Edouard Borovansky

Edouard Borovansky
Self-portrait by Edouard Borovansky,1948, oil on board, 45.7 x 36 cm, National Library of Australia, Australia
Born	Eduard Josef Skřeček (1902-02-24)24 February 1902 Přerov, Moravia, Austro-Hungarian Empire (now Czech Republic)
Died	18 December 1959(1959-12-18) (aged 57) Randwick, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation	Ballet dancer
Spouse(s)	Xenia Nicolaeva Smirnoff (1933–)
Parent(s)	František and Arnošta Skřeček

Edouard Borovansky (24 February 1902 – 18 December 1959) was a Czech- born Australian ballet dancer, choreographer and director. After touring with Anna Pavlova's company, he and his wife settled in Australia where they established the Borovansky Ballet company. This company provided the foundation for modern ballet in Australia and was subsequently used as the basis for the first national Australian ballet company, The Australian Ballet which was established in 1962.

Eduard Josef Skřeček was born on 24 February 1902 in Přerov, Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was the seventh child of František Skřeček, a railway clerk, and his wife Arnošta. After graduating school he worked as an accountant before he was called up for military service in the Czechoslovak Air Force. In 1921, he joined the chorus of the Olomouc Opera Company as a baritone, however as he had an early gymnastic training he was transferred to the corps de ballet. In September 1923 he successfully auditioned for the Prague National Theatre where he began to work his way up the hierarchy before he gained a place in Anna Pavlova's touring company in 1928. He began his career as a dancer of character roles by changing his name to Eduard Borowanski. He first performed with the Pavlova Ballet in Hamburg, Germany. He then toured for seasons in Britain, South America and Asia. He first toured Australia with the company in 1929. However, the company collapsed after the death of Anna Pavlova in 1930, and he and his companion, the Russian-born Xenia Nikolayevna Krüger, née Smirnova (1903–1985), scraped a living by teaching children in makeshift studios in Paris, then Prague and Berlin. He married Krüger, a divorcee, on 14 October 1933 at the register office, Westminster, London. In 1932 he joined the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. His notable roles with this company were the Strong Man in Le Beau Danube, Polkan in Le Coq d'Or and the Shopkeeper of La Boutique fantasque. He revisited Australia in 1938 with the company, now renamed The Royal Covent Garden Russian Ballet, however he and his wife decided to remain in Australia at the end of the tour.