Natalia Clare was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 ballet

Ballet

Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...

 dancer and instructor who performed (sometimes as Natalia Conlon) with Ballets Russes

Ballets Russes

The Ballets Russes was an itinerant ballet company from Russia which performed between 1909 and 1929 in many countries. Directed by Sergei Diaghilev, it is regarded as the greatest ballet company of the 20th century. Many of its dancers originated from the Imperial Ballet of Saint Petersburg...

 and opened her own Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

 studio in 1956.

Clare was born in Los Angeles to reporter Paul H. Conlon and Lilian Mettler. She studied under Bronislava Nijinska

Bronislava Nijinska

Bronislava Nijinska - February 22, 1972)) was a Russian dancer, choreographer, and teacher of Polish descent.Nijinska was born in Minsk, the third child of the Polish dancers Tomasz and Eleonora Nijinska . Her brother was Vaslav Nijinsky...

 and debuted at the Hollywood Bowl

Hollywood Bowl

The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances...

 in 1940. She was recruited to Ballet Russes in 1942. In 1947 she joined the Markova-Dolin Ballet, but joined the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo the following season and toured with them until 1952.

In 1956 she opened her own Los Angeles studio which formed the core of her Ballet la Jeunesse troupe founded in 1958.

Clare died of complications of a stroke

Stroke

A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...

 in Redondo Beach, California

Redondo Beach, California

Redondo Beach is one of the three Beach Cities located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 66,748 at the 2010 census, up from 63,261 at the 2000 census. The city is located in the South Bay region of the greater Los Angeles area.Redondo Beach was originally part of...

.