Conversation so far:
how did Vaslav Nijinsky's career start?
Nijinsky spent his summer after graduation rehearsing and then performing at Krasnoe Selo in a makeshift theatre with an audience mainly of army officers.
what did he do after that?
These performances frequently included members of the Imperial family and other nobility, whose support and interest were essential to a career.
why were they essential?
Each dancer who performed before the Tsar received a gold watch inscribed with the Imperial Eagle.
Buoyed by Nijinsky's salary.

Question: how much was his salary?
Self-contained rewrite: how much was Vaslav Nijinsky's salary?