The Legat Story

This is the story of Nadine Nicolaeva Legat, a famous ballerina and ballet teacher. It begins with her privileged childhood in St. Petersburg, Russia. Her love of dance takes her to the world famous Maryinsky School where she met her teacher and future husband Nicolas Legat a premiere soloist and teacher of the "Class of Perfection". It continues with their elopement. It describes the hardships they endured during the Russian revolution and all the problems they encountered while trying unsuccessfully to leave the country. Eventually they were permitted to leave and were reunited in London with the rest of the family who had been scattered while fleeing the revolution.

They began teaching and performing in England. They subsequently joined the Diaghilev Ballet Russe and toured in Europe. A quarrel with the notoriously difficult Diaghilev led to their leaving that company. Nicolas Legat started a dance studio in Paris while his wife continued performing with other partners. Later they moved to London and opened a ballet studio where all of the renowned dancers of the time came for instruction.

Her performing career is described in detail. After the death of Nicolas Legat, she took over the responsibility of the studio. When WWII began she was asked to take the young students out of harm's way and relocated out of London. This was the first ballet boarding school in England.

The school became very successful and the number of students increased. She moved the school to larger premises and continued teaching until she became incapacitated.

This work gives the reader a fascinating inside view of the rigors of being a dancer and teacher.