NYCB Vol. 14 No. 8 - Danses Concertantes

Leon Danielian and Alexandra Danilova 1940s

Alexandra Danilova's memories of Danses Concertantes:

In the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, I again had the opportunity to work with Balancine. His own company was not steady, and from time to time he worked as a guest choreographer for the Ballet Russe. One season, he joined us in California and made a new ballet, Danses Concertantes. Rehearsals were called for ten in the morning, very early, and my most vivid memory of them is of getting to the studio at such a peculiar hour and seeing on the piano the music, which was written in white notes on green paper.

Balanchine rehearses Danilova (Franklin on right) in Danses Concertantes.

Leon Danielian and Alexandra Danilova . Photo by Constantine, 1940s

"The music was by Stravinsky--jazzy, very difficult, but wonderful. The dancing was also jazzy, be sur le pointes--very difficult, elegant, and syncopated. It was movement more with the body than with the feet--gay and playful. The tango, for example, is sexy , the waltz is a sexy dance; but jazz in its rhythms is playful. The jazz was in the rhythm of the movement, and also in the positions, which were a little different from classical ballet--the feet would go one way, the body would go the other. Years later, when Balanchine choreographed Rubies to Stravinsky's Capriccio, I thought of Danses Concertantes.

"I danced with Freddie Franklin, and there were two girls, soloists--Mary Ellen Moylan and Maria Tallchief--with Nicky Magallanes. Balanchine took the cream of the company when he made this ballet. The beautiful costumes were by Eugene Berman, in shades of purple, green, pink, yellow, and black."

--Choura: The Memoirs of Alexandra Danilova

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