▁by ▁Anna ▁of ▁Russia ▁and ▁fund ed ▁by ▁the ▁Ts ars . ▁She ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁Cl asse ▁de ▁Per fection ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁Prima ▁B aller ina ▁Eugen i ia ▁S ok ol ova ▁( she ▁was ▁also ▁trained ▁by ▁Ek ater ina ▁V az em , ▁Christian ▁Joh ans son , ▁Lev ▁Ivan ov , ▁Nikol ai ▁Leg at ▁and ▁P avel ▁G erd t ). ▁ ▁Bal let ▁did ▁not ▁come ▁easily ▁to ▁V agan ova ▁in ▁her ▁first ▁years ▁as ▁a ▁student , ▁but ▁slowly , ▁through ▁the ▁efforts ▁of ▁her ▁own ▁will ▁power , ▁she ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁ill ust ri ous ▁Imperial ▁Bal let ▁upon ▁her ▁gradu ation . ▁By ▁the ▁time ▁she ▁att ained ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁solo ist , ▁Saint ▁Petersburg ▁bal let oman es ▁dub bed ▁her ▁queen ▁of ▁variations , ▁for ▁her ▁un limited ▁virt u os ity ▁and ▁level ▁of ▁technique . ▁ ▁The ▁old ▁Ma estro ▁Pet ip a ▁c ared ▁little ▁for ▁V agan ova ▁as ▁a ▁dan cer ▁– ▁any ▁mention ▁of ▁her ▁performances ▁in ▁his ▁di aries ▁was ▁ ▁usually ▁followed ▁by ▁such ▁comments ▁as ▁" aw ful " ▁or ▁" d read ful ". ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁the ▁ ▁Bal let ▁Master ▁Nikol ai ▁Leg at ▁cast ▁V agan ova ▁as ▁the ▁God dess ▁N ir iti ▁in ▁his ▁rev ival ▁of ▁Pet ip a ' s ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁grand ▁bal let ▁The ▁T alis man . ▁V agan