First three photos of this haunting visage were by George Maillard Kesslere in 1922. Here's who she was--
Born in Italy in 1900, Maria Gambarelli came to New York as a child, studied with Anna Pavlova, was photographed by Edward Steichen and many others, and eventually found ballet employ at the Metropolitan Opera of New York, attaining position of Ballet Mistress in 1939.
In between she had popularized synchronized ballet troupes called "Gamby's Girls" as live entertainment before the films at movie houses like NYC's The Roxy. This concept evolved into the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes.
Her later images with peroxided, permed tresses (see left pic) make her a tad difficult to recognize except for her ever-present, underlying beauty..
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