Brenda Brkusic Milinkovic
Accepting her Emmy for
“Mia, a dancer’s journey”
Photo: Associated Press/AP
Voiced by Emmy®-winning actress Blythe Danner, “Mia, a dancer’s journey” tells the story of an immigrant ballerina who inspired generations. Mia Slavenska was one of the most celebrated ballerinas of the 20th century, Croatia’s greatest dancer, and a pioneer in American ballet. Caught in the maelstrom of 20th century political events, she was forced to leave her native Croatia at age twenty in order to continue to dance. At age twenty-one, she was celebrated in Western Europe as the likely successor to prima Ballerina Anna Pavlova; and, at age twenty-three, she was emigrating to the United States with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo to escape a looming world war.
Mia Slavenska as
“Blanche” in Streetcar Named Desire
1952
Photo: miasfilm.com
Otis College of Arts and Design says that “when Mia arrived in the late 1930s, she found an America where outside of major cities ballet was known as ‘fancy dancing’ and ‘toe dancing’ and was most often performed as variety acts in music reviews and movie halls. She was one of a small band of famous European émigré ballerinas who changed the face of American culture by introducing audiences across the country to ballet as an art form. Without Mia and her émigré colleagues, choreographer George Balanchine’s American revolution in ballet would never have made it past the borders of New York City”.
Before she died, Slavenska’s daughter, Maria Ramas, promised to tell her mother’s story. The film brings to life Slavenska’s odyssey as an expatriated artist pioneering her craft. And I wrote about this great film and about Mia Slavenska in November last year and, of course, it was a double dose of “Croatian delight” and pride that came with Brenda Brkusic-Milinkovic, of Croatian heritage, as one of the film’s producers! The other producers of the film are Maria Ramas, Kate Johnson and Ted Sprague.
Brenda Brkusic Milinkovic
With her 2 Emmy Awards
Photo: Facebook
Well there came a triple “Croatian delight” and pride with Mia Slavenska: the film “Mia, a dancer’s journey” won the Emmy Award, Arts and Culture History category at the 67th Los Angeles Area Emmy® Awards presentation on Saturday, July 25, 2015 at The Skirball Cultural Center Guerin Pavilion in Herscher Hall. The Los Angeles Area nominees were selected by national active and Los Angeles Area Peer Group active members within the Television Academy. The ceremony, which was hosted by Scott Aukerman delivered awards in 50 categories spanning from sports and news coverage to entertainment and medical programming. Presenters for the evening included 12 anchors, reporters and producers from various sports and news stations.
At the acceptance of the Emmy it was such as fabulous thrill to hear Brenda Brkusic Milinkovic saying in the Croatian language that this award was also “for all Croatians in the homeland and in the diaspora” as well (at 2hr 10min of video Emmay Awards at this link).
And to make success even greater Brenda Brkusic Milinkovic won a second Emmy Award – Variety Studio: Actors on Actors. Congratulations, Brenda! Thank you for playing such a significant role in ensuring the greatness of Mia Slavenska – Mia Corak – is now forever preserved in film and so highly esteemed and acclaimed. Ina Vukic, Prof. (Zgb); B.A., M.A.Ps. (Syd)
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Congratulations 🙂
What a super good story, Christoph! Love it!
I have never herd of Mia before and I am touched! Thank you for this post.
Fabulously great lady, Martina. Thank you!
Just did a search on the “big two” news portals in Croatia. Not a word. But here are the main stories according to jutarnji.hr and vecernji.hr
7.07.2015.
Poznati sa pomlađenom kožom bez injekcija i botoxa?
27.07.2015.
‘OVO JE RAJ NA ZEMLJI!’ Jedna od najljepših manekenki svijeta i model Victoria’s Secreta oduševljena Lijepom našom
SEVERINA
Dok šuškaju da čeka bebu i udaje se, ona glumi manekenku
18.7.2015 U RUBRICI SHOWBIZ
22..07.2011,Split- Goran Bregovic i Orkestar za vjencanja i sprovode napunili su prokurative i svojom glazbom odusevili su Splicane. Photo: Ivana Ivanovic/PIXSELL
NEOVLAŠTENO KORIŠTENJE
Zbog skladbe ‘Bitanga i princeza’ Goran Bregović od Karlovačkog traži 620.000 kn
This is how proud of Brenda’s achievements the media moguls in Croatia really are. Pathetic.
Two months after Matanic’s consolation prize for his contrived piece Zvizdan, contrived strictly to guilt the adjudicators to give him “something”, media is still ranting and raving about that piece of garbage. Yet ten years of hard and dedicated work, recognized by the biggest arts institution as being the best in its class – ignored. Again, pathetic!
Yeah, Brankec and it’s no secret why that communist controlled media is like that in Croatia – Brenda made the documentary on “Despair” and terror Yugoslavia was and Tito was… but not matter the success of this story is much higher worldwide than what such little souls will ever achieve and that is the important thing. We can thank the internet that most access and read what is happening outside to do with Croatia, and, inside. Thank you and cheers 🙂
What inspiring news. 🙂
Thank you, Gallivanta – I think so too!
Reblogged this on Rogues & Vagabonds.
Thank you for the reblog, Sarah!
Reblogged this on ' Ace Social & Media News '.
Cheers, Ian 🙂
Welcome Ian check out new magazine rack here http://aceworldnews.wordpresss.com/
Will do for sure, Ian – thank you
Thanks Ian
Congratulations ! 🙂
https://youtu.be/6jjf2igPKaM
Regards,
Aliosa.
Thank you Aliosa 😀
Congratulations! I remember the name Brenda Brkusic from her work Freedom From Despair. Thank you Brenda for putting the achievements and stories of Croats on the world stage.
Freedom From Despair was an amazing achievement from Brenda Brkusic too, Kat – such a great thrill to see her success
Congrats ! 😀
Thank you, Sumedha
Very delightful post… may the world smile upon Croatia for having such a gifted actress. 🙂
Superb talent in this one, Kev 🙂
Amazing! I had no idea. However, I do have a book of photographs given to me by my grandmother of dancers from the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. I hope she’s in there, I’ll search for the book –
Cool, Helena 🙂
This was a lovely young woman and so glad she won awards. Mia seems like a wonderful example of a Croatian citizen. Belated congratulations!
Many like her, too, Robin – lovely and capable 🙂