Hammersmith and Fulham Historic Buildings Group
Nicolai
Gustavovich Legat
Born St Petersburg, Russia 1869
Died London 1937
Russian ballet dancer and teacher
with the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre,
St Petersburg. His studio here
(formerly 46 Colet Gardens) was
attended by leading international
ballet dancers from 1932
until his death.
2012
Nikolai Gustavovich Legat (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.