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Irina Baronova, born 1919, in Petrograd, speaks about her family history; the Russian revolution and the effects on her family; ballet classes; seeing her first ballet performance; moving to Paris; her teachers, Imperial Ballet; Olga Preobrajenska, her teaching methods; ballet mothers, Mama Toumanova; the term 'baby ballerinas'; touring, London, Paris; diets; friendships; marriage; socialising with famous people; her workload, performing 9 times a week; Wassily de Basil; Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo; Australia tour (1938) with the Covent Garden Russian ballet; WWII; reaction to Australia, environment, audience reactions; Anna Volkova, Anna Barnes; Royal Academy of Dance; Maina Gielgud; Australian Ballet; company members who remained in Australia, Kira Bousloff and Edouard Borovansky; audience favourites, other repertoire and choreographers; press and criticism, critics' expectations of Ballets Russes dancing; U.S.A. tour; J.C. Williamsons
Baronova discusses working conditions, no unions; her education; her introduction to repertoire and choreographers early in her career; George Balanchine; restaging Les Sylphides (2006) for Revolutions program; working with Michel Fokine; Vaslav Nijinsky; Leonide Massine and the symphonic ballets; notable features of Massine's choreographic style; the abstract ballets 'Choreartium' and 'Les Presages'; the success of 'Symphonie fantastique' as a narrative ballet; Nina Verchinina; influences on the choreography of David Lichine, and the importance of a knowledge of music and art to choreography; Antal Dorati and other conductors for the Ballets Russes including Efrem Kurtz; Sir Thomas Beecham; audience reaction to the Ballets Russes extensive repertoire; her feelings on first joining the company; Tamara Karsavina.
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