp. 53-67
- Potter, Michelle, ‘A Strong Personality and a Gift for Leadership: Hélène Kirsova in Australia’. Dance Research (Oxford), 13:2 (Autumn 1995), pp. 62-76
- Potter, Michelle, 'The Russian Ballet in Australia: Max Dupain's photographic record'. National Library of Australia News (January 1995), pp. 17-21
- Potter, Michelle, ‘De Basil in Australia: Publicity and Patronage’. Dance Research (Oxford), 11:2 (Autumn 1993), pp. 16-26
- Potter, Michelle, ‘Kira Bousloff: Founder of the West Australian Ballet’. Russians in Australia, No. 14 (Melbourne: Department of Germanic Studies and Russian, University of Melbourne, 1991)
- Stone, Richard, 'Ballet arrived all serene' . National Library of Australia News (October 2007), pp.19-21
- Stone, Richard, 'Come into the Wings: the art of Enid Dickson'. National Library of Australia News (August 2007), pp. 18-21
Articles in The Home
- Belvuhilski, Botomov, ‘A Tour with the Russian Ballet’, The Home, Vol. 18 No. 7 (July 1937), p. 27
- Breen, T. Essington, ‘Notes for Ballet Nights’, The Home, Vol. 20 No. 12 (December 1939), p. 46-47, 75-76, 78
- Breen, T. Essington, ‘De Basil – Torch Bearer’, The Home, Vol. 21 No. 1 (January 1940), p. 41-43, 63, 64, 72
- Breen, T. Essington, ‘Ballet Unlimited’, The Home, Vol. 21 No. 2 (February 1940), p. 49, 62
- Breen, T. Essington, ‘Ballet Films and the Theatre’, The Home, Vol. 21 No. 3 (March 1940), p. 28, 74
- Breen, T. Essington, ‘Reflections on the Ballet’, The Home, Vol. 21 No. 4 (April 1940), p. 49, 68-70, 73
- Breen, T. Essington, ‘The Art of David Lichine’, The Home, Vol. 21 No. 5 (May 1940), p. 28-32
- Burdett, Basil, ‘Ballet Notes’, The Home, Vol. 18 No. 1 (January 1937), p. 28-29, 80
- Burdett, Basil, ‘The Russian Ballet’, The Home: Russian Ballet Number, Vol. 18 No. 2 (February 1937), p. 41
- Cochran, T. H., ‘Anton Dolin’, The Home, Vol. 19 No. 10 (October 1939), p. 36, 77
- Francis, E.J., 'Fits for Mr Haskell', The Home, Vol. 18, No. 3 (March 1937), p. 32; 86
- Haskell, Arnold, ‘With the Russian Ballet in Australia’, The Home, Vol. 18 No. 1 (January 1937), p. 32, 74
- Haskell, Arnold, ‘Some Reasons for the Popularity of Ballet’, The Home: Russian Ballet Number, Vol. 18, No. 2 (February 1937), p. 23-4
- Haskell, Arnold, ‘Colonel de Basil’, The Home: Russian Ballet Number, Vol. 18 No. 2 (February 1937)
- Haskell, Arnold, ‘An Experience’, The Home, Vol. 18 No. 9 (September 1937), p. 25, 65
- Haskell, Arnold, ‘Choreography. An explanatory note’, The Home, Vol. 19 No. 12 (December 1938), p. 25
- Haskell, Arnold, ‘The Art of Tatiana Riabouchinska’, The Home, Vol. 19 No. 12 (December 1938), p. 40, 82
- Haskell, Arnold, ‘The Russian Ballet Visiting Australia’, The Home, Vol. 19 No. 10 (October 1939), p. 22-24
- Irving, Thomas, ‘Baronova in Hollywood’, The Home, Vol. 21 No. 4 (April 1940), p. 50-51
- Scorer, Daphne, ‘British Ballet’, The Home, Vol. 17 No. 6 (June 1936), p. 48
- Wilkinson, Kenneth, ‘Elevation’, The Home, Vol. 19 No. 12 (December 1938), p. 60, 91
- Wilkinson, Kenneth, ‘The Russian Ballet for Australia’, The Home, Vol. 19 No. 9 (September 1939), p. 24
Articles in Dancing Times
- Philipoff, Olga, ‘A Schwezoff Ballet. A Note from the de Basil Company: encouraging Australian artists’. Dancing Times, new series, no. 361 (October 1940), p. 8-10
- Philipoff, Olga, ‘The Ballet Finishes its Australian Season. American Plans’. Dancing Times, new series. No. 362 (November 1940), p. 66-77
- Rhodes, Russell, ‘News from New York and a Word from Australia’. Dancing Times, new series, no. 360 (September 1940), p. 705-6, 709
- The Sitter Out, ‘De Basil in Australia’. Dancing Times, new series, no. 356 (May 1940), p. 472-3
NEWSPAPER REVIEWS and ARTICLES
Websites
- The Australian Ballet - http://www.australianballet.com.au/
- The University of Adelaide - http://www.adelaide.edu.au/library/special/brusses.html
- National Library of Australia - http://www.nla.gov.au/





