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Marina Semyonova

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Dancer

The Resume

    (June 12, 1908-June 9, 2010)
    Born in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
    Prima ballerina for the Kirov Ballet (1925-30) and Bolshoi Ballet (1930-52)
    Signature ballets include 'Swan Lake,' 'Sleeping Beauty' and 'La Bayadere'
    Named a People's Artist of the USSR (1975)

Why she might be annoying:

    When she was born, Russia was still using the Julian Calender, on which her birthday was May 30, leading many obituaries to list her age as 102, when she was actually three days short.
    Serge Lifar, with whom she danced in Paris, said she was 'completely lacking in romantic spirit.'
    She rarely gave interviews, commenting, 'It is better to remain a myth than to be falsely revealed.'

Why she might not be annoying:

    Novelist Stefan Zweig wrote, 'When she steps onto the stage... and suddenly soars up in a wild leap, the impression is that of a storm suddenly splitting the quiet of a humdrum existence.'
    Her husband, a Soviet diplomat, was executed during the Stalinist purges.
    She said she survived those times because 'I was never afraid of anything.'
    She was one of Russia's leading ballet teachers until age 96.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 126 Votes: 51.59% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 6 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 15 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 14 Votes: 64.29% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 13 Votes: 61.54% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 84 Votes: 53.57% Annoying