he graduated from moscow's bolshoi ballet school in 1906. he danced with diaghilev in 1909 and again in 1919–1921; and pavlova's company from 1911–1914 and again in 1921–1928. he became the ballet master at the chicago opera, from 1929–1933, he danced at the metropolitan opera in new york city from 1941-1945.