her. Her brilliant technique has endeared her to several
fans, as well as to some of the stage hands. Her motto is
“a smile is better than talent.” Her nickname is... well,
never mind what her nickname is.
IRINA KOLESTEROLIKOVA was discovered by kindly
peasants, along with Rasputin’s boot, adrift in a basket
on the river Neva. Her debut at the Maryinsky Theatre in
St. Petersburg was marred by her overzealous grand
jete into the Tsar’s box, impaling a Grand Duchess.
Banished from Russia, she made her way arduously to
New York, where she founded, and still directs, the
Ecole de Ballet de Hard-Nox. Her most famous exercise
is her warm-up, which consists of a martini and an
elevator.
VARVARA LAPTOPOVA is one of those rare dancers who,
with one look at a ballet, not only knows all the steps
but can also dance all the roles. As a former member of
the Kiev Toe and Heel Club, she was awarded first-prize
at the Pan Siberian Czardash and Kazotski Festival for
artistic mis-interpretation.
SONIA LEFTOVA, “The Prune Danish of Russian Ballet,”
abandoned an enormously successful career as a film
actress to become a Trockadero ballerina. Her faithful
fans, however, need not despair as most of her great
films have been made into ballets: the searing “Back to
Back,’” the tear-filled “Thighs and Blisters,” and the
immortal seven-part “Screams from a Carriage.”
Because of her theatrical flair, Sonia has chosen to
explore the more dramatic aspects of ballet, causing
one critic to rename her Giselle, “What’s my Line?”
VERA NAMETHATUNENOVA, originally a dresser to a
great ballerina, began her career when, one night, she
locked her mistress in the armoire and danced in her
place. Although hailed by her critics for her wonderful
technique, she fooled no one. She was immediately
sought after by companies and impresarios alike, but
decided instead to spend some time on her acting. Now
she is both a technical and a dramatic ballerina. The
whereabouts of her former mistress are not known.
EUGENIA REPELSKII. The secrets of Mme. Repelskii's
beginnings lie shrouded behind the Kremlin wall; in fact,
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