Torn Between the Stage and Home, 1919–1925

Abstract Upon arriving in England, Bruce requested a quieter diplomatic post for his family to rejuvenate. Tangiers proved a beautiful respite until Diaghilev’s telegrams started to arrive, beseeching Karsavina to appear with the Ballets Russes. When Diaghilev’s repertoire veered more toward avant-garde productions, Karsavina felt out of place with her classical training and preferences. Eventually they agreed she should accept only selected guest appearances with the Ballets Russes. She then began to collaborate with British artists and set out on her own tours across Europe with various partners. She arranged dances and appeared in J. M. Barrie’s “The Truth about the Russian Dancers,” a play with remarkable resonances with her own career. She reluctantly toured America where she received a lukewarm reception but where she renewed her collaboration with Adolph Bolm and made a lifelong friend in Mercedes de Acosta.