Happy Birthday Mr. B! Born January 22nd, 1904, today marks the 118th anniversary of Balanchine’s birth.
I could go on and on about what I love about Balanchine, but I’ll just share this one point today: I resonate specifically with his philosophy that dance is music in its visual form. I found this excerpt where he explains it:
Balanchine on Igor Stravinsky:
“Stravinsky’s work altogether satisfies me…When I listen to a work by him I am moved—I don’t like the word ‘inspired’—to try to make visible not only the rhythm, melody and harmony, but even the timbres of the instruments….”
--Balanchine’s Ballerinas: Conversations with the Muses by Robert Tracy
Fun fact: as of this week, I’ve been hired as a full time usher at the Koch theater and I signed my contract to work at NYCB today on Balanchine’s birthday which was very apropos.
Photos courtesy of New York Public Library of Performance Arts' Jerome Robbins Dance Division. All photos by Martha Swope.
(left) 1960, Rehearsal for “The Figure in the Carpet”
(right) 1965, Rehearsal for “Don Quixote”
(left) 1964, Dress Rehearsal for “Swan Lake”
(right) 1964, Rehearsal for “Harlequinade”
(left) 1965, Rehearsal for “Don Quixote” with Christopher D’Amboise and Judith Fugate.
(right) 1964, Rehearsal of “Clarinade”
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