top of page




NYCB Vol. 15 No. 5 - Scotch Symphony
André Eglevsky and Maria Tallchief. Photo by Radford Bascome, 1954 “The chief novelty of the occasion was the first performance by Diana...

Lauryn Johnson
Apr 30


NYCB Vol. 14 No. 22 - Swan Lake
To celebrate the end of the winter season, a season full of homage to Maria Tallchief and her 100th birthday I thought I’d share this...

Lauryn Johnson
Mar 18


NYCB Vol. 14 No. 17 - Firebird
“In [the final] scene [of Firebird], the music swells to a glorious finish, but since there’s no movement, and all is still, it’s as if...

Lauryn Johnson
Feb 14


NYCB Vol. 14. No. 16 - Firebird
“In [the final] scene [of Firebird], the music swells to a glorious finish, but since there’s no movement, and all is still, it’s as if...

Lauryn Johnson
Feb 13


NYCB Vol. 14 No. 15 - Sylvia Pas de Deux
"George had been serious when he told me the ballet would be difficult. He had me doing everything – turns, balances, jumps, and...

Lauryn Johnson
Feb 12


NYCB Vol. 14 No. 14 - Firebird
"When we started the pas de deux, I felt secure. Standing up stage, I took an extra breath, and then made the flying leap into Frank’s...

Lauryn Johnson
Feb 11


NYCB Vol. 14 No. 13 - Scotch Symphony
Maria Tallchief on Scotch Symphony: “One effect in the adagio was inspired by the way goddesses, sylphs and fairies were made to fly...

Lauryn Johnson
Feb 9


NYCB Vol. 14 No. 12 - Sylvia Pas de Deux
Celebrating 100 Years of Maria Tallchief! In this 1959 footage originally posted by Kurt Froman, we see André Eglevsky and Maria...

Lauryn Johnson
Feb 8


NYCB Vol. 14 No. 11 - Sylvia Pas de Deux
“Balanchine’s Sylvia Pas de Deux was designed around Tallchief’s technical virtuosity. Although Nicholas Magallanes was her original...

Lauryn Johnson
Feb 6


NYCB Vol. 14 No. 10 - Firebird
Maria Tallchief and Francisco Moncion. Photo by Martha Swope. New York Public Library “It was Maria Tallchief’s performance in...

Lauryn Johnson
Feb 5


IIOD Podcast Vol. 2 Ep. 8 - Diana White on Maria Tallchief
Diana (left) in arabesque. Maria Tallchief teaches cir. 1974-5 Celebrating 100 Years of Maria Tallchief! In this episode, Diana White, a...

Lauryn Johnson
Jan 30


NYCB Vol. 14 No. 3 - Allegro Brillante
Maria Tallchief: “In Allegro Brillante George extended aspects of classical technique beyond anything I had done before. Rather than...

Lauryn Johnson
Jan 25


NYCB Vol. 13 No. 39 - Nutcracker
Photo by Martha Swope [39/50] Counting down 50 NYCB Nutcrackers this year with stories from NYCB dancers past and present! Today we hear...

Lauryn Johnson
Dec 27, 2024


Serenade 90th Anniversary No. 6 - Susan Pilarre
Back in August, I discovered several photos of a very young Suzy Pilarre in the corps of Serenade: Photos by Fred Fehl, 1964 Harry Ransom...

Lauryn Johnson
Jun 9, 2024


NYCB Vol. 11 No. 3 - Bourrée Fantasque
In Balanchine's Bourrée Fantasque, Maria Tallchief was the second movement ballerina. She wrote, "Increasingly, the roles George created...

Lauryn Johnson
Apr 25, 2024


New York State Theater No. 22 - Opening Night
“The night was mild, a star glittered somewhere in the distance, the water of the plaza fountain soared and splashed, and a brass quintet...

Lauryn Johnson
Apr 23, 2024


NYCB in London No. 4 - Rehearsals
“During the day we rehearsed both ballets [Serenade & Symphony in C], and it was painful. The Covent Garden stage took getting used to....

Lauryn Johnson
Mar 9, 2024


NYCB in London No. 5 - Firebird
The day after Balanchine’s Firebird premiered in London, 1950, The Times wrote: “Firebird, for which London has waited long, was also in...

Lauryn Johnson
Mar 9, 2024


NYCB in London No. 1 - Covent Garden
This week NYCB takes London as part of its 75th anniversary season tour schedule! In 1950 and 1952, NYCB made two important trips to...

Lauryn Johnson
Mar 7, 2024


NYCB Vol. 9 No. 45 - Nutcracker
(45/50) The Sugar Plum Fairy will welcome the Prince and Marie to the Land of Sweets just 5 more times this season… (top left) Photo by...

Lauryn Johnson
Dec 27, 2023
bottom of page