How Prima Ballerina Ludmilla Tcherina
danced her way across the silver screen.
Harald-Reportagen, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Early Life
Born in Paris, Ludmilla Tcherina (1924-2004) was the daughter on an exiled Russian Prince
Avenir Tchemerzine. She started dancing at three years of age and showing early signs of talent, she took to the stage at 11. She trained at the Paris Opera and studied under Blanche d'Alessandri, Olga Preobrajenska and in 1940 she joined Serge Lifar's Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. She became the youngest Prima Ballerina. At the Ballet des Champs-Élysées in 1945,
she was the principal dancer.
1940's and 50's
She danced all over the world and appeared regularly at the Paris Opera, The Bolshoi Ballet
and the Kirov Ballet. In 1946 she made her first film appearance as ballerina Karin in the French drama Un revenant. In Britain she starred in the movie The Red Shoes (1948).
Filmography
Date / Film / Role
1946 Un revenant Karina
1948 The Red Shoes Irina Boronskaja
1949 Fandango Angélica
1950 La nuit s'achève Danielle Chevalier
1951 The Tales of Hoffmann Giulietta
1951Clara de Montargis Clara
1951Parsifal Kundry
1952 Grand Gala Monique
1953 Sins of Rome Amitys
1954 Mata Hari's Daughter Elyne
1954 Sign of the Pagan Princess Pulcheria
1955 Oh... Rosalinda!! Rosalinda
1959 Honeymoon Anna
1962 The Lovers of Teruel Isa
1969 Salome
1972 La dame aux camélias
1975 La reine de Saba
Art & Sculpture
A talented writer, artist and sculptor, she exhibited at many prestigious galleries. A monumental sculpture Europe à Coeur (1991) was chosen to be displayed outside the European Parliament, Strasbourg.
The Sculpture entitled Europa Operanda (1994), is displayed at the French terminal of Eurotunnel.
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