GEORGE BALANCHINE
Name: George Balanchine
Born: 22 January 1904
Died: 30 April 1983
George Balanchine (January 22, 1904 – April 30, 1983), was a Georgian ballet choreographer. He is one of
the 20th century's foremost choreographers, and one of the founders of American
ballet. His work formed a bridge between classical and modern ballet.
Balanchine was born Giorgi Melitonis dze Balanchivadze in Saint Petersburg, Russia to Georgian parents. His
father, noted Georgian composer Meliton Balanchivadze (1862–1937), was one of
the founders of the Georgian Opera. George's brother, Andria Balanchivadze (1906–1992),
became a well-known Georgian composer.
As a child, Balanchine was not particularly interested in ballet. However, his
mother possessed a deep love for the art and had the young Giorgi audition with
his sister, who shared her mother's passion for ballet. Since his family was
mostly composers and soldiers, it was said that Balanchine could always follow
family tradition and enroll in the military if it turned out he wasn't talented
at dancing.
In 1913 at the age of nine, Balanchine was enrolled in the Imperial Ballet
School, principal school of the Imperial Ballet, where he studied under Pavel
Gerdt and Samuil Andrianov (Pavel's son-in-law).
With the victory of the Bolsheviks in the revolution, the school was disbanded
as an offensive symbol of the Tsarist regime. To survive the privation and
Martial Law of this period, Balanchine played the piano—for food, not for money—at
cabarets and silent movie theatres. Eventually the Imperial Ballet School
reopened amid greatly reduced monetary funds. After graduating with honours in
1921, Balanchine enrolled in the Petrograd Conservatory in tandem with his corps
de ballet duties at the The State Academic Theatre for Opera and Ballet (formerly
the State Theater of Opera and Ballet). In 1922 when Balanchine was eighteen, he
married Tamara Geva, a fifteen year old dancer. His studies at the conservatory
included advanced piano, music theory, counterpoint, harmony, and composition.
Balanchine graduated from the conservatory in 1923, and he was a member of the
corps until 1924.
While still in his teens, Balanchine choreographed his first work, a pas de deux
called La Nuit (1920, music by Anton Rubinstein). This was followed by another
duet, Enigma, danced in bare feet. In 1923, with fellow dancers, he formed a
small ensemble, the Young Ballet. The choreography proved too experimental for
the new authorities, who strongly encouraged the group to disband.
Balanchine, Tamara Geva, Alexandra Danilova, and Nicholas Efimov were granted
permission to tour Western Europe in 1924. While performing in London, England,
Serge Diaghilev asked the group to join his Ballets Russes, prompting the four
to defect.
Name: George Balanchine
Born: 22 January 1904
Died: 30 April 1983
George Balanchine (January 22, 1904 – April 30, 1983), was a Georgian ballet choreographer. He is one of
the 20th century's foremost choreographers, and one of the founders of American
ballet. His work formed a bridge between classical and modern ballet.
Balanchine was born Giorgi Melitonis dze Balanchivadze in Saint Petersburg, Russia to Georgian parents. His
father, noted Georgian composer Meliton Balanchivadze (1862–1937), was one of
the founders of the Georgian Opera. George's brother, Andria Balanchivadze (1906–1992),
became a well-known Georgian composer.
As a child, Balanchine was not particularly interested in ballet. However, his
mother possessed a deep love for the art and had the young Giorgi audition with
his sister, who shared her mother's passion for ballet. Since his family was
mostly composers and soldiers, it was said that Balanchine could always follow
family tradition and enroll in the military if it turned out he wasn't talented
at dancing.
In 1913 at the age of nine, Balanchine was enrolled in the Imperial Ballet
School, principal school of the Imperial Ballet, where he studied under Pavel
Gerdt and Samuil Andrianov (Pavel's son-in-law).
With the victory of the Bolsheviks in the revolution, the school was disbanded
as an offensive symbol of the Tsarist regime. To survive the privation and
Martial Law of this period, Balanchine played the piano—for food, not for money—at
cabarets and silent movie theatres. Eventually the Imperial Ballet School
reopened amid greatly reduced monetary funds. After graduating with honours in
1921, Balanchine enrolled in the Petrograd Conservatory in tandem with his corps
de ballet duties at the The State Academic Theatre for Opera and Ballet (formerly
the State Theater of Opera and Ballet). In 1922 when Balanchine was eighteen, he
married Tamara Geva, a fifteen year old dancer. His studies at the conservatory
included advanced piano, music theory, counterpoint, harmony, and composition.
Balanchine graduated from the conservatory in 1923, and he was a member of the
corps until 1924.
While still in his teens, Balanchine choreographed his first work, a pas de deux
called La Nuit (1920, music by Anton Rubinstein). This was followed by another
duet, Enigma, danced in bare feet. In 1923, with fellow dancers, he formed a
small ensemble, the Young Ballet. The choreography proved too experimental for
the new authorities, who strongly encouraged the group to disband.
Balanchine, Tamara Geva, Alexandra Danilova, and Nicholas Efimov were granted
permission to tour Western Europe in 1924. While performing in London, England,
Serge Diaghilev asked the group to join his Ballets Russes, prompting the four
to defect.