'''Nora Kiss''', birth name '''Eguine Eleonora Adamiantz''', (1908–1993) was a Russian-born French ballerina and dance instructor. Together with her mother and her aunt, the dancer Rousanne Sarkissian, she fled the Russian Revolution and moved to Paris where she trained under {{ill|Alexander Volinin|fr|Alexandre Volinine}}. From 1938, she taught at the Studio Wacker dance school in Paris. She moved to Rome during World War II but returned to Paris thereafter. For many years, she spent two days a week teaching at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels. Recognized as one of the most competent dance instructors associated with the Studio Wacker, her students included Marcia Haydée and Maurice Béjart.<ref name=gal>{{cite web|url=https://www.gallearoy.com/writing/here-today-gone-tomorrow-a-life-in-dance/|title=Here Today, Gone Tomorrow – A Life in Dance|publisher=Gallearoy|author=Gallea Roy, Christina|accessdate=7 April 2023 |language=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.augustevestris.fr/spip.php?article256|title=She was a thinker|publisher=In the name of Auguste Vestris|author=Casati, Yves|date=2010|accessdate=7 April 2023 |language=}}</ref><ref name=pn>{{cite web|url=http://www.augustevestris.fr/spip.php?article257|title=Recollections of Nora Kiss |publisher=In the name of Auguste Vestris|author=Nuss, Philippe|date=2010|accessdate=7 April 2023 |language=}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Born in Pyatigorsk, Russia, on 16 June 1908,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deces.matchid.io/id/ZKL5ycUYtS6B|title=Adamiantz Eguine Eleonora|publisher=Match ID|accessdate=7 April 2023 |language=fr}}</ref> Eguine Eleonora Adamiantz was the daughter of the actress Tamira Adamiantz née Sarkissian and Choucha Adamiantz, an army officer. Both were of Armenian origin. Together with her mother and her aunt, the dance teacher Rousanne Sarkissian, they escaped the Russian Revolution and settled in Paris around 1918.<ref name=pn/> She was trained principally by Alexander Volinin but also by Carlotta Brianza and Harald Lander.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.augustevestris.fr/spip.php?article173|title= L’enseignement de Nora Kiss: Interview avec Philippe Nuss |publisher=In the name of Auguste Vestric|author=Kanter, K.L.; Redont, M.J.|date=27 March 2010|accessdate=12 April 2023 |language=fr}}</ref>
==Career== Kiss started her career dancing with various companies, including the Ballets Russes directed by George Balanchine, visiting him in New York thereafter on several occasions. She is, however, remembered above all for her classes, especially those for stars from the Paris Opera Ballet. Her classes were also attended by other ballet dancers from Paris as well as by some from abroad.<ref name=gal/>
Kiss was associated the French Resistance before World War II. In connection with those she met at social gatherings, she came in contact with US intelligence services. No doubt it was at their suggestion that she spent the war years in Rome where she gave ballet classes in a private studio.<ref name=pn/>
Among her students were Maurice Béjart, Marcia Haydée, Mats Ek, Wilfride Piollet and Jean Guizerix, ballet stars from Japan, Italy and Portugal as well as quite a number from the Ballet of the 20th Century.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/maurice-bejart-influential-choreographer-who-attracted-huge-audiences-to-ballet-760253.html|title=Maurice Béjart: Influential choreographer who attracted huge audiences to ballet|publisher=Independent|author=Cruickshank, Judith|date=24 November 2007|accessdate=12 April 2023 |language=}}</ref><ref name=pn/>
Her name came from that of her husband, the Hungarian painter who was actually called Ladislas Kish.<ref name=pn/>
Nora Kiss died in Argenteuil on 3 December 1993, aged 85.
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Category:1908 births Category:1993 deaths Category:People from Pyatigorsk Category:Ballerinas from the Russian Empire Category:Emigrants from the Russian Empire to France Category:Russian ballerinas Category:French ballerinas Category:Ballet teachers