At the beginning of the last century, millions of Russians were forced to leave their country and go into exile. Among them were former officials and generals, poets and writers, artists and merchants, as well as representatives of many other professions. Among those who left was the famous ballerina of the Mariinsky Theatre, Olga Iosifovna Preobrazhenskaya.

Olga Iosifovna was born on February 2, 1871. She studied with the best teachers of her time and received an excellent education at the Imperial Theatre School. Although she was fragile in childhood, her perseverance and constant practice paid off, and her natural talent allowed her to become a well-known ballerina at an early age. Almost immediately after her debut at the Mariinsky Theatre, she began to receive leading roles and was in no way inferior to the legendary Matilda Kshesinskaya, with whom she was only one year apart in age.

In the early 20th century, Russian ballet was experiencing its heyday, and Preobrazhenskaya was known not only in Russia but also beyond its borders. In addition to her performances at the Mariinsky Theatre, where she was a recognized prima ballerina, Olga Iosifovna participated in productions at the famous La Scala theatre and toured Europe and South America with her troupe. In 1914, she began teaching, and among her students were outstanding masters such as Alberto Alonso, Nina and Igor Yushkevich, Elizaveta Nikolskaya, and Tamara Tumanova. However, revolutionary events had a significant impact on her, and in 1921 she left Russia for France. In exile, she taught extensively and headed the Ballet School of La Scala theatre. Olga Iosifovna lived in Milan, Berlin, and Paris, where she passed away on December 27, 1967. She is buried in the largest Russian émigré cemetery in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, where many prominent Russian émigrés found their rest.