Toumanova, Tamara

Tamara Toumanova Photos

Tamara Toumanova Biography

Notable: 1919 – 1997; Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo

Tamara Toumanova (Tumanishvili) was born in 1919 by Georgian parents (on a railway train between Siberia and Shanghai escaping Russia!). She studied in Paris with Olga Preobrajenska. She was engaged for De Basil’s Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo by George Balanchine in 1932 and was one of the three famous “baby ballerinas”. She was a guest artist with the American Ballet Theatre 1944-45, the Paris Opéra Ballet 1947 and 1950, De Cuevas Company 1949, La Scala 1951 and 1952, London Festival Ballet 1952 and 1954. She danced all the classical roles.