Nikolai Legat
Quick Facts
Biography
Nikolai Gustavovich Legat (Russian: Никола́й Густа́вович Лега́т) (30 December 1869, Moscow – 24 January 1937, London), was a dancer with the Russian Imperial Ballet from 1888 to 1914, and also with the danced with the Mariinsky Ballet. He is considered to be the main successor to Pavel Gerdt. Legat later served as a balletmaster in Russia, teaching and passing on the legacy of the repertoire of that company, namely the work of the choreographer/balletmaster, Marius Petipa.
Legat's wife, Nadine Nicolaeva, was Prima Ballerina of the Imperial and State theatres of Moscow and St. Petersburg. She choreographed dances based on the Movements Exercises of Gurdjieff and later founded the Legat School of Ballet in Kent. One of her students was Anneliese von Oettingen. Nadine Nicolaeva-Legat was a follower of P. D. Ouspensky. She choreographed dances based on the Movements Exercises of G. I Gurdjieff. In 1938, Ouspensky and his followers acquired Colet House in London, from Natine Legat, where they established the Historico-Psychological Society. In 1938, Ouspensky and his followers acquired Colet House, London, from Nadine Legat, where they established the Historico-Psychological Society.