She trained seriously in ballet, studying with respected teachers and eventually expanding her experience internationally. She spent time training in Los Angeles and also pursued dance in Europe, including London and Paris.
For a period, she performed under the name Felia Sidorova, adopting the Russian-sounding identity common among ballet performers of the era.
Infectious Diseases
Eventually, however, she became Cyd Charisse.
Her entrance into Hollywood came through dancing rather than conventional acting.
She appeared in small and sometimes uncredited roles during the early 1940s, including as a dancer in Something to Shout About in 1943
But someone with Charisse’s combination of beauty and technical ability was unlikely to remain unnoticed for long.
MGM recognized her potential during an era when the major studios were investing heavily in elaborate movie musicals.
Charisse soon found herself dancing alongside some of the greatest performers Hollywood had ever produced.
