This collection contains a few items associated with Nicolas Legat’s Studio in London (1935-37) and many items relating to the work of Nadine Nicolaeva-Legat and her Legat School in East Sussex (1938-78). It includes correspondence, copies of speeches, programmes, handwritten notes, student register books, manuscripts, books and booklets, a number of legal documents, and 11 mounted prints of caricatures by Nicolas and Sergei Legat.
Specifically, there are 11 mounted colour prints [chromolithographs] of the celebrated caricatures drawn by Nicolas and Sergei Legat, featuring leading figures at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre c. 1900.
Two register books of students attending the Legat Studio at Colet Gardens, Barons Court (1935 and 1937). The books include names of students in alphabetical order, dates they attended lessons, confirmation of payment, length of lessons, types of lessons taken: whether individual or group lessons, general or elementary, character class or double-class lesson.
The collection contains administrative and legal papers of the Legat School and New Trustees appointed to the Legat School Charitable Trust. Documents include: photocopy of Deed of Appointment of New Trustees to the Legat School Charitable Trust, signed by Nadine Nicolaeva-Legat, Samuel Pinnes, Anna Pinnes, Charlotte Eunice Biedryski, Naomi Adrienne Nina Pinnes-Legat, Reverend Anthony Bloom, Ernest Frederick Burdon-Davies; list of Ballet Legat investors (undated); a document recording information on shares and loans relating to Ballet Legat Ltd (22 September 1953) and a school roll for the Legat School (spring term 1978).
Typed manuscripts written by Nadine Nicolaeva-Legat include Ballet as a Fine Art and an Education (c.1967); two speeches for her school annual garden party (24 July 1965 and 22 July 1967); Lecture-Demonstration and Performance at Mayfield Women's Institute (11 July 1967); lecture notes on subjects including épaulement and stage make up. There is also some correspondence to Nicolaeva-Legat (in Russian).
A few photographs of eminent ballet dancers, including an inscribed photograph of Tamara Toumanova (undated), and a whole-school photograph of the Legat School (undated).
Press cuttings include a copy of the review of the first performance of a Polish demi-caractère ballet Kupala by the Ballet Legat Classique at the De la Warr Pavillion, Bexhill, (review dated 18 December 1970) and the article Ballerinas of the Future by Jane Dudley reports on the works of the The Legat School, published by The Heiress (October 1952).
Publications include 10 booklets entitled Ten Variegated Class Lessons in Operatic Dancing (Classical School) by Nicolas Legat; specially prepared for Teachers and Advanced Pupils, edited and arranged by Nadine Nicolaeva-Legat (undated), and a copy of Ballet Education by Nadine Nicolaeva-Legat, with an introduction by Paul Dukes (published by Geoffey Bles, London 1947).