A 99-year-old ballet teacher, Helga Monson de Kansky, still teaches ballet at Pasadena Dance Theatre in California. She began dancing as a child in Independence, Kansas, and went on to perform with the Marquis de Cuevas ballet company and the Royal Opera House in London’s Covent Garden.
Early Life and Career
Monson de Kansky’s love of dance started at a young age. Her family moved from city to city during the Great Depression, and her parents found her a dance school in each new place. She trained with Elizabeth Anderson-Ivantzova in New York City and later auditioned for Colonel Wassily de Basil’s Ballet Russe.
Monson de Kansky’s career took her to Europe, where she performed with the Marquis de Cuevas ballet company and studied with ballet legends like Olga Preobrajenska and Vera Volkova. She also met her husband, Igor, while performing in the ballet ‘Petrouchka.’
Teaching and Legacy
After taking a break to care for her daughter, Monson de Kansky returned to teaching ballet. She taught Parisian royalty and later settled in California, where she continues to teach at Pasadena Dance Theatre. Despite her advanced age, Monson de Kansky remains passionate about dance and has no plans to retire.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
