Toumine, Nesta, 1912-1996 : Nesta Toumine (born in Croyden, England, 1912), ballerina, dance teacher and artistic director of the Classical Ballet Studio which she founded in 1949. Nesta Toumine started her training in dance in Ottawa as of 1913 with professors Sinclair and Gwen Osborne. She continued her training in London, England in 1933 where she studied with Nicolas Legat, Margaret Craske and Mabel Ryan. She begins to dance professionally in 1934, performing in The Golden Troy, choreographed by Ninette de Valois. In 1936 she joins the Ballets Russes de Paris, and tours the United Kingdom. While touring Europe with Massine's Ballets Russes in 1941, she meets up with her future husband, Sviatoslav Toumine in 1941, who was dancing with Colonel Basil' Ballets Russes. From 1938 to 1943, Toumine will also dance with the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo, working with renowned choreographers such as Leonide Massine, Michel Fokine, George Ballanchine, Agnes de Mile.
Having returned to Ottawa with her husband and two children in 1945, she will begin to teach with Yolande Le Duc. She will found the Ottawa Ballet Company in March 1947, presenting Les Silphides and The Nutcracker. In 1949, Toumine will part with Yolande Leduc to found the Classical Ballet Studio. Not only will she teach ballet at the Studio, but she will go on to create thirty original works for the company while still presenting classics of the classical ballet repertoire. Listing of her own choreographies: Fadette(1951); Les Valses(1951); Romantique(1954); David(1957); Marie-Madeleine(1957); Faust(1959); Gymnopédies(1960); The Seasons (1961); Russian Suite(1962); La Bayadère(1962); The Russian Suite(1962); The Legend (1963) and Medusa(1963).
In 1958 Toumine becomes the Director and founder of the Classical Ballet Concert Group (1958-1965) which had been formerly known has the Classical Ballet Company from 1949-1958. As of 1965, the company will be known as Ballet Imperial and will continue to tour to various festivals and events and will receive acclaim not only in Ottawa, but in the rest of Canada and the United States.
Toumine's school, the Classical Ballet Studio will close its doors in 1990. Toumine will continue to teach until 1994. Toumine dies in Ottawa, On. in 1996.
(Recent ref: Encyclopedia of Dance Theatre in Canada. 2000 Edition)
