[1] In 2005, Representative Gus Bilirakis awarded Tatiana Vondersaar a Congressional Medal for her patriotism and contributions to American life.
[2] Vondersaar's father served in the Coast Guard during World War II and later worked as an engineering expert in the tool and die industry.
[3] Vondersaar began studying ballet at age 8 through the Jordan College of Fine Arts Special Instruction Division at Butler University.
[5] After a debut in Central Park, the company of 17 dancers toured throughout New York, New Jersey, New England, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Texas in 1969 and 1970.
[7] While with the troupe, Vondersaar was photographed by Jack Robinson for an Isadora Duncan-inspired fashion feature published in Vogue (August 1969).
[11] Vondersaar took the lead in many classical ballets, including Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, Apollo, Ètudes, Theme and Variations, The Firebird, and pas de deux from Le Corsaire and Don Quixote.
During her stint with Harkness Ballet, a New York Times critic wrote, "Jeanette Vondersaar handled the bouncy demands of the "Shakers" solo confidently, throwing off flurries of energetic gesture while moving relentlessly through the somewhat dogged rhythm of the piece.
[13] Of her performance in Ben Stevenson's Three Preludes, another reviewer said, "Miss Vondersaar is at one moment all grace and softness, at the next, sharp and angular.
"[14] In her critique of Hans van Manen's duet Piano Variations II, New York Times critic Anna Kisselgoff described Vondersaar as "a full-bodied dramatic dancer, giving every movement its complete shape.
[18] Once past her performing prime, Vondersaar continued to dance with Dutch National Ballet in character roles: Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, Bathilde in Giselle, The Queen Mother in Sleeping Beauty and others.
Vondersaar told a reporter, "Not everyone wants to do it, but I just thought it was a nice idea" and a way to "wind down my dancing career" while keeping touch with the company.
[21] The Joffrey Ballet had revived the 1932 work at the height of the Vietnam War, first presenting it at Manhattan's City Center on March 9, 1967.