Adolf Bolm (1884-1951) was a noted choreographer, director and dancer. Born in Russia, his compatriots included Anna Pavlova, Sergei Diaghilev, and Vaslav Nijinsky. He eventually relocated to the United States where he continued to dance, teach, and mentor performers such as Syd (Cyd) Charisse, Rosalind Shaffer de Mille, and Ruth Syndon-Jenkins.
Rosalind Shaffer was a close friend of Adolf Bolm's wife Beatrice for many years; Bolm's son Olaf and Shaffer's son George were good friends as children, and Shaffer's daughter (also named Rosalind) studied ballet with Adolf Bolm. A journalist by profession, Shaffer and Mrs. Bolm compiled notes and research to be used in documenting Bolm's life and contributions to dance. The material passed to her daughter, Rosalind Shaffer de Mille, on Rosalind Shaffer's death in 2008.
From the guide to the Rosalind Shaffer Collection Relating to Adolf Bolm, 1951-2009, undated, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)
