Mia Arbatova () (, ; 4 March 1911 – 1990) was an Israeli ballet dancer and teacher. In

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

, she was one of the leading pioneers of

classical ballet Classical ballet is any of the traditional, formal styles of ballet that exclusively employ classical ballet technique. It is known for its aesthetics and rigorous technique (such as en pointe, pointe work, turnout (ballet), turnout of the legs, ...

Life

Arbatova was born in the Russian Empire in 1911. She was one of three daughters of chemist Ze’ev Hirschwald and Zila Schmulian-Hirschwald. Her father died when she was five. Arbatova danced as the soloist in the

Riga Opera The Latvian National Opera and Ballet (LNOB) is an opera house and opera company at Aspazijas boulevard 3 in Riga. Its repertoire includes performances of opera and ballet presented during the season which lasts from mid-September to the end of M ...

Ballet for several years before she relocated to

Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...

in 1938. Arbatova opened her own first ballet studio in a laundry in 1943 in

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...

. Arbatova was honored by the Municipality of

Tel Aviv-Yafo Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...

in 1985 with awarding her the title of ''Honorary Citizen of Tel Aviv'' for her contributions and continued efforts to the art of dance. In 1989 Nira Paaz founded a ballet school in Arbatova's name. Arbatova died the following year, donating her body to science.

Gallery

File:Mia Arbatova memorial plaque in Tel Aviv.JPG, Mia Arbatova memorial plaque in Tel Aviv

References

Israeli ballerinas Soviet emigrants to Mandatory Palestine Israeli people of Russian-Jewish descent Ballet teachers 1911 births 1990 deaths Burials at Yarkon Cemetery {{Israel-bio-stub