Dancers: Albertina Rasch

Max Pollak

The première danseuse Albertina Rasch, married to Dimitri Tiomkin from 1926 until her death in 1967, had a prolific career as a ballerina and choreographer. As a teen, she wowed concert hall audiences throughout her native Austria with her classical ballet performances.

She went on to become a renowned dance director in the United States, where she embraced vaudeville, the stage, and motion pictures. A leading practitioner and creator of the style known as American ballet, her influence on the art of dance both on Broadway and in Hollywood musicals came largely through her signature choreography and her dance troupe, the Albertina Rasch Girls.