Marika Besobrasova

Marika Besobrasova (; 4 August 1918 – 25 April 2010) was a Monegasque dancer and ballet teacher of Russian origin. She was a founder and a head of Princess Grace Classic Dance Academy in Monte Carlo.

Early life Marika Besobrasova was born on 4 August 1918 in Yalta. Besobrasova was two years old when the family left for Europe. Their first stop was in Constantinople. There the family stayed on the pier for forty days, which resulted Besobrasova in getting double pneumonia and double pleurisy and the followed operation. As the climate was difficult there, they decided to leave for the south of France. From the age of nine Besobrasova attended Russian Lyceum in Nice.

Marika Besobrasova died on 24 April 2010 in a Monte Carlo hospital, at the age of 91. The years later, at fifteen, she started her professional career with the opera ballet in Monte Carlo. Besobrasova spoke about Fokine as of the first genius she met.

In 1940 she founded the Ballet de Cannes de Marika Besobrasova. Even though training background of the school was based on Russian methods, the school program suggested universal professional education. Besobrasova remained the head of the school for thirty-four years until her death.

Among Besobrasova’s outstanding students should be mentioned Princess Caroline of Monaco, South Korean ballet dancer Kang Sue-jin, Irish dancer and artistic director of Irish National Youth Ballet Katherine Lewis, French actress Nathalie Baye, Irish ballet dancer Jane Magain, choreographer and artistic director of the Béjart Ballet Lausanne Gil Roman, dancer and director of the Sydney Opera Ballet Maina Gielgud, choreographer and director of Aterballetto Amedeo Amodio, director of the Balletto di Puglia Toni Candeloro, director of the Ballet de Teatres de Valencia Immaculate Gil Lázaro, Roland Petit's soloist dancer Francesca Sposi and others.