Legat, Gustaw
Legat Nikolai Gustavovich, *15 (27) December 1869, St. Petersburg, †24 January 1937 London, Russian dancer, ballet master, choreographer, teacher, son of Gustav. Initially, he was taught by his father, then he studied at the Tsarist ballet school in St. Petersburg under the direction of Ch. Johansson and P. Gerdt. In 1888, he made his debut on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater in the ballet Pasquita (music by E. Deldevez); for about 20 years, he was one of the leading soloists of the tsarist ballet. Nikolai Legat’s achievements included roles in approximately 70 works, including Giselle, music by A. Adam, Don Quixote, music by L. Minkus, The Hunchback Horse, music by C. Pugni, The Nutcracker, music by P. Tchaikovsky. He was the favourite partner of M. Krzesińska, A. Pawłowa, and O. Trefiłowa. In 1903, together with his brother Sergei, he became the director of the Mariinsky Theater ballet; however, he was also the head of the tsarist ballet school and focused mainly on pedagogy. Nikolai Legat’s students included: L. Yegorov, O. Preobrazhenskaya, A. Vaganova, T. Karsavina, M. Fokin and B. and V. Nizhinsky. In 1913, he retired. In 1923, he left Russia and took up the position of ballet master of S. Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. In 1926, he settled in London, where he opened a successful ballet school. Nikolai Legat was among the most outstanding ballet teachers of the early 20th century. He was a co-author (with his brother Sergei) of the album of caricatures Russkij balet w karikaturie, ed. 1903.