The Mariinsky Theatre, circa 1890
It's back to wikipedia for some facts-we-bet-you-didn't-know about The Kirov Ballet (Nov 9-12, that's this week, by the way...):
1. Though the company still tours the United States and Europe under the name Kirov, the famed ballet troupe was originally called the Imperial Ballet and is now called the Mariinsky Ballet in Russia after St. Petersburg's Mariinsky Theatre, the company's home.
2. One of the company's greatest choreographers, Marius Petipa, is considered by most to be the father of classical ballet. Lev Ivanov helped a little, too.
3. Agrippina Vaganova, the company's ballet master after the Revolution of 1917, is credited for saving the Russian-style of ballet, and her teaching methods form much of the basis of what is considered classical ballet today.
4. The choreography school of the Mariinsky Ballet, named after Vaganova, has produced some of the most famous dancers of the 20th century. Notable alumni include Mikhail Baryshnikov, Tony award-winning dancer Natalia Makarova and the late Rudolf Nureyev
5. Throughout the years, the company has premiered many works that have later gone on to become classic ballets. These include The Nutcracker, Don Quixote and Sleeping Beauty.
Source: Wikipedia.org
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