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Tamara Toumanova (March 2, 1919 – May 29, 1996) was a prominent American ballerina and actress of Polish and Armenian descent. She made her debut at the age of 10 at the children's ballet of Paris Opera and was soon discovered by her fellow émigré, balletmaster George Balanchine, who made Tamara the star of his performances in the United States. While most of Toumanova's career was dedicated to ballet, she appeared in several films as well. Tamara Tumanova, born Tamara Vladimirovna Khassidovitch in Siberia, while her mother, Georgian Princess Eugenia Tumanishvili, was fleeing Georgia... MORE

Tamara Toumanova (March 2, 1919 – May 29, 1996) was a prominent American ballerina and actress of Polish and Armenian descent. She made her debut at the age of 10 at the children's ballet of Paris Opera and was soon discovered by her fellow émigré, balletmaster George Balanchine, who made Tamara the star of his performances in the United States. While most of Toumanova's career was dedicated to ballet, she appeared in several films as well. Tamara Tumanova, born Tamara Vladimirovna Khassidovitch in Siberia, while her mother, Georgian Princess Eugenia Tumanishvili, was fleeing Georgia in search of her husband (according to some sources, Vladimir Khassidovitch, or, Konstantin Zakharov, a doctor of the Caucasian Military District). Toumanova is of Armenian and Polish descent. She has been also reported as being of partially Georgian descent, while singer Lyudmila Lopato, who personally knew her, writes, that "Tamara was of Armenian-Polish descent, not Georgian, as many people think". Toumanova's parents had become separated during the Russian Revolution. Toumanova was 18 months old before her parents were reunited. The family escaped from Russia to Shanghai, China, where they lived LESS