Classical Ballet

Sergei Diaghilev

1872

Died in 1929. Credited with evolving classical to modern dance. Artistic mind. Decorated theaters, although a bad businessman. Novelty gay man and didn’t mask it. Always head, and had a final say in everything. Ballet rousse died with him. After him, dance became a serious art form.

Michel Fokine

1880

Died 1942. Controversial choreographer, created new stuff for dance. Artistically unified. He didn’t like miming so never used it. Tired of ballet rules. He had his ballerinas barefoot and the theater didn’t like that so he went to Ballet Russes.

Ana Pavlova

1881

Died in 1931. One of the worlds greatest, not if, ballerinas ever. Contributed to the development of modern ballet, including the modern pointe shoe. Her feet required more support than the lightly padded slippers, so she toughened them with leather soles and a harder, flatter box to support her pointe work. After attending the Imperial Ballet School, she made her company in 1899 and quickly became a prima ballerina. She danced in “The Dying Swan,” choreographed for her by Mikhail Fokinei.

Vaslav Nijinsky

1889

Died in 1950. Ballet dancer and choreographer. He appeared as Albert in 'Giselle', 'Swan Lake' and 'The Sleeping Beauty'. He also choreographed ’Afternoon in a Faun.’ His astounding performances were marked by the height and lightness of his leaps, impressive movements, and intense charismatic personality. He built his reputation having partners as Anna Pavlova under the leadership of Sergei Diaghilev and choreographer Mikhail Fokin.

Bronislava Nijinska

1891

Died in 1972. Joined ballet Russes.Sister to Vaslov

Leonide Massine

1896

Died 1979. Russian ballet dancer and choreographer. Came from ballet russe. Massine choreographed over one hundred ballets. Worked with Picasso, Braque, Matisse,Stravinsky and more famous artists.

George Balanchine

1904

Died in 1983. Founded school of American Ballet. Balanchine reinvented the American ballet, creating a new contemporary style, on the basis of Russian classical technique. Balanchine's style is described as neoclassical.

Ballet Russe

1909

Through 1929. Important to revolution. Very successful. Ballet Rousse was always Russian, even though located in Paris. Artistic director was Sergei Diaghilev. Most influential ballet company of 20th century. The Firebird (1910), Petrushka (1911), and The Rite of Spring (1913), were ballets performed here. Picasso, Matisse, Braque, and Chanel designed costumes for Ballet Russe.

Afternoon of the Faun

1912

Inspired by Mallarmé's poem “L'après-midi d'un faune”, choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky for the Ballets Russes. Nijinsky danced the main part himself. reveries of a faun and a real or imagined encounter with nymphs. Unsettling ending.

Rite of Spring

1913

Collab Ballet Russe and Stravinsky. Thème was prehistoric tribe, maiden to Greek gods. Considered ballet, but definitely displayed a different ballet style. The choreography was provocative and explicit, which caused a riot in the theater. This ballet was revolutionary because it created a new and different style that was controversial and grotesque, instead of the same ballet themes and rules. Turned in feet instead of outward, angled arms instead of rounded, etc.

Parade

1917

Designed by Picasso Choreographed by Massine. Ballet Russe. Symbolic cubism. Scenes are bizarre, has magic tricks and improbable events without a sequence to them, musical background consisting of the sounds of sirens, typewriters, &other real sounds, Characters are different cultures. The ballet became a ballet of relationships between real pieces and imaginary pieces, between events related to the real-life world of popular culture & high art of ballet and painting.