Kira Bousloff

Kira Bousloff OAM (1914 - 2001) was a dancer with Ballets Russes who toured Australia in 1938 and stayed, marrying (and divorcing) James Penberthy while having a significant influence on the evolution of ballet in Western Australia.

Born Kira Abricossova in Monaco, the child of an aristocratic Russian family who were stranded in Monte Carlo by the 1917 Russian Revolution, she was raised in France, taking lessons from Russian émigrés.

She established West Australian Ballet in Perth (1952) and founded a ballet school which continues to this day.

A number of significant Australian dancers came through the school, including Stephen Heathcote.

In recognition of her contributions to Australian Ballet she was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2000.

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