Access
Publication Rights
Preferred Citation
Acquisition Information
Biography
Collection Scope and Content Summary
Bibliography
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections and Archives, University of California, Irvine
Libraries
Title: Harcourt Algeranoff photograph album
Creator:
Algeranoff, Harcourt
Identifier/Call Number: MS.P.060
Physical Description:
0.4 Linear Feet
(1 box)
Date (inclusive): circa 1922-1928
Abstract: This photograph album was created by
ballet dancer and choreographer Harcourt Algeranoff, who partnered Anna Pavlova during her
world tours. The album contains 178 photographs from 1922 to 1928 depicting the Pavlova
Company on tour in South Africa, Egypt, and India, as well as moments from Algeranoff's
personal life.
Language of Material:
English .
Access
The collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Property rights reside with the University of California. Intellectual property rights are
retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or to
publish, please contact the Head of Special Collections and Archives.
Preferred Citation
Harcourt Algeranoff Photograph Album. MS-P060. Special Collections and Archives, The UC
Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California. Date accessed.
For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information
about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder
descriptions, and box/folder locations.
Acquisition Information
Acquired, 2003.
Biography
Ballet dancer and choreographer Harcourt Algernon Leighton Essex was most famous for
partnering Anna Pavlova. He was born on April 18, 1903 in London. He danced under the name
of Harcourt Algeranoff and began his career as a character soloist. He toured Europe, North
and South America, Asia, Australia, and Africa with Anna Pavlova's dance company from 1921
until Pavlova's death in 1931. Algeranoff adopted Pavlova's dance philosophy of blending
conventional ballet with multi-cultural and ethnic dances. In addition to traditional
Western dance, he studied Japanese and Indian dancing. He partnered Pavlova in
Russian Dance and impressed audiences with his performances in
Oriental Impressions and
Don
Quixote
.
In the years following Pavlova's death, Algeranoff was a member of several dance companies,
including the Dandré-Levitoff Company, the Markova-Dolin Ballet, and De Basil's Ballets
Russes. He also choreographed for the International Ballet Company and the Carl Rosa Opera
Company. During the 1950s he served as ballet master for the Norwegian State Opera and
Ballet Company, the Borovansky Ballet Company (Australia), and the North-West Victorian
Ballet Society (Australia).
In 1945 Algeranoff married French dancer Claudie Léonard. They had a son, Nöel. Claudie
later left Algeranoff to marry New Zealand dancer Ronald Reay. Harcourt Algeranoff died in
an auto accident near Robinvale, Victoria in Australia on April 7, 1967.
Collection Scope and Content Summary
This collection comprises a photograph album created by ballet dancer and choreographer
Harcourt Algeranoff, who partnered Anna Pavlova during her world tours. The album contains
178 sepia-toned and black-and-white photographs of various sizes. Photographs date
approximately from 1922 to 1928 and depict the Pavlova Company on tour in South Africa,
Egypt, and India. Photographs include a few shots of the dancers on stage and many shots of
the troupe during their travels. Photographs depict the company in formal daywear on the
decks of ships, riding camels, exploring a jungle, and sightseeing. Shots of Pavlova include
photographs of her on stage in costume and one in daywear with a South African tribal
dancer. The album also includes monuments such as the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort in India and
snapshots of Algeranoff's family and friends.
The photograph album is made of heavy brown stock tied with green silk and pink grosgrain
ribbons and measures 23 x 20 x 3 cm. A pen-and-ink sketch of a dancer enhanced with green
and pink watercolor is mounted on the cover of the album. Algeranoff occasionally painted as
a hobby and may be the creator of this unsigned sketch.
Algeranoff, Harcourt.
My Years With Pavlova. London:
Heinemann, 1957.Southey, R. J. "Algeranoff, Harcourt (1903 - 1967),"
Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 13, Melbourne
University Press, 1993.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Photograph albums -- 20th century.
Ballet dancers.
Photographic prints -- 20th century.
Ballet companies -- Photographs.
Ballet companies -- History -- Sources
Algeranoff, Harcourt -- Archives
Pavlova, Anna -- Archives