Uploaded December 2017 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
There is very little footage of the famed Ballets Russes, particularly before the death of Serge de Diaghilev in 1929 – the impresario had forbidden filming of his company, probably for a variety of obvious reasons.
There are really only two examples – Tamara Karsavina performing Mikhail Fokine’s 'The Torch Dance', filmed in 1909, and amateur film of an outdoor rehearsal of 'Les Sylphides' with Serge Lifar and the corps de ballet at the 'Fetes de Narcisses' in Montreux, Switzerland in 1928.
After the death of Diaghilev and the formation of the various new Ballets Russes companies, a little more film involving the company’s first era principal dancers was taken.
This video is of a class given at Le Palais Garnier in Paris by Serge Lifar. The ballet involves is the plotless ‘Les Sylphides’, choreographed by Mikhail Fokine.
It would be really interesting if anyone could identify of the dancers in the class.
Enjoy!
There is very little footage of the famed Ballets Russes, particularly before the death of Serge de Diaghilev in 1929 – the impresario had forbidden filming of his company, probably for a variety of obvious reasons.
There are really only two examples – Tamara Karsavina performing Mikhail Fokine’s 'The Torch Dance', filmed in 1909, and amateur film of an outdoor rehearsal of 'Les Sylphides' with Serge Lifar and the corps de ballet at the 'Fetes de Narcisses' in Montreux, Switzerland in 1928.
After the death of Diaghilev and the formation of the various new Ballets Russes companies, a little more film involving the company’s first era principal dancers was taken.
This video is of a class given at Le Palais Garnier in Paris by Serge Lifar. The ballet involves is the plotless ‘Les Sylphides’, choreographed by Mikhail Fokine.
It would be really interesting if anyone could identify of the dancers in the class.
Enjoy!
