After several years of practice, Semenova made her dancing debut at the age of 11 with a Russian opera company formed in London. The next year she began her formal ballet career as a member of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, touring the United States and South America.
In 1937 Semenova joined the Opéra russe à Paris as its premiere danseuse. During World War II, she formed a group called the Foxhole Ballet to tour military installations in Europe and Africa with the USO. While performing in Rome, Italy on a bomb-damaged stage, she severed the cartilage in her knee and fractured her arm. Unable to dance any longer, in 1946 Semenova moved to the U.S. to begin her teaching career at Carnegie Hall's School of Dance.
In 1950, she formed the American Youth Ballet in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In 1954, Semenova moved the American Youth Ballet to Houston, Texas. The following year, the newly formed Houston Foundation for Ballet asked her to help found the Houston Ballet Academy, which still exists today.[3] She was director of the academy for 11 years.
In 1968, Semenova formed her own company, Ballet of Houston, which thrived until the mid-1980s. After the company disbanded, Semenova continued to teach privately until her death in 1996.
Semenova is buried next to her mother in the cemetery of St. Michael Island in Venice, Italy.
ReferencesEdit
^Holmes, Ann. "Former ballet director Semenova dies at 76". Houston Chronicle, September 25, 1996, 2 Star Edition, Houston Section, p. 3
^Holmes, Ann. "Former ballet director Semenova dies at 76". Houston Chronicle, September 25, 1996, 2 Star Edition, Houston Section, p. 3.
^Upper, Nancy. Ballet Dancers in Career Transition: Sixteen Success Stories. McFarland, 2004, p. 67-68.
tatiana, semenova, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, march, 2. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Tatiana Semenova news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message Tatiana Semenova July 17 1920 September 24 1996 was a Russian born ballet dancer and dance teacher She was the founding director of the Houston Ballet Academy 1 Semenova was born in Petrograd now St Petersburg Russia but moved with her family to Paris France when she was five At the age of seven Semenova began studying with Mathilde Kschessinska 2 After several years of practice Semenova made her dancing debut at the age of 11 with a Russian opera company formed in London The next year she began her formal ballet career as a member of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo touring the United States and South America In 1937 Semenova joined the Opera russe a Paris as its premiere danseuse During World War II she formed a group called the Foxhole Ballet to tour military installations in Europe and Africa with the USO While performing in Rome Italy on a bomb damaged stage she severed the cartilage in her knee and fractured her arm Unable to dance any longer in 1946 Semenova moved to the U S to begin her teaching career at Carnegie Hall s School of Dance In 1950 she formed the American Youth Ballet in Baton Rouge Louisiana In 1954 Semenova moved the American Youth Ballet to Houston Texas The following year the newly formed Houston Foundation for Ballet asked her to help found the Houston Ballet Academy which still exists today 3 She was director of the academy for 11 years In 1968 Semenova formed her own company Ballet of Houston which thrived until the mid 1980s After the company disbanded Semenova continued to teach privately until her death in 1996 Semenova is buried next to her mother in the cemetery of St Michael Island in Venice Italy References Edit Holmes Ann Former ballet director Semenova dies at 76 Houston Chronicle September 25 1996 2 Star Edition Houston Section p 3 Holmes Ann Former ballet director Semenova dies at 76 Houston Chronicle September 25 1996 2 Star Edition Houston Section p 3 Upper Nancy Ballet Dancers in Career Transition Sixteen Success Stories McFarland 2004 p 67 68 External links EditSemenova s personal papers at the University of Houston Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tatiana Semenova amp oldid 1169251678, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
