Slavenska, Mia (1914–2000)
Slavenska, Mia (1914–2000)
Yugoslavian-born ballerina, choreographer, and teacher. Name variations: Mia Corak. Born Mia Corak or Corakin in Slavonski-Brod (then Brod-na Savi), Croatia or Austria-Hungary (later Yugoslavia), Feb 20, 1914; died Oct 5, 2002, in Los Angeles, CA; studied 7 years at Royal Academy of Music, Zagreb; had dance training in Zagreb, Vienna, Paris (under Bronislava Nijinska), and New York (under Vincenzo Celli); also studied modern dance with Harald Kreutzberg and Mary Wigmore; m. Kurt Neumann, 1946; children: Maria Ramas.
At 5, debuted at Zagreb National Opera House (1921), became a soloist (1931) and prima ballerina (1933); joined Bronislava Nijinska's short-lived Théâtre de la Danse in Paris (1933), receiving acclaim from Parisian audiences; appeared in film La Mort du Cygne (Ballerina, 1936), considered one of the few classic movies about dance; became a lead dancer with Ballets Russes (1938), performing that season in Les Sylphides,Gaite Parisienne,Les Elfes,Carnevale and Giselle, in which she danced the title role; during WWII, formed Slavenska Ballet Variante in Hollywood; toured US, South America, and Canada (1944–52); became US citizen; with dancer Frederic Franklin (1952), formed Slavenska-Franklin Ballet and danced role of Blanche in their best-known production, A Streetcar Named Desire; was prima ballerina with Metropolitan Opera Ballet (1955–56), while also working with regional companies and at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival.
See also Women in World History.