2 3 Throwback Thursday and Diaghilev | Ballet Webb

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Throwback Thursday and Diaghilev




Throwback Thursday and Diaghilev
Russian impresario Serge Diaghilev (1872-1929) changed dance forever with his groundbreaking dance company The Ballet Russe (1909-1929).  This company brought together some of the best dancers, artists and composers of the day, producing works that thrilled – and sometimes shocked – audiences.
Diaghilev was not a dancer or choreographer himself (he was a law student), but he was a genius when it came to recognizing and nurturing talent in others.  Those he worked with included:  Picasso, Stravinsky, Matisse and Nijinsky, among many others; and thus The Ballet Russe became a veritable breeding ground for innovation.
Despite the fact that his company revolutionized ballet, Diaghilev’s Ballet Russe, like so many dance companies today, was often on the verge of bankruptcy.  Yet somehow he managed to keep it afloat, leaving a legacy that endures.  Today ballet students are taught by teachers who were taught by teachers who were either in, or influenced by, The Ballet Russe.
Without Diaghilev, ballet would be very different.  Would it exist at all? 

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Dance History Factoid #26:
“Serge Diaghilev revolutionized ballet, yet he wasn’t a dancer or choreographer.”

 
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“Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones.  A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.”
- Shannon L. Alder

 

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