The 20^th Century Ballet

Michel Fokine (1880-1942) was one of the chief founders of twentieth century ballet. He called for greater dramatic expression and characterization through beautiful, harmonious choreography, scenery, and costume. His ideas were made possible through the Ballets Russes, a new company that the Russian impresario Sergei Diaghilev created that had an excellent reputation for over 20 years.

Principal Dancers:

• Tamara Karsavina

• Adolph Bolm

• Ida Rubinstein

Anna Pavlova

Ballets:

(most were one-act ballets of Russian or Asian folklore themes)

• Petrushka (1911)

• Le Sacre du Printemps (1913)

The Firebird (1910)

Schéhérazade (1910)

Influenced Companies:

• Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo (1932)

• Royal Ballet (1946)

• American Ballet Theatre (1940)

• New York City Ballet (1948)

• National Ballet of Canada (1951)

• Les Grands Ballets Canadiens (1952)

• Pennsylvania Ballet (1963)

• Houston Ballet (1963)

Influenced Choreographers/Dancers:

• Leonide Massine (symphonic ballet)

• Kurt Jooss (realism ballet)

• Antony Tudor (psychological ballet)

• Jerome Robbins (ballet based on the jazz-dance style)

 

George Balanchine	Mikhail Baryshnikov	Natalia Makarova	Rudolf Nureyev

By the mid-1960s, ballet began to appeal to a younger audience, both in themes and in virtuosity of the dancers. Today’s ballet technique offers a great deal of experimentation. New works are sometimes created in collaboration with modern dance choreographers. This allows dancers to have the opportunity to broaden their technical and dramatic ability, which is much appreciated and admired greatly in all parts of the world. The history of ballet is forever transforming. In the words of Paul Valéry, ballet will always be a “grove whose lovely branches are forever tossing on the winds of music.”

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