(1/50) It's here! It's here! It's Nutcracker season! Follow along as I post historical photos of George Balanchine's Nutcracker in tandem...

In 1929, Balanchine choreographed The Prodigal Son for the Ballets Russes. Serge Lifar danced the title role, and Felia Doubrovska danced...

Allegra on Episodes: "When Balanchine created the part in Episodes for me, this role was a continuation of his interest in the abstract...

Balanchine choreographed Theme and Variations for Alicia Alonso and Igor Youskevitch in Ballet Theatre in 1947. "And what Balanchine did...

Speaking of the opening night performance in 1948, Anatole Chujoy wrote, "The thrill of the evening came with Balanchine's Symphony in C....

“Serenade is like a labyrinth Balanchine has constructed to guide us, gently, but with no recourse but to proceed.” —Toni Bentley in...

On October 11, 1948, New York City Ballet gave its first official performance at the City Center Theater. The program was all Balanchine....

On the opening night of Orpheus in 1947: “When the slight figure of Stravinsky appeared at the conductor’s sand he was given a tumultuous...

“In Apollo’s second variation, Balanchine hit on a startling image to convey that the god is conscious of his divinity. Twice Apollo...

'Ballet Imperial' was choreographed in 1941 for American Ballet Caravan's South American tour. It was thought that a classical ballet...

“Ballet began when Terpsichore touched Apollo’s finger, as on the Sistine ceiling God touches Adam’s, and inspired a pas de deux in which...

Allegra Kent was 11 years old when she first experienced an evening at the ballet (1948). The third ballet on the program was La...

“Ever since I came to the United States I have liked watching parades and listening to Sousa’s marches. For many years in the back of my...

(2/2) Balanchine on his 1968 revival of Slaughter on Tenth Avenue: "It is not really a revival of the old Slaughter, just that we are...

(1/2) ‘On Your Toes' (1936) was the first musical Balanchine choreographed in the United States. It broke ground in numerous ways—for the...

Bourrée Fantasque was choreographed by Balanchine in 1949 and was described by Nancy Reynolds (affiliate link) as, “melodious, colorful,...

Balanchine choreographed Tarantella in 1964 for Edward Villella and Patricia McBride. “The dancers in Tarantella are also specific...

Balanchine’s Western Symphony was choreographed with 4 movements—Allegro, Adagio, Scherzo, and Rondo—but Balanchine cut the 3rd movement...

Mimi Paul & Francisco Moncion in Emeralds. Photos by Fred Fehl, 1967. Harry Ransom Center In this video from the Foundation’s Video...

“Mr. B was friendly with M. Arpels of Van Cleef and Arpels, and, in a mutually profitable publicity heist, I went with George to the...