num_pages: 248
description: Tamara Tchinarova was born in Romania in1919 and began her dance training in Pariswith emigré ballerinas from the ImperialRussian Ballet. She danced professionallyin Europe with the touring Ballet Russescompanies that emerged in the 1930safter the death of the entrepreneur SergeDiaghilev, and she went to Australia in1936 with the Ballet Russes de Monte-Carlo, returning in 1938 with the CoventGarden Russian Ballet. In Australia duringthose first two tours by the Russian Balletshe made a strong impression as Action inLeonide Massine’s first symphonic balletLes Présages. She was also admired for herportrayal of Thamar in Michel Fokine’sdramatic ballet, and was praised for herdancing in demi-character roles in balletssuch as Le beau Danube.In 1939, at the conclusion of the CoventGarden Russian Ballet tour, along witha number of her colleagues, Tchinarovaelected to stay in Australia where she metand married the actor Peter Finch andworked with him on a number of filmsbefore leaving Australia to make her homein London. But Finch had caught the eye ofthe glamorous actress Vivien Leigh, wife ofSir Laurence Olivier, and the love trianglethat developed was to have devastatingconsequences.This fascinating autobiography highlightsTamara’s remarkable life in Romaniaand her worldwide dancing career, thetempestuous marriage to Peter Finch andher involvement in his notorious affair withLeigh, through to her subsequent career asadviser and interpreter for many Russian ballet companies.
language: English
title: Dancing into the Unknown: My Life in the Ballets Russes and Beyond
titlecomplete: Dancing into the Unknown: My Life in the Ballets Russes and Beyond
ratings_count: 5
publisher: David Leonard