History’s rare gems often languish in the shadows of what might have been, and ballet is no exception. Those credited with shaping the artform—usually choreographers, principal dancers and impresarios—become legends, while corps de ballet members mostly go unrecognized. In 1890, a young dancer named Maria Skorsiuk entered the Imperial Russian Ballet. With her allure, stage presence and passionate dancing, she could have potentially influenced future generations. Skorsiuk is believed to have been
