 Lifar claimed to have been inspired by Russian folkdance, but acknowledges that critics found his own choreography insufficiently Russian.Preparations for the ballet were marked the sudden withdrawal of Olga Spessivtseva who was to have had the leading female role.Spessivsteva had had a series of successes with Lifar at the Paris Opera Ballet ("Promethee", "Giselle") and had unrequited feelings for him.