All hail the dancing queen


Out of the stamp and the scuttle came … Mieczyslaw Pianowski (in belted coat), Victor Dandre, Anna Pavlova, Lucien Wurmser and John Tait.

Valerie Lawson
July 19, 2008

In a grey fur coat, far too hot for an April day, the ballerina Anna Pavlova arrived at Central Station in Sydney.
It was April 16, 1926. She looked down, towards a child in the crowd - out of frame in this picture. At her sides were four hatted men: a Pole, a Russian, a Frenchman and an Australian.

The Australian, looking very pleased with himself, was John Tait, the force behind the star. Along with his brothers, all at JC Williamson Ltd, he promoted Pavlova's Australian tours in 1926 and 1929.

The Herald began its report: "Out of the stamp and scuttle, voices babbling and steam blowing, policemen pushing, porters running. Pavlova.
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