Born: 1899 (Hasenpoth, Courland Governorate, now Latvia)
Died: 1944
Biography:
Tatjana Barbakoff, born as Cilly Edelsberg, was a renowned ballet and Chinese style dancer. Born on August 15, 1899, in Hasenpoth, Courland Governorate (now Latvia), she was the daughter of Aizik, a Russian-born butcher, and Genya, who had Chinese heritage. In 1912, her father remarried Haja-Sora Itskovitch, another stepsister, after the early death of her mother in 1903.
Barbakoff showed early talent in ballet and attended ballet school until the age of ten. However, she had no further dance training as a child. In 1918, she followed a German soldier named Georg Waldmann, whom she later married. With her husband, who performed under the name Marcel Boissier as a guest emcee, she began to showcase Russian and Chinese dances.
By 1921, Tatjana Barbakoff gained recognition for her solo performances and toured both domestically and internationally. Her performances were often accompanied by unique and visually stunning costumes specially designed for her. Barbakoff, of Russian-Jewish and Chinese heritage, became a revered cabaret icon and international dance sensation known for her flamboyance, legendary beauty, and sharp sense of humor.
In addition to her Russian dances, Barbakoff also incorporated Chinese dances and parodies into her repertoire starting in 1924. Her captivating charisma attracted many artists, including Rudolf Heinisch and Kasia of Szadurska, who portrayed her in numerous photos, paintings, and sculptures.
Furthering her dance education, Barbakoff began formal ballet training with the French ballerina Catherine Devilliers in 1927. The same year, she separated from her husband. After a performance at Chopin Hall in Paris on May 9, 1933, she managed to escape Berlin with all of her costumes and relocate to Paris.
However, Barbakoff’s life took a tragic turn during World War II. With her partner, Gert Heinrich Wollheim, a painter, she traveled through Saarbrücken to Paris, finding refuge in France, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Unfortunately, after the invasion of France by German troops, she was interned at Camp de Gurs on May 10, 1940. Although released in June, she was subsequently moved to Nay and later to Clelles in Grenoble.
Tragically, Tatjana Barbakoff’s life was cut short on February 6, 1944. Her remarkable career as a dancer and performer remains an inspiration to young dancers to this day.
Awards:
– Tatjana Barbakoff Prize (initiated in 1986 to encourage young dancers, in honor of Tatjana Barbakoff)