The Polajenko Family Archive presents
A Life in Dance
Anne France Polajenko & Nicholas Polajenko
1942 – 2025 · 1930 – 2015
Anne and Nicholas Polajenko were professional ballet dancers who met at the Geneva Grand Theatre and dedicated their lives to the art of dance. Together they performed across Europe and America, working with legends like George Balanchine and training generations of dancers. This site preserves their remarkable story, their expertise, and the recipes they loved to share.
The Company
- Nicholas PolajenkoPrincipal dancer · Ballet master · 1930–2015
- Anne France PolajenkoBallerina · Teacher · Writer · 1942–2025
- The Saint-Pol familyShanghai to America
- Their studentsReflections, still being collected
The Programme
Act One
Two beginnings
1930 · 1942
Nicholas is born in New York in 1930; Anne France Saint-Pol in Shanghai in 1942 — a continent and a generation apart, not yet aware of each other.
Act Two
The touring years
1947 – 1964
Broadway, then Jacob’s Pillow, the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas and London’s Festival Ballet — and the Harkness company in the East Room of the White House.
Act Three
Geneva
from 1962
Anne trains in Rome and at La Scala, then dances Balanchine as a soloist and principal at the Grand Théâtre — the company where the two of them meet.
Act Four
To America, together
1973 onward
Houston Dance Center, the HARID Conservatory and Miami City Ballet — a generation of dancers raised in their studios.
Also in the archive
- PhotographsInto the light, decade by decade
- Pointe shoesAnne’s thirty-five years of fitting
- Family recipesFifteen, saved from Anne’s kitchen
Their Legacy
The Polajenkos' influence extends far beyond their own performances. Through Houston Dance Center (1976-1988), which they co-founded and directed, they trained dancers who joined major companies worldwide.
Anne's work as Children's Ballet Mistress for Miami City Ballet's Nutcracker for 8 years touched hundreds of young dancers. Her expertise in pointe shoe fitting, shared through seminars across the United States and Canada, helped countless dancers protect their feet.
The Nicholas Polajenko Memorial Scholarship continues their mission of supporting young dancers at Southern Dance Theatre.
Stories from Students
Anne and Nicholas touched the lives of countless dancers throughout their careers, especially during their years at Houston Dance Center (1976-1988).
"They instilled a combination of joy and rigour into my understanding of ballet that I have carried with me all my life... Anne and Nick opened up the world to me." — Eda Holmes
"Without Anne, I would not have had the ballet career I've enjoyed... Their legacy will live on for generations to come." — Courtney Laves
"Anne and Nicholas invested in me in ways I couldn't fully appreciate at the time, and I carry their legacy with deep gratitude." — Laura Morton
Were you a student or colleague of Anne or Nicholas? We are collecting stories from the dancers they trained and worked with. Write to polajenko@gmail.com