top of page



NYCB Vol. 8 No. 9 - Tarantella
Balanchine choreographed Tarantella in 1964 for Edward Villella and Patricia McBride. “The dancers in Tarantella are also specific...

Lauryn Johnson
Sep 28, 2023


NYCB Vol. 8 No. 8 - The Unanswered Question
“Out of the darkness a beautiful young girl in white appears aloft, carried by a team of four men and a shadowy fifth precedes the...

Lauryn Johnson
Sep 27, 2023


NYCB Vol. 8 No. 7 - Western Symphony
Balanchine’s Western Symphony was choreographed with 4 movements—Allegro, Adagio, Scherzo, and Rondo—but Balanchine cut the 3rd movement...

Lauryn Johnson
Sep 26, 2023


NYCB Vol. 8 No. 6 - Emeralds
Mimi Paul & Francisco Moncion in Emeralds. Photos by Fred Fehl, 1967. Harry Ransom Center In this video from the Foundation’s Video...

Lauryn Johnson
Sep 24, 2023


NYCB Vol. 8 No. 2 - Emeralds
Balanchine choreographed a unique solo for Violette Verdy in Emeralds. She said that Balanchine was inspired by Michel Fokine’s style of...

Lauryn Johnson
Sep 20, 2023


NYCB Vol. 8 No. 1 - Jewels
Today begins a year-long celebration of the 75th Anniversary of New York City Ballet and George Balanchine's impact on the ballet world....

Lauryn Johnson
Sep 19, 2023


Vail Dance Festival Vol. 2 No. 1 - A Midsummer Night's Dream Act II Divertissement
Three Balanchine Duets* Part 1 *commissioned for the Vail Dance Festival This week, Vail’s International Evenings of Dance performances...

Lauryn Johnson
Jul 21, 2023


NYCB Vol. 7 No. 23 - Swan Lake
When Tanaquil LeClercq debuted as Odette in Swan Lake at 22 years old, the article in the Times the next day was titled: "Dancer...

Lauryn Johnson
May 17, 2023


NYCB Vol. 7 No. 8 - La Source
When Balanchine choreographed La Source in 1968 it seemed to confuse everyone including the critics. Although they didn't dislike it,...

Lauryn Johnson
Apr 25, 2023


NYCB Vol. 6 No. 19 - Firebird
Violette Verdy's thoughts on Firebird: “What I love about Firebird is the quality of entombed independence of that bird who has a...

Lauryn Johnson
Feb 4, 2023


NYCB Vol. 6 No. 16 - Fancy Free
An excerpt from the outline that Jerome Robbins wrote for Fancy Free circa 1943: “Three sailors explode onto the stage. They are out on...

Lauryn Johnson
Feb 1, 2023


NYCB Vol. 6 No. 8 - Allegro Brillante
“The novelty of the program was Violette Verdy making her debut, strangely enough, in George Balanchine’s 'Allegro Brillante.' One says...

Lauryn Johnson
Jan 24, 2023


NYCB Vol. 5 No. 41 - Nutcracker
[41/50] “This was a Sugar Plum Fairy with both regal carriage and gentle, gracious manner, particularly in her interaction with the...

Lauryn Johnson
Dec 26, 2022


NYCB Vol. 5 No. 28, 29 & 30 - Nutcracker
[28/50] This is Part 1 of a 3-part post for our 3-show day. These posts share Maria Tallchief's experience with the Grand Pas de Deux...

Lauryn Johnson
Dec 17, 2022


NYCB Vol. 4 No. 25 - Nutcracker
[25/50] "Miss Adams is one of the loveliest of artists, and a shining jewel in the City Ballet’s crown. [...] There is a glowing quality...

Lauryn Johnson
Dec 14, 2022


NYCB Vol. 5 No. 20 - Nutcracker
[20/50] Robert Maiorano, a former NYCB soloist was the first boy to play a soldier in Balanchine's Nutcracker in 1955 (before that it had...

Lauryn Johnson
Dec 10, 2022


NYCB Vol. 5 No. 11 - Nutcracker
[11/50] Jacques was in Hollywood shooting Seven Brides for Seven Brothers when Balanchine choreographed the Nutcracker in 1954. He...

Lauryn Johnson
Dec 3, 2022


NYCB Vol. 5 No. 7 - Nutcracker
[7/50] Allegra Kent on the first season of Balanchine's Nutcracker: "I was only a mouse and a shepherdess. I longed to be Dewdrop and do...

Lauryn Johnson
Nov 30, 2022


NYCB Vol. 5 No. 4 - Nutcracker
[4/50] “I loved Nutcracker, especially doing Dewdrop. I felt that was really dancing, even more than when I did the Sugar Plum Fairy.”...

Lauryn Johnson
Nov 27, 2022


NYCB Vol. 4 No. 19 - Symphony in C
Suki in Symphony in C : (left) Suki Schorer. Martha Swope, 1965. (center) Paul Mejia and Suki Schorer. (Merrill Ashley in the corps) Fred...

Lauryn Johnson
Oct 8, 2022
bottom of page