TatIana Alekseevna Ustinova

Ustinova, Tat’Iana Alekseevna 

Born Dec. 19, 1908 (Jan. 1, 1909), in Kalinin. Soviet choreographer. People’s Artist of the USSR (1961). Member of the CPSU since 1928.

Ustinova graduated from the Moscow Choreographic School in 1931. Between 1933 and 1943 she directed the dance group of the Moscow Young People’s Theater, where she was also an actress. She became principal choreographer of the Piatnitskii Russian Folk Chorus in 1938. Ustinova’s works develop the traditions of Russian folk dance. They include Timonia, Moscow Round Dances, Northern Round Dances, Zhuravel’ (Crane Dance), Gusachok (Goose Dance), The Mummers, The Voronezh Round Dance, and The Gold Chain. Ustinova has also choreographed a number of works on contemporary themes, including Celestial Round Dance, Hello, Volga, and Story of the Russian Land (Ivushka). She is the author of books and articles on Russian choreography.

Ustinova received the State Prize of the USSR in 1949 and 1952 and the Glinka State Prize of the RSFSR in 1971. She has been awarded two orders and several medals.

WORKS

Russkie tantsy. Moscow, 1955.
Berech’ krasotu russkogo tantsa. Moscow, 1959.
Zvezdnyi khorovod: Sovremennye siuzhetnye tantsy. Moscow, 1964.
Russkii narodnyi tanets. Moscow, 1976.

V. I. URALSKAIA