Bronislava Njinska

Bronislava Nijinska was a petite but strong dancer with excellent technique who began her career with the Mariinsky Ballet in Russia. She became famous as a choreographer with Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in Paris and Monte Carlo, then opened her own School of Ballet in Los Angeles. She was born Bronislava Fominichna Nijinska (Bronislawa Nizynska in Polish language) on January 8, 1891, in Minsk, Russian Empire (now Minsk, Belarus), into a family of Polish-Russian heritage. Her father, Foma Lavrentevich Nijinsky, and her mother, Eleonora Bereda, were both professional dancers. Her older brother was Vaslav Nijinsky.

In 1895, at age 4, she made her theatrical debut together with her brother in a Christmas pageant performance in Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia.

In 1900 she and her brother were accepted at the Imperial School of Ballet in St. Petersburg on a 7-year scholarship from the State of Russia.

From 1900-07 she studied dance and music at the Imperial School of Ballet, graduating with honors as a ballet dancer.

In 1908, Nijinska became a dancer with the Mariinsky Theare in St. Petersburg, Russia.

In 1910 she was invited by Sergei Diaghilev and became a dancer in the corps de ballet, then a soloist with Ballets Russes in Paris, what became also known as the Russian Seasons.

During the 1910-13 seasons, Nijinska built her reputation under choreographer Mikhail Fokin in such innovative productions as 'Carnival' and 'Petrouchka' by composer Igor Stravinsky.

In 1913 she left the Diaghilev's Ballet and made an attempt to start a ballet company with her brother Vaslav Nijinsky, but the effort failed because of her brother's personal problems with his marriage.

In 1914 she returned to Russia.

There, in 1915, she created and presented her first choreography for ballet 'Tabakerka' (aka. . . The Snuff-box) at the Petrograd's People's House. During the years of the First World War, she remained in Russia.

In 1919, Nijinska opened her own ballet school in Kiev. There her student was young dancer Serge Lifar, among others.

In 1921, she emigrated from Russia. At that time she was again invited by Sergei Diaghilev and joined the Ballets Russes as a choreographer.

From 1921-25 she choreographed five highly innovative ballets for the Diaghilev's Russian Ballet, including such productions as 'Renard' (1922) by Igor Stravinsky, 'Les Noces' (1923) by Igor Stravinsky and artist Natalia Goncharova.

Nijinska created choreography for the highly acclaimed Diaghilev's production of 'Le Train Bleu' (1924, aka. . . The Blue Train), a ballet about the exodus of Paris society to the Riviera each summer on the train called 'Le Train Bleu'. In that production Nijinska created a special ambiance through the language of dance, she introduced angular and geometrical movements and organized dancers on stage as interactive groups, that alluded to images of sports activities , such as golf, tennis and recreational games on a beach. Nijinska herself performed in the role as Tennis player. In 'Le Train Bleu' Nijinska worked with plot writer Jean Cocteau, composer Darius Milhaud, and with costumes by Coco Chanel and monumental stage curtain designed by Pablo Picasso and executed by Prince Shervashidze, the largest of all canvasses signed by Picasso, who also wrote on it a dedication to Diaghilev.

Her last work with Diaghilev was choreography for ballet 'Romeo et Juliette' (1926).

From 1927-29 Bronislava Nijinska worked for the Ballet of Paris, then in 1928-29 she worked for the Ballet of Ida Rubinstein.

During 1930 and 1931 seasons, she worked with the Russian Opera in Paris, 1932-34 directed her own ballet company, called Polish Ballets of Paris, then, in 1935 worked with the Russian Ballets of Monte Carlo.

In 1935 Nijinska made her film debut as a choreographer in Max Reinhardt's film version of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935).

In 1938, Nijinska moved to America, and after her first stint in Hollywood, she settled in Los Angeles. There she opened her own school of dance. She established herself as a reputable teacher and choreographer, and worked with the touring company called "Original Russian Ballet"; she also worked with the American Ballet Theatre, with the Buffalo Ballet, and with the Royal Ballet in London. Nijinska was married twice and had one daughter; but her one and only true love, whom she never married, was Russian opera star Feodor Chaliapin Sr.. .