Donna Tanya: 100 years of happiness

At 100, legendary ballerina Tatiana Leskova reflects on a life shaped by exile, history, and artistic legacy—revealing how her devotion to dance sustained her and gave her the strength and joy to live beyond a century.

What eras and cultural layers can fit into a single human life? What shapes a person’s cultural identity—whose heirs are we, and whose descendants?
This intimate documentary portrays Tatiana Leskova, a legendary ballerina filmed at 100 (now 102), reflecting on a life shaped by exile, history, and art. Born in Paris in 1922 and living in Rio de Janeiro, she traces her journey from a Russian émigré childhood to an international ballet career, becoming both an heir to Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes and a founder of Brazilian ballet rooted in the traditions of Marius Petipa.
A key thread is her connection to her great-grandfather, writer Nikolai Leskov, whose works and Russian classical literature shape her sense of identity and artistic lineage. Interwoven interviews with her students add warmth and humor, revealing her as a mentor and an extraordinary personality.
The film culminates in her jubilee celebration, where she dances and sings, embodying a century of resilience and joy. Spoken in Russian with English subtitles, it is both a personal testimony and a reflection on cultural continuity across generations.