Anna Pavlova with one of her swans

Anna Pavlova was born on February 12, 1881 in St. Petersburg, Russia to an unmarried laundress, Lubov Feodorovna. In 1891, Pavlova began studying ballet at the Imperial School of Ballet at the Mariinsky Theatre. Eight years later, in 1899, Pavlova left her school to join the Imperial Ballet and eventually reached the rank of prima ballerina in 1906.

In 1907, Pavlova danced in Mikhail Fokine’s The Dying Swan. This soon became her signature role. A few years later, in 1909, she accompanied the Ballets Russes for their tour in Paris. After the tour in Paris, she decided to not stay with the Ballet Russes and instead chose to become independent. Pavlova left the Imperial Ballet in 1913 and started her own dance company called the Pavlova Company. This led her to touring all over the world, including Egypt, India, and South America.

She was married to her manager, Victor Dandré, and had no children. The couple purchased the Ivy House in London in 1912 and lived there for the rest of her life. Pavlova had a love for animals and even had a ornamental lake for her swans (her favorite was Jack). She died suddenly on January 23, 1931 in the Netherlands due to pneumonia.