Leonid Lavrovsky

Leonid Lavrovsky (born June 18, 1905, St. Petersburg, Russia—died Nov. 26, 1967, Paris, France) was a Russian dancer, choreographer, teacher, and Bolshoi Ballet director. He studied ballet in St. Petersburg and soon was dancing leading roles with the Kirov Ballet (now called the Mariinsky Ballet), of which he became artistic director in 1938. During 1944–56 and 1960–64 he was chief choreographer of the Bolshoi Ballet, and he became director of its school in 1964. His choreographic work, which began in 1930, included Fadetta (1934), Romeo and Juliet (1940), Giselle (1944), The Stone Flower (1954), and Night City (1961).