Maria Baderna

Marietta Baderna Giannini or Maria Baderna was an Italian ballerina, born in 1828, died c. 1892. At age 16 she was the principal dancer at La Scala in Milan, when the unusual lithograph of her, surrounded by 16 poses, was published. She appeared in Drury Lane, when Carlo Blasis was guest choreographer there. On her first appearance there, in a new ballet The Pretty Sicilian in 1847, one reviewer saw room for improvement:

"In form she is petite, her features are most expressive and pleasing. She wears her hair in the most trying of all fashions-- the Chinese, but, withal, looks sweetly pretty; as candid critics we are bound to say there was nothing astonishing in her execution - it wanted that neatness which her predecessor, Fuoco, so eminently possessed. Still, it must be remembered that she is very young, and practice will make perfect for she is most graceful, especially in the position of that most difficult portion of the human frame divine - her arms. Even as the ballet proceeded we thought we saw improvement, for in the pas de deux with the Count she was deservedly and enthusiastically applauded."