Ballets Russes
Image courtesy of Zeitgeist Films		On the recommendation of friends, documentary filmmakers Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine made a special trip to New Orleans in January of 2000 to attend the only reunion to ever be held for the surviving members of the world famous Ballets Russes. Who are the Ballets Russes, you ask? Believe me, if my own sister wasn’t a ballet teacher, I’d be as clueless as the next person about the most famous ballet company of all time. Yet, even though I’d at least head of them, Geller and Goldfine’s Ballets Russes gave me a beautiful look inside one heck of a history lesson.
Originally, the Ballets Russes were a group of Russian refugees assembled by Sergi Diaghilev in Paris at the turn of the century who never actually danced in Russia. After Diaghilev’s sudden death in 1929, the Ballets Russes remained in limbo until 1931 when Col. Vassili de Basil and Rene Blum resurrected these refugee dancers, hired Leonide Messine as their art director, and changed their name to the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. At the end of the “Messine Era,” the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo suffered its first major blow when Blum left; and, the in-fighting between de Basil and Messine lead to the “Great Ballet Wars of 1938.” The result of these ugly legal battles ultimately gave Messine the rights to the name “Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.” Of course, De Basil wasted little time in hiring Messine’s biggest rival, David Lichine, as art director of his new group, the “Original Ballet Russe.” After the two troupes split and went their own ways, they spend the better part of the following decade trying to steal the other’s dancers. My, oh my…hell hath no fury like an angry ballet choreographer. In the summer of 1944, the Ballets Russes found success on Broadway with the return of their original choreographer George Balanchine who made his own controversial changes. His vision focused on the image of bodies in motion which overly stressed the importance of ballet dancers having long legs, small heads, and short torsos. He also believed that dancers who showed emotion and wore flamboyant costumes distracted the audience from the art of the dance. Personally, what I’m curious about is whether or not we should credit Balanchine with creating the “classic ballerina look;” or, we should hold him accountable for the reason why so many of today’s dancers suffer from eating disorders?
Even after Balanchine’s departure, the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo continued to break new ground in 1954 by hiring Raven Wilkinson, the first African American ballerina to join the company. During Wilkinson’s third American tour, the racial tension consuming audiences in the southern states forced Wilkinson to leave the company in the middle of the tour. She eventually quit the Ballets Russes, headed for Holland, and remained there until 1974. Sadly, Raven Wilkerson was never hired by another American ballet company.			Image courtesy of Zeitgeist Films
Finally, after years of bad management and financial difficulties, the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo gave their last performance on April 14, 1962. Even though the dancers went their own ways, most ended up teaching in order to “pass on their love of dance to the next generation.” Today, Marc Platt is the former ballet director at Radio City Music Hall, Maria Tallchief currently directs the Chicago Ballet, and Raven Wilkerson still performs with the New York Metropolitan Opera. Some, like Nathalie Krassovska, Tatiana Riaboushinska, and Nina Novak opened their own dance studios. Others, including Dame Alicia Markova, Mia Slavenska, George Zoritch, Yvonne Chouteau, Nini Theilade, Miguel Terekhov, and Rochelle Zide helped establish dance departments in various universities around the world where some still teach master level classes. What makes this documentary so unique is how Geller and Goldfine allow these dancers to tell their own story in their own words. The combination of present day interviews from the reunion, along with 16mm archive footage originally shot by the dancers, and over 400 archival stills effectively creates an intricate link between the past and the present; and, makes you feel as if you are reliving the history these amazing dancers tell as they pirouette down memory lane. Yet, as fascinating as their story is, the best part of Geller and Goldfine’s documentary is watching these world class dancers still dancing and teaching well into their 80’s and 90’s. I have to admit that any preconceived stereotypes I had about geriatric ballet dancers has now been completely thrown out the window. These feisty seniors are in far better shape than most of us will ever be, especially George Zoritch (83) who still worries about “looking good for the girls” whenever he works out at his local gym. But, Tatiana Riaboushinska summed it up best when someone asked her why she still taught, and she replied, “What else am I gonna do…sell fruit?”
Photo courtesy of Zeitgeist Films	Without question, Ballets Russes is a remarkable film that warmly and accurately captures the fascinating history of an art form rarely in the mainstream of the public eye. The only aspect of the film I would like to have seen more of is the lasting impact these dancers continue to have throughout the world. OK, sis…I guess I’m going to have to break down and take you to see a movie about your favorite tutu-clad heroes. What the heck, I’ll even bring some extra tissues for you when you get all blubbery watching them dance. You know, the more I think about it, the more I’m convinced I’m experiencing “la exquisité dolor” – the exquisite pain – of having to admit my dorky sister and her love for dance finally got me to watch a ballet movie. © Left From Hollywood 2006