Ulla Poulsen | |
|---|---|
 Poulsen in 1928 | |
| Born | Ulla Britta Iversen (1905-02-05)5 February 1905 |
| Died | 21 April 2001(2001-04-21) (aged 96) |
| Education | Royal Danish Ballet School |
| Occupation(s) | Ballet dancer,actress |
| Spouse(s) | Johannes Poulsen Baron Christian Rosenørn-Lehn Helge Nordahl Skou |
| Career | |
| Former groups | Royal Danish Ballet |
Ulla Poulsen Skou (néeIversen; 5 February 1905 – 21 April 2001), formerlyBaroness Ulla Rosenørn-Lehn, was a Danish ballerina and actress. She was a soloist at theRoyal Danish Ballet and is best known for being the subject of a series of portraits byGerda Wegener.
Ulla Iversen was born on 5 February 1905 inCopenhagen to Søren Iversen and Laura Christiane Hansen.[1][2]
In 1913, she was admitted into theRoyal Danish Ballet School and trained in theBournonville method. She made her debut with theRoyal Danish Ballet in 1921 as Agnete inAgnete og Havmanden. She officially joined the company two years later, in 1923, and was promoted to the rank of soloist in 1924.[3] As a soloist, she danced many lead roles including Sylphide inLa Sylphide.[4]
Poulsen was a friend and model for the artistGerda Wegener, who painted a series of portraits of her.[5] The most famous of these portraits is the 1927 painting titledUlla Poulsen in the ballet Chopiniana.[6]
She married three times. Her first husband was Danish actor and directorJohannes Poulsen, the nephew ofOlaf Poulsen.[7] She starred as Queen Titania in his production ofA Midsummer Night's Dream[8] and choreographed his 1936 production ofJedermann.[9] She later married Baron Christian Carl Otto Rosenørn-Lehn, a member of theDanish nobility. Her third marriage was to Helge Nordhal Skou.
Poulsen had roles in the 1937 filmDen kloge Mand, the 1938 filmBalletten danser, and in the 1970s-1980s television seriesMatador.
In 1938, Poulsen was a recipient of theTagea Brandt Rejselegat for significant contributions to Danish art.
Poulsen died on 21 April 2001 inAalborg, Denmark. She was buried atAlmen Kirkegård.
Poulsen is portrayed byAmber Heard in the 2015 filmThe Danish Girl.[5][6] In this film, Poulsen is erroneously depicted as being the friend who was instrumental in bringing to life the "Danish Girl" - the new female persona of the main characterLili Elbe. Poulsen, as played by Heard, arrives late for a modeling session requiring Elbe to fill in, wearing female clothing for the first time which sparks previously unacknowledged desires and Poulsen is shown naming Elbe’s feminine self "Lili". In reality, the tardy model wasAnna Larssen, an actress and friend, not Ulla Poulsen.[10][11][12][13]
