Karsavina, Tamara Platonovna 1885-1978
British dancer

Born in St Petersburg, Russia, she trained with Enrico Cecchetti at the Imperial Ballet School there and joined the Maryinsky Theatre in 1902. In 1909 she became one of the original members of Diaghilev's company, creating roles in ballets by Michel Fokine with Nijinsky (1909-13). She moved to London in 1918 with her husband, an English diplomat, though she continued to make guest appearances with Diaghilev's Ballets Russes and later advised on revivals of Diaghilev productions. She was vice-president of the Royal Academy of Dancing from 1920 to 1955 and wrote several books, including the autobiographical Theatre Street (1930), Ballet Technique (1956), and Classical Ballet (1962).