American ballet is a unique movement that combines elements of classical ballet, jazz-modern and other dance styles.
The school that formed the basis of American ballet is Russian. It was Russian ballet that had a huge influence on the formation of American ballet. In the early 20th century, many Russian dancers such as Mikhail Fokine, Anna Pavlova, and Sergei Diaghilev emigrated to the United States where they opened schools and trained American dancers.
Founders of the American school:
– George Balanchine: Russian dancer and choreographer who is considered the founder of American ballet. Balanchine founded the School of American Ballet and New York City Ballet, which became the leading ballet companies in the United States.
– Martha Graham: American dancer and choreographer who founded her own school of dance and developed a new dance technique called the Graham Technique.
– Merce Cunningham: American dancer and choreographer who, like Martha Graham, moved away from classical ballet and created his own style of dance.
Other important facts:
– Lincoln Kirstein: American philanthropist who, along with Balanchine, founded the School of American Ballet and New York City Ballet.
– Alicia Alonso: Cuban dancer who became one of the leading stars of American ballet.
– Mikhail Fokine: a Russian dancer and choreographer who worked in the United States in the early 20th century.
American ballet continues to evolve today. It combines the traditions of Russian ballet with new, innovative approaches to dance.
American Ballet Companies:
– New York City Ballet: One of the world’s leading ballet companies, founded by George Balanchine.
– American Ballet Theatre: Another leading ballet company in the United States, founded by Mikhail Fokine.
– San Francisco Ballet: One of the oldest ballet companies in the United States, founded in 1933.
Russian ballet masters who have contributed to the school of American ballet:
– Mikhail Fokine (1880-1942): a Russian dancer and choreographer who is considered one of the founders of modern ballet.
– Fokine worked in the United States in the early 20th century, where he staged productions such as The Firebird, Petrushka, and Scheherazade. His work had a great influence on the formation of American ballet.
– Serge Diaghilev (1872-1929): a Russian impresario who founded Diaghilev’s Russian Ballets. Diaghilev’s company toured the world, introducing Russian ballet to Western audiences. Many famous Russian dancers danced with Diaghilev’s company, such as Anna Pavlova, Vaclav Nijinsky, and Tamara Karsavina.
– Mikhail Mordkin (1880-1944): a Russian dancer and choreographer who was one of the first Russian dancers to emigrate to the United States. Mordkin founded his own ballet company that toured throughout the country. He also taught ballet and helped train many American dancers.
– Bronislava Nijinsky (1891-1972): Russian dancer and choreographer, sister of Vaclav Nijinsky. Nijinska worked in the United States in the 1920s and 1930s, where she choreographed productions such as Sacred Spring and Romeo and Juliet. She also taught ballet and helped train many American dancers.
American ballet is a unique movement that has incorporated the best developments of dancers from around the world. Based on the Russian ballet school, dancers and choreographers from the United States have been able to achieve considerable success in world ballet and now enjoy incredible success with the public.
