838 0 obj <> endobj Robbins had told him to feel as if he were revisiting a place he had once known well and experiencing it both as it was now and as it had been. Agnes de Mille and Jerome Robbins worked in musical theatre in what is widely regarded to be the industry's Golden Era. He was, however, tortured by doubts and insecurities. Agnes de Mille and Twyla Tharp are among the few choreographers who also crossed easily between ballet and Broadway. Robbins programs, tributes and festivals are taking place in Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle, Miami, Paris and New York City. Deprived of a college education by the Depression, he began his career as a dancer in the experimental troupe of Gluck Sandor. In 1953, he testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee about a brief Communist-party membership. They are ready to face the Sharks. How the Choreography of Jerome Robbins Shaped Ballet and Broadway. Robbins attended New York University in 1935, intending to study either chemistry or journalism, but the Great Depression forced him to drop out because his family could no longer afford tuition. He seemed to demand inhuman effort. The following day, I reported to a much larger windowless studio on the fifth floor known as the main hall. Robbins's work is astonishingly varied. As he started to leave, I called him back and asked for another chance. Robbins never married or had children. The audience must believe that Tony and Maria fall in love immediately and completely--or the rest of the show fails. %%EOF We always kept a supply on hand during rehearsals and when things got rough, the studio door was opened just enough to let a tail-wagging foil bound into the rehearsal room. General Info: 409.880.7011 4400 MLK Blvd., PO Box 10009, Beaumont, Texas 77710. I thought, Why cant we dance about American subjects? he said later. Something went wrong, please try again later. He has often matched movement closely to music, such as the piano pieces Dances at a Gathering or In the Night. Robbins conceived, directed, and choreographed this work, which featured a musical score by Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and set designs by Robbins longtime collaborator Oliver Smith. 30 films. No matter how abstract the work, you always sense an undertow of character and feeling in Robbins's work. The city produced many notable jazz artists, including Jimmy Rushing, Henry Bridges, Charlie Christian, and Don Cherry. Fearful for his career and of public exposure of his sexuality (Montgomery Clift was a former lover), Robbins then named eight other members. 200. I started to wonder if Mr. Robbins needed one of my arrows. He returned to New York City Ballet three years later with Dances at a Gathering, one of his best-loved works, and never left. His Broadway shows include On the Town, Billion Dollar Baby, High Button Shoes, West Side Story, The King and I, Gypsy, Peter Pan, Miss Liberty, Call Me Madam, and Fiddler on the Roof. F ak.0A&h:4PaV/ZC`57 lLey0fz3m u h~ f5h.^&. Influence: Bob Fosse, Rich Mans Frug from Sweet Charity, All Rights Reserved. His last work, Brandenburg, premiered there in 1997. The son of Russian-Jewish immigrants, Rabinowitz studied chemistry for one year at New York University before embarking on a career as a dancer in 1936. He continued to further his training/studies of Bharatanatyam under Uday Shankar, a master in his field. George Balanchine cast him in the chorus of a pair of Broadway shows, and soon after, he got into Ballet Theatre (later American Ballet Theatre). Moves, an experimental work originally created for Jerome Robbins Ballets: U.S.A. in 1959. But Ballet Theatres Russian-influenced repertory stifled him. Urban energy: a scene from West Side Story at the Tony awards in 1989, Musical comedy in ballet, not on Broadway: The Concert (Paris Opera Ballet), Excerpts from Glass Pieces, with dancers' commentary (New York City Ballet), The strange, stylised erotics of Afternoon of a Faun: Jacques d'Amboise and Tanaquil LeClercq from the New York City Ballet in 1955. The new production of Wagner's opera opened February 26. Major Support for American Masters provided by. West Coast jazz is often seen as a subgenre of cool jazz, which consisted of a calmer style than bebop or hard bop. Ballet, tap and ballroom. When I finally made my entrance, Jerry stopped the pianist and headed towards me. Jerome Robbins was caught between the moon and New York City. Jerome Robbins was an American theater producer and dance choreographer best known for his work in Broadway Theater and ballet/dance. "Why can't we dance about American subjects? In a windowless subterranean studio under the New York State Theater, I pulled back an imaginary arrow and let it fly. It wasnt long before he was bounding from one hit to another, creating artistic successes and box-office gold up and down Broadway. Instead, Edward Villella stood alone onstage, his back to the audience, and began to dance almost tentatively to the Chopin piano piece being played. But in the midst of this success, Robbins found himself swept into the whirlwind of the McCarthy era and, as a former Communist, pressured by the FBI to name the names of party associates at hearings held by The House Committee on Un-American Activities. Andrew Gans 8 "I was interested in many things. Robbins is world renowned as a successful choreographer and director in not only the musical theatre world . He didnt say a word. Wit could leaven a section, as when shivering women brace themselves against the blasts of male winds in the Winter section of The Four Seasons. What happened when Balanchine died? Couples mimic the movements of Tony and Maria in the background, enhancing the completeness of the world they are creating together. The Concert. Known for distinct style with the use of rounding the shoulders, the use of the pelvis, isolation of the arms, and jazz hands. He continued to pepper me with questions about the rumors my friends and I had heard about the Siren who lived in the land beyond, and, in the end, he reminded me never to walk into the studio again without having done my research for a role. Jerome Robbins, the choreographer and director, eventually realized he could do the setup of the whole production best in dance. The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content. The importance of the work of George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins is emphasized because they both worked extensively on Broadway and in ballet companies, Even a 10-year-old can sense true benevolence and feigned benevolence. His style became increasingly abstract and classical, perhaps under the influence of his great idol George Balanchine, who headed the company. hb```:VI aBEB8$@$ |,A:U'q+ UoD3-`[_iFF;Z0 ^ In 1957 he enlisted his old collaborator Leonard Bernstein, plus the playwright Arthur Laurents and novice lyricist Stephen Sondheim, to re-imagine Romeo and Juliet for the gang-ridden streets of New York City. About half of the dancers from New York City Ballet were on hand, plus a coterie of bustling ballet masters and Mr. Robbins. He was a resident choreographer and a ballet master there until 1983, when he and Peter Martins became ballet masters in chief (codirectors) of the company shortly before Balanchines death. Blocking belongson the stage,not on websites. A greater compliment Ive never known. A detailed timeline of the events, works and influences of Jerome Robbins. His standard was so very high and we were part of achieving that standard. The Jets and Sharks in West Side Story are not chorus boys. Theyre edgy, they hunker down into dancing or launch themselves into the air without denying that effort. Jerome Robbins was caught between the moon and New York City. In many musicals, he integrated dance seamlessly with character, story and music. But threatened by exposure of his homosexuality, he at length agreed to testify before HUAC and named eight people. Deprived of a college education by the Depression, he began his career as a dancer in the experimental troupe of Gluck Sandor. I don't want to fall into profundities and artistry and surround everything with whipped cream. Did you hear the coughing? 8o In the early 1940s, when young Jerome Robbins was a dancer in a newly founded company, Ballet Theatre, he already had ambitions to be a choreographer, and he finally presented a scenario that. He listened to recordings intently, over and over, and let them ignite images of a ballets atmosphere and those who peopled it. After leading Fedora earlier this season, the soprano is back at the Metropolitan Opera as Norma. Jerome Robbins . If a plot was involved, he might want a dancer to know what his/her character had eaten for dinner the night before. In 1965 Robbins resumed creating ballets with his acclaimed Les Noces. And eight months later Robbins and his collaborators turned the ballet into On the Town, a Broadway hit that extended the boundaries of what the musical could achieve. This is where I knew Jerry. Why cant we talk about the way we dance today, and how we are? Recruiting an unknown young American composer named Leonard Bernstein to write a score, he concocted Fancy Free, a jazz-inflected ballet about three sailors on shore leave that received 22 curtain calls at its premiere on April 22, 1944. Much of the original choreography is lovingly recreated in several sections also. From the ballet world, Christopher Wheeldon is a fan. I heard a familiar whistle. Then they begin to move. It revealed ideas that were to shape Robbins work, both in ballet and on Broadway. In honor of Robbins centenary, here are a few things you should know about the legend. With barely a word, the show begins with gangs stealing the stage from one another. He was both, OK? Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. This ballet, featuring three American sailors on shore leave in New York City during World War II, displayed Robbins acute sense of theatre and his ability to capture the essence of contemporary American dance using the vocabulary of classical ballet. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Jazz is so much more than sleek finger snaps, sharp hips, and jazz hands. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 239 0 obj <>stream Jerry would reiterate the length of each silence, encouraging us to find a duration that would make the audience and even fellow cast members uncomfortable. But in terms of personal background and stylistic interest, Robbins had more in common with his contemporary Leonard Bernstein, with whom he worked several times. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. A multi-faceted individual, his work ranged from classical ballet to contemporary musical theater, and he also occasionally directed films and television programs. What was the name of the song at the beginning of the 1964 Broadway hit that showed Jerome was an advocate of telling at the top of its show what it's about to see? Michael Jackson's "Beat It" did so as well in 1982. Jerome Robbins Foundation on Instagram: Jerome Robbins and Annabelle Lyon in Summer Day in 1947. The Rabinowitz family later moved to Weehawken, New Jersey, when Jerry's father and uncle opened the Comfort Corset Company. Dance Magazine: Move and be moved Report this resourceto let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Fun Facts The same programme is at Sadler's Wells in London, 1-5 December. | His first paid job as a dancer came in the 1930's, where he worked at a summer camp ran by Max Liebman. There he won audiences with his performances in Balanchines Prodigal Son, Tyl Ulenspiegel and other ballets, and with the innovative, character-based choreography of such works as The Guests, Age of Anxiety, and The Cage. On our first day, Jerry asked me to make my entrance. Jerome Robbins, original surname Rabinowitz, (born Oct. 11, 1918, New York, N.Y., U.S.died July 29, 1998, New York City), one of the most popular and imaginative American choreographers of the 20th century. Mambas, cha-chas, and jazz contractions. It did. He won Tony Awards, Oscars, accolades and honors, and yet demons and self-doubt characterized much of his existence. Tragedy awaits. Deborah Jowitt, a dance critic and historian, is the author of Jerome Robbins: His Life, His Theater, His Dance. He won acclaim for highly innovative ballets structured within the traditional framework of classical dance movements. He directed some straight theatre and quit ballet in 1966, establishing the small-scale and short-lived American Theatre Lab to explore experimental drama. Jerry was a coach like no other. change, the influence of, for example, Ruth St. Denis on Cole, and the legacies of Cole and . These innovative works display his gift for capturing the essence of a particular era through his mastery of vernacular dance styles and his understanding of gesture. I was slated to play Cupid in Jerome Robbins compilation of fairy tales called Tradition. My first rehearsal with Jerry was like an audition. St Pauls Place, Norfolk Street, Sheffield, S1 2JE. What time does your father wake up on most days and what time did he wake up today? During this extraordinary, prolific career, Mr. Robbins served on the National Council on the Arts from 1974 to 1980, and the New York State Council on the Arts/Dance Panel from 1973 to 1988. He also loved dogs. 200. . In 1940 he joined Ballet Theater (now American Ballet Theatre), where he soon began dancing such important roles as Petrouchka. Because of his movements he was a huge inspiration to many of the most famous jazz choreographers such as Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse, And Gwen Verdon. Here in "Cool," the Jets are coiled and tense, trying to find control in a chaotic world. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jerome-Robbins, Public Broadcasting Service - Biography of Jerome Robbins, Official Site of the Jerome Robbins Trust and Foundation, American Ballet Theatre - Biography of Jerome Robbins, Jerome Robbins - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). I initially learned the work from ballet master Bart Cook. For his version of Wagner opera at the Metropolitan Opera, director Franois Girard went for a cosmic, fantastical setting. "Judith Mackrell, Guardian, 2008. However, when he returned to the New York City Ballet as a ballet master in 1969, he was hungry to make only ballets, and for almost all of those that he choreographed between Dances at a Gathering and his last ballet, Brandenburg (1997), music became his principal generating source, as it was Balanchines. Sign up for reopening news, announcements, and exclusive discounts on tickets to your favorite shows! The Four Seasons, I accidentally kicked my partner in the foot and caused a sprain. For the next three years he worked on an experimental theatre project, the American Theatre Laboratory, but in 1969 he returned to NYCB. Mother Goose. 300. turning on one foot. In the limpid Afternoon of a Faun, he emphasised the artifice. With rising anger Jerry shouted, Not you. He continued to make award-winning dances for Broadway as well, and with The King & I earned his first ticket to Hollywood. But unlike others who created ballets with pioneers and cowboys, Mr Robbins did not indulge in 'Americana'.
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