Muriel Stuart (1903-1991) was a dancer from England. She was chosen in 1913, at the age of 10, by Anna Pavlova to study underneath her. She joined the Pavlova Company that toured across the United States, Southern America, London, Paris, Japan, China, Southeast Asia, the Philippines, North Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. When she left the company, she was a celebrated soloist in many featured titles. Her principal partner with the Pavlova Company was Mikhail Nicholoff. Stuart married Julian Brudetzky, a Russian violinist with the company, who left to become concert master with the San Francisco Symphony. Stuart followed him - to Pavlova's disappointment - and soon opened a dance school in San Francisco and later one in Los Angeles. . In the season of 1928-1929, Stuart danced with the Chicago Civic Opera Ballet. In Chicago, she choreographed two ballets for the opera and taught the Opera Ballet corps. In 1937, she moved to New York where Lincoln Kirstein, director of The School of American Ballet, invited her as part of the faculty. In 1952, Muriel Stuart and Lincoln Kirstein published a distinguished text, The Classic Ballet: Basic Technique and Terminology. This collection includes photographs of Stuart as a dancer with the Chicago Civic Opera and the Pavlova Company, inscribed photographs of her contemporaries, letters, programs, promotional pieces, and some printed matter on her career. It should be noted that her scrapbooks are deposited with the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center, New York.

Muriel Stuart Popper was born in 1903 in South Norwood, England. In 1913, at the age of 10, she was one of several English girls chosen by Anna Pavlova to study the great dancer's techniques. The following year, Stuart studied for a time with Ivan Clustine in Paris. At age 14, while travelling with her mother in Chicago, Stuart joined the Pavlova Company, then touring the United States. During the First World War, the company spent the duration in South America. The war over, tours to London, Paris, America, Japan, China, Southeast Asia, the Philippines, North Africa, Australia, and New Zealand followed. Between 1916 and 1926, when Stuart left the Pavlova Company, she was a soloist in many of the featured titles, including Autumn Leaves, Coppelia, Chopiniana, Amorilla, and Rhapsodie Hongroise. Her principal partner with the Pavlova Company was Mikhail Nicholoff. Stuart married Julian Brudetzky, a Russian violinist with the company, who left to become concert master with the San Francisco Symphony. Stuart followed him - to Pavlova's disappointment - and soon opened a dance school in San Francisco and later one in Los Angeles. In the season of 1928-1929, Stuart danced with the Chicago Civic Opera Ballet. It was her last period of professional dancing. In Chicago, she choreographed two ballets for the opera and taught the Opera Ballet corps. In order to enlarge her knowledge of dance, she studied modern dance techniques with Harold Kreutzburg. After her marriage with Brudetzky ended, Stuart settled and studied in New York. There she gained additional training from Martha Graham and Agnes de Mille. They were impressed with her knowledge and introduced her to Lincoln Kirstein, director of The School of American Ballet, which was a training studio for the future New York City Ballet. He engaged her for the faculty of the school in 1937, where she remained a teacher for 35 years. It was during this time that she married James Warrick, a playwright and her second husband. They had a son, Peter. This marriage also faltered after several years. By her own admission, she was wed to her career. In 1952, Muriel Stuart and Lincoln Kirstein published a distinguished text, The Classic Ballet: Basic Technique and Terminology. It had a preface by George Balanchine and drawings by Carlus Dyerand and was published by Alfred Knopf. The San Francisco Performing Arts Library & Museum has a copy signed by Stuart. Muriel Stuart's recent death on January 29, 1991 will undoubtedly stimulate more critical and biographical study of this remarkable artist and teacher.

2 Boxes. 1.5 linear feet.

Reproduction of these materials can occur only if the copying falls within the provisions of the doctrine of fair use. Copyright varies by item.

Entire Collection is open for research.