Throwback Thursday and Léonide Massine
Leonid Fyodorovich Miassin
was born in Russia on July 28th or August 9th (depending
on the calendar) in 1896. Gifted and prolific, during his career he
choreographed more than fifty ballets, and is regarded as one of the most important
figures in dance in the 20th century.
Massine’s early training was in acting as well as in dance
at the Imperial School in Moscow. He was leaning toward becoming an actor when
Diaghilev, seeking a replacement for Nijinsky, asked Massine to join his
company. Massine made his Paris debut in La Légende de Joseph in 1914 and the critics commented favorably
on his stage presence and dance ability. Diaghilev oversaw his education in the
arts by taking him to museums and concerts and introducing him to people like
Stravinsky. All of this influenced his approach to choreography.
Massine’s first
piece of choreography was Le Soleil de Nuit (Midnight Sun) in 1915, and it
was followed by such famous works as La Boutique Fantasque, The
Three-Cornered Hat, and Gaîté Parisienne. He used folk and character
dance extensively in his works, and expanded the complexity of the choreography
for the corps de ballet. His choreography was also known for following the
structure of the music. Throughout his life, he continued to create traditional
ballets, as well as works that were more
contemporary and sometimes controversial (Choreartium).
In 1966 he joined the
Ballet de Monte Carlo as director and choreographer. He expanded into film by acting and dancing in the movies The Red Shoes and The Tales of Hoffman. He authored
two books: My Life in Ballet (1968), and Massine on Choreography
(1976).
Léonide
Massine died on March 15, 1979 in Germany.
From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:
Dance History Factoid #76:
“Léonide Massine
was a famous dancer and choreography with the Ballet Russe.”
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