Music from Leo Delibes' ballet Coppélia opens the program followed by introductory remarks from announcer Rex Benware.

Host Irving Deakin showers praise on Alexandra Danilova as a calling her brilliant dancer and he underscores her performance in the ballet Coppélia in which she dances the role of Swanilda. He reads Max Beerbohm's tribute to Adeline Genée in the same role and plays an excerpt of the music from the ballet where Danilova makes believe she is an automaton.

Deakin interview the dancer Alexandra Danilova who talks about Serge Diaghilev, the Russian ballet impresario and founder of the Ballets Russes, and her training at the Imperial Ballet School in Russia, beginning at the age of nine. She says such training must be daily but not as rigorous as that for acrobats. She left the Soviet Union five years after Lenin's death. The prima-ballerina also comments on ballet audiences in the United States and describes the disciplined life of a ballet dancer as well as her favorite roles. American's she says did not first understand the Russian ballet, expecting contortionists and acrobats, but not now. Deakin asks Danilova about her diet and caring for her feet. She says Epson salts baths and a special cream are necessary and one never goes on stage with cold feet.

Danilova says she no longer gets homesick for Russia and comments that the American man treats his wife well, but he too busy chasing after money that life passes him by. She also comments on her various roles and rushes off to the Metropolitan Opera house.

Deakin comments again about the ballet Coppélia, in particular, the Nikolaĭ Grigorʹevich Sergeev's staging in its current run by the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. He notes Danilova's dancing in the role of Swanilda. Excerpts of music from the ballet accompany Deakin's commentary. There are cosing remarks and announcements.

(ca. 31 min.).

Audio courtesy of the NYPL Dance Division.

WNYC archives id: 152549