' ... When that troupe sailed to New Zealand from Australia in March 1937 “a new member of the company went with them”, reported the Adelaide newspaper, The Mail.
“He is, without a doubt, the most popular member of the company. And his name is Aspa. He is only a tiny dog, but he is the inseparable pal of Alexis Frank and Betty Souvorova, who picked him up starving on the streets of King’s Cross.
“As he stepped from a shop one night Mr Frank stepped on a dog, which limped off licking a damaged paw. Miss Souvorova consoled the dog with a piece of chicken. Since then he has rarely been apart from his master and mistress who, in reality, are Mr and Mrs Frank.
“He goes to every ballet and never misses a party with his master and mistress. The name Aspa which they gave him, is the Russian equivalent of ‘Fido’. The whole company co-operated to keep Aspa with them while they toured New Zealand”.
In her letters home to her mother in England, Betty referred to the dog as Apsia, not Apsa, and wrote of how much she cried when she left him with the Allen family (of the law firm, Allen, Allen & Hemsley) when the Australasian tour finally ended in July.'
Reference:
Extract from "Dancers and dogs all at sea" / Valerie Lawson. Dancelines [blog]. dancelines.com.au
Format: Negative
Find more detailed information about this photographic collection: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=15662
Search for more great images in the State Library's collections: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/search/SimpleSearch.aspx
From the collection of the State Library of New South Wales www.sl.nsw.gov.au
Tags: Aspa Apsia terrier ballet dancers ballets russes Russian ballet costumes husbands wives Aloysius Frank Alexis Frank Elizabeth Souvorova Betty Souvorova stage makeup Ballet Across The Commons Sam Hood Valerie Lawson
Format: Photograph
Find more detailed information about this photographic collection: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=985695
From the collection of the State Library of New South Wales : www.sl.nsw.gov.au/
Tags: koala stuffed
Unlike the whistle stop ballets russes tours of the US, the company in Australia stayed in the state capital cities for long seasons. Kirsova, the wife of the Danish consul must have been well-loved and respected, even giving three playgounds to some of the poor children of Sydney
Format: Negative
Find more detailed information about this photographic collection: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=21071
Search for more great images in the State Library's collections: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/search/SimpleSearch.aspx
From the collection of the State Library of New South Wales www.sl.nsw.gov.au
Tags: tomato sauce handbag puppy ballet dancer philanthropist Dane Ballet Across The Commons
Format: Photoprint
Notes: Find more detailed information about this photograph: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=153383
Search for more great images in the State Library's collections: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/search/SimpleSearch.aspx
From the collection of the State Library of New South Wales www.sl.nsw.gov.au
Tags: petting zoo zoo girls children kangaroo feeding portrait cute diprotodonts Sam Hood baby kangaroo hair ribbons feeding animals animal feeding friends Que hermoso State Library of New South Wales boy vintage clothing tree bow tie young children curly hair New South Wales dc:creator=http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-587349 xmlns:dc=http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/ filles kangourou kids gilr child kid animal marsupial bow joey
Format: Film photonegative
Notes: Find more detailed information about this photograph: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=15756
Search for more great images in the State Library's collections: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/search/SimpleSearch.aspx
From the collection of the State Library of New South Wales www.sl.nsw.gov.au
Tags: kangaroos bands uniforms boys Sam Hood macropus marsupial Koala Park feeding animals State Library of New South Wales kids with animals Adelaide Boys' Band niños nenes canguro amigos