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George Balanchine
George Balanchine was born in 1904. He was Russian, a dancer, and a choreographer who started the school of American Ballet and the New York City Ballet. He died in 1983. -
20th Century Ballet
20th Century Ballet began when Serge Diaghilev brought his company, Ballet Russe, to Paris -
Jerome Robbins
Jerome Robbins was born in 1918. He was American, a dancer, and a choreographer who worked with George Balanchine and the New York City Ballet. In his ballets, dancers moved in ways that reflected what was going on in society at that period of time. He died in 1998. -
Serge Diaghilev
George Diaghilev died on August 9, 1929, leaving all his dancers without work. -
The Resurrection
In 1931 the resurrection of Ballet Russes began -
Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo
After Tamara Toumanova, Tania Riabouchinska, and Irina Boranova had their first performance with choreographers Wasily de Basil and Rene Blum in 1932, critics said, "Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo was the authentic air to Diaghilev's Ballet Russe." -
Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo: London
1933 started the Massine Era of ballet at the Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo -
Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo: America
In 1934 Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo set sails for America where Sol Hurok, an impresario, booked their first American Tour. Sol Hurok was the most powerful theatrical promoter in the States. At this time, it has been 20 years since Diaghilev’s Ballet Russe sailed to America and unfortunately, America still didn’t know much about ballet. . -
Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo Tour
After Hurok booked the tour, the dancers were crazy busy. They never stopped practicing and performing. By 1935, Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo had performed for over 3 million people -
Rudolph Nureyev
Rudolph Nureyev was born in 1938. He left Russia and came to Paris to dance with the Paris Opera Ballet and later dance in London with the Royal Ballet. He is one of the foremost dancers of the 20th Century. In 1983 he became director of the Paris Opera Ballet. He died in 1993. -
London
In 1938 each company was ready to make their debut; however, Massine has lost all the rights to his choreography company and found himself having to create 3 new enormous ballets. -
War
September 3, 1939 War was declared. Britain and France declare war on Germany for World War II. People were panicking and most Russians did not have the right papers to leave the country. Luckily, they were able to get on a boat headed to American. Both companies traveled on this boat. -
The Original Ballet Russe
For 2 years both companies continued to work, but Horok and Basil started having conflicts. In 1941 Hurok severed his ties with Basil, publicly declaring him as one of the most difficult people to work with. Because Sol Hurok had such connections around America, Basil and The Original Ballet Russe found themselves without work. Not being able to return to London yet, Basil took his company on a Latin American tour. -
Elliot Feld
Elliot Feld was born 1942. He is american, a dancer that danced on Broadway, and a choreographer for Fold Ballet. His contemporary ballets had fresh and electric style. Feld is still alive today. -
Broadway
In 1944 Ballet crossed over into Broadway, choreographed by George Balachine. The return from 12 years ago when he left the Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo and has been bouncing around ballet, Broadway, and film. -
The Last Performance
Finally Hurok and Basil started talking again to arrange for the company to return to America. Yet, the company was exhausted and not ready for the demands of touring again. Hurok abandoned the company and the dancers begin to leave for better opportunities. In return, Basil hired new dancers, not as qualified or technically proficient, leaving the company in worse shape. Nov 1948 was the company’s last performance.
