George Balanchine

GEORGE BALANCHINE

(1904-1983)

PERSONAL LIFE

Born in St. Petersburg, Russia,

He was a son of a composer.

- This knowledge of music early, gave him an advantage over his

fellow choreographers.

He began piano lessons at five, while continuing to dance. Such

extensive musical training made it possible for Balanchine as a

choreographer to communicate with a composer of the stature of

Stravinsky; it also gave him the ability to make piano reductions of

orchestral scores, an invaluable aid in translating music into dance.

HIS LEGACY

He co-founded and was the head of the School of

American Ballet in New York City

He co-founded the New York City Ballet which is

one of the prominent dance companies today

He brought up the standard of American ballet by

emphasizing balance, control, precision, and ease of

movement.

VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=ZafvqN2cHIA

QUOTES

“I don't want people who want to dance; I want people who

have to dance”

“See the music, hear the dance.”

“Dancing is music made visible.”

“Dancers are instruments, like a piano the choreographer

plays.”

“Most ballet teachers in the United States are terrible.If

they were in medicine, everyone would be poisoned.”

BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://www.balanchine.org/balanchine/01/bio2

.html

http://www.notablebiographies.com/Ba-Be/Bal

anchine-George.html#b

http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/599

1.George_Balanchine?auto_login_attempted=

true