13 Facts About Carina Ari

Carina Ari was the artistic name of Maria Karina Viktoria Jansson, a Swedish-born dancer.

Carina Ari's approach differed to what had been done in the past, promoting dancers to roles based on ability, rather than by their rank in the company.

In 1919, Carina Ari quit the Royal Ballet, borrowed money, and moved to Charlottenlund Denmark to study with Fokine, who had taken a villa there.

Carina Ari was hired by Mauritz Stiller to choreograph the ballet Schaname for his film Erotikon.

Carina Ari worked as a principal dancer with the Rolf de Mare's Ballets suedois from 1920 to 1923, noted for her flowing arm movements.

Carina Ari appeared in Jeux and La Nuit de Saint-Jean to acclaim, and then in 1922, Jean Borlin, the other soloist and choreographer, wrote Anitra's Dance especially for her.

Carina Ari performed the piece receiving good reviews and calls for encore, but the notice she was getting caused conflict with Borlin, who forbade her to dance it again.

Carina Ari was then hired as a soloist at the Opera-Comique, where Desire-Emile Inghelbrecht served as music director.

Between dances, Carina Ari would run to the wings and quickly change costumes, before her next dance.

Carina Ari's reviews were excellent, and she toured throughout Europe with the production until 1939.

In 1928 Carina Ari was hired by the Paris Opera to choreograph and she created Rayon de Lune, dancing as one of the leads.

In 1938, Carina Ari was hired as the soloist for the role of the Sulamite in Le Cantique des Cantiques by Serge Lifar.

Carina Ari's most noted pieces are busts of Dag Hammarskjold, Serge Lifar and Rolf de Mare.