"LEGENDARY CHOREOGRAPHERS"

                               "GEORGE BALANCHINE"

                                                           
     Professional Dancer from Russia's Imperial Russian Ballet Academy, George Balanchine was brought up in St.Petersburg where the style of dancing was strict and precise. He began his professional career in Leningrad as cupid in SLEEPING BEAUTY at age ten. He started dancing, as did I, at the age of nine and purely by accident. While visiting St.Petersburg, George Balanchines mother signed George up for an audition at the Imperial School. He was asked to merely walk across the floor. He was judged by posture and carriage. Knowing nothing about dance our how to execute a step, had George been asked to do so. After a long wait his name was announced. George had been selected. 
      George hated the school. George ran away feeling that he had NO aptitude for dance. Olga Preobrajenska, a Prima Ballerina at the school felt differently. George came back.

Igor Stravinsky & George Balanchine rehearse Suzanne Farrell

     By 10 while performing Sleeping Beauty, George Balanchine realized he loved the stage and dancing, but to be able to perform on stage, one had to be Very,Very, good.  The lesson in life we ALL learn as did George is when you see what the work can produce, you want to WORK..!  Trained in acting, mime and the importance of stage gesture, George Balanchine learned the importance of stage gesture and how to work within theatrical disciplines to create illusion.

George Balanchine's APOLLO

         In 1921 George Balanchine entered the Conservatory of Music. Now interested in becoming a fine pianist as well as a dancer, George also found a great interest in moving dancers to music and being able to arrange dances. George did not know how to pursue or explain this great interest in Choreography.
        In 1923 George Balanchine presented his first piece called "Evenings of the Young Ballet." By age 21 George had become Ballet Master to Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. Without any reservation George Balanchine feels he owes the Imperial Ballet and Diaghilev for the two hundred year old tradition of discipline and tradition instilled in him for the love of Ballet, its history and artistic principles.
       1933 Les Ballet formed. This was George Balanchine's first company. During this time George Balanchine was invited to the USA to found a school in America. Lincoln Kirstein with Edward M.W.Warburg felt it was necessary for classical ballet to flourish in America. 
       My personal admiration of George Balanchine and his work came from studying his inspirations, work ethics and belief that Talent is God-given. It is NOT given by a nation or a passport. 
What country produces the best dancers narrows down to where you have the best schools and the best teachers. That is where you will find the best dancers no matter what their nationality.
      When asked how to start a piece of choreography, George's answer as is mine, is simply by and idea. Then you find music to fit, or you find music which inspires an idea.

 

               GEORGE BALANCHINES - The "Nutcracker"

             "To be a distinguished choreographer you must first have been a good dancer. You have to go through a period of preparation. People can be advised about technique, they can be told to do this or that differently, but you cannot advise a person to be talented. He is born talented. It is a strange thing: your life is made somewhere, you are pushed in a certain direction, and you move that way." George Balanchine. 

             Dancingly Mr.Shuffles a.k.a.Scott Nicholls 5-6-7-8

          THOSE WHO COME TO THE BALLET TODAY, KNOW IT AND LIKE IT SO MUCH THEY WILL COME ALSO TOMORROW...!