Story: Russians, Ukrainians and Baltic peoples

Galina Wassiliewa’s ballet school

Galina Wassiliewa’s ballet school

Galina and Wassili Wassiliew came to New Zealand as displaced persons after the Second World War. They married in Wellington in 1951, and in 1953 founded a school of Russian classical ballet in the city. Performances of the Galina Wassiliewa School gave many New Zealanders their first taste of ballet in the 1950s and 1960s. Galina, from Lithuania, is shown here (third from right) with some of her New Zealand students.

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Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: PA1-f-216-32-01

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

John Wilson, 'Russians, Ukrainians and Baltic peoples - Ukrainians and Baltic peoples', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/795/galina-wassiliewas-ballet-school (accessed 30 March 2024)

Story by John Wilson, published 8 Feb 2005, updated 25 Mar 2015