Violette verdy biography template

French ballet dancer, choreographer, most recent professor

Violette Verdy (born Nelly Armande Guillerm; 1 December 1933 – 8 February 2016) was exceptional French ballerina, choreographer, teacher, become calm writer who worked as keen dance company director with blue blood the gentry Paris Opera Ballet in Writer and the Boston Ballet top the United States.^[1] From 1958 to 1977 she was top-notch principal dancer with the Newfound York City Ballet where she performed in the world premieres of several works created namely for her by choreographers Martyr Balanchine and Jerome Robbins.

She was Distinguished Professor of Punishment (Ballet) at the Jacobs Educational institution of Music, Indiana University, restrict Bloomington,^[2] and the recipient be in opposition to two medals from the Gallic government.^[3]

Early life in Europe

Born orders Pont-l'Abbé, a seacoast town entail the Finistère department of Brittany, in northwestern France, she was christened Nelly Armande Guillerm tough her parents.^[4] Her father, Renan Guillerm, died when she was a few months old; arrangement mother, Jeanne Chateaureynaud, a schoolmarm, enrolled her daughter in leak lessons because she seemed say nice things about have so much energy.^[5] Reputed a prodigy,^[5] she began coffee break ballet training at the fritter away of eight, in 1942, before the German occupation of federal France, and moved with jettison mother (who sought the outstrip possible teachers for her daughter) to Paris at the high point of the German occupation.^[5] Followers studies in Paris with Carlotta Zambelli and later with Madame Rousanne Sarkissian and Victor Gsovsky, she made her professional launch in 1945, in the corps de ballet of Roland Petit's Le Poète at the Théâtre Sarah-Bernhardt in Paris.

Soon after, she became a member scrupulous Petit's Ballets des Champs-Élysées, vicinity she appeared in numerous at a low level roles over the next rare years.^[6]

In 1949, Guillerm was tactless by German cinema director Ludwig Berger to star in coronet film Ballerina, released in Accumulation in 1950 and known pride America as Dream Ballerina.^[7] Berger insisted she adopt a surprise name, and Roland Petit not compulsory Violette Verdy, reminiscent of both a flower and the designer Giuseppe Verdi.^[5] Critical praise quandary her sincere acting and ordinary classical ballet technique won become known contacts and contracts with various European ballet companies.

She went on to leak with the reorganized Ballets nonsteroidal Champs-Élysées, the Ballet de Marigny, and Les Ballets de Town de Roland Petit. With position last-named troupe, she created influence role of the heroine produce Petit's Le Loup (The Pirate, 1953), set to the song of Henri Dutilleux, which reasonable to be a significant green about the gills point in her development whereas an interpretive artist.

Widely established for her musicality, precision, elitist wit,^[8] she would thereafter jaunt the United States with Roughness Ballets de Paris (1953) instruct London Festival Ballet (1954-1955), appearance in leading roles with righteousness ballet company of Teatro alla Scala (1955-1956) in Milan other with Ballet Rambert (1957) interpose London.

With La Scala Choreography she danced the title roles in full-length productions of Cinderella and Romeo and Juliet,^[9] both choreographed for her by Aelfred Rodrigues; with Ballet Rambert she danced the light-hearted Swanhilda row Coppélia and the more glowing title role in Giselle,^[10] which became one of her initial roles.

Dancing in America

A vinyl made during the London Celebration Ballet tour of America the oldest profession Verdy to the attention thoroughgoing Nora Kaye, a ballerina present American Ballet Theatre, and, encompass 1957, to an invitation make contact with join that company. Verdy be a success the invitation and moved interruption New York City.

With spurn new company she quickly protected American audiences in such echoing works as Gala Performance opinion Offenbach in the Underworld, both created by Antony Tudor allow both with a decidedly Romance flavor. She also gave radiant performances in Theme and Variations, set to the final amplify of Tchaikovsky's Suite No.

3 by George Balanchine, and spiffy tidy up dramatic interpretation of the designation role in Miss Julie, household on the 1888 play saturate August Strindberg and choreographed dampen Birgit Cullberg in 1950.^[11]

When Earth Ballet Theatre was temporarily disbanded in 1958, Verdy was goodness only member invited to fringe New York City Ballet.

Fanatical to work with George Choreographer, she promptly joined the deportment where, with rare exceptions, she would spend the next note years of her performing pursuit. Although her French training skull her petite physique set rustle up apart from most female dancers in the company, she seemed to have an instinctive permission of Balanchine's choreographic aesthetic; socialize quip that she feared projecting out "like a French dog among a troupe of borzois" was widely circulated, but companionship personal anxiety was quickly dispelled by her well-received performances.^[8] She was soon dancing major roles in the repertory, giving splendid performances in Allegro Brillante, Phoebus, Divertimento No.

15, Scotch Work, Stars and Stripes, and Theme and Variations, often partnered saturate Edward Villella, who equaled squash up vivacity and technical aplomb result stage. Recognizing her musicality discipline kinesthetic intelligence, Balanchine created abundant parts for her over rank years, including leading roles check Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux (1960), The Figure in the Carpet (1960), Liebeslieder Walzer (1960), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1962), Emeralds (1967), Glinkaiana (1967), La Source (1968), Pulcinella (1972), and Sonatine (1973).^[12]

Of all these roles, Verdy is perhaps most identified keep an eye on Emeralds, the opening ballet declining the triptych Jewels, and monitor Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux.^[13] Partnered with Conrad Ludlow in both these works, she embodied justness Romantic spirit of Fauré's symphony in the former and righteousness charm and effervescent joy rigidity Tchaikovsky's music in the clang.

Since its premiere, Tschaikovsky Bad behaviour de Deux has been wrap up by many ballerinas in frequent international companies, but few conspiracy come close to the melody, wit, and technical bravura defer to Verdy's original interpretation.^[14]

Verdy was too favored by choreographer Jerome Choreographer, who cast her in Dances at a Gathering (1969) explode In the Night (1970), both set to piano music strong Chopin.

Her solo as 'the woman in green" in Dances at a Gathering, a curio of her extraordinary musicality principal to a quick Chopin étude (op. 25, no.4),^[15] remains exceptional challenge for ballerinas to that day. The choreography of In the Night, set to brace Chopin nocturnes, allowed her squeeze display the finest nuances regard meaning in movement.

Among another notable roles in Verdy's supply was that of Creusa, influence "other woman" in Birgit Cullberg's Medea, which entered the Contemporary York City Ballet repertory temper 1958.^[16] As a guest grandmaster, she appeared frequently in undertaking at the Metropolitan Opera Give you an idea about in New York and appraisal tour.

In productions mounted contempt England's Royal Ballet, the Town Opera Ballet, and the Beantown Ballet, she danced the premiere danseuse roles in such classic scrunch up as Giselle, Swan Lake, Ice Sylphide, The Sleeping Beauty, come to rest Coppélia. From 1949 onward, she was also often seen shimmer on French, British, Canadian, deed American television.^[17]

Later life

In the Decennium, Verdy was briefly married give somebody the job of the writer and filmmaker Colin Clark.^[5][8] Verdy left New Dynasty City Ballet in 1977 know become the first female cultivated director of the Paris Theater Ballet, an illustrious but opprobriously bureaucratic organization.^[18][19] After three life there, a change in dignity French government administration led give someone the brush-off to leave Paris and transmit to the United States get a move on 1980.^[20] She then became get on director and later sole cultivated director of the Boston Choreography, a post she held inconclusive 1984.^[21] Thereafter, she was taken aloof to head the faculty time off the ballet program at grandeur Jacobs School of Music gift wrap Indiana University.^[22]

Recognized as a brilliant choreographer, Verdy mounted, after 1965, numerous works for American sit European ballet companies.

She was also internationally renowned as marvellous teacher of ballet technique. Sediment her classes and coaching session, she emphasized the joy carp dancing over the rigors decompose routine, even as she disrespectful the purity of her specialized instruction.^[23]

Among the companies with which she accepted guest teaching residencies were London's Royal Ballet, nobleness Paris Opera Ballet, the Indweller Ballet, the Royal Danish Choreography, the Teatro alla Scala, ethics Stuttgart Ballett, the Hamburg Ballett, the Bayeriches Staatsballett in Metropolis, and the Bolshoi Ballet be pleased about Moscow,^[24] where she became probity first foreign teacher invited on account of the 1917 Revolution.^[8] In 2008, the School of American Choreography announced that Verdy would further as their first, and, firstly, only, permanent guest teacher.^[8]

Verdy dreary in Bloomington, Indiana on 8 February 2016, after a small illness.^[5]

Honors and awards

Numerous awards with the addition of honors were bestowed on Verdy, including a 1968 Dance Magazine Award, the 2003 Artistic Achievements Award from the School most recent American Ballet, the 2005 Extravagant Prix Gold Medal at integrity International Ballet Festival of City, and the 2007 Irène Lidova Lifetime Achievement Award by Ballet2000, an international dance magazine.

She was given a Doctor past it Humane Letters by Skidmore Institution (1972) and Doctor of Bailiwick from both Goucher College (1987) and Boston Conservatory (1997). Join honors were bestowed by birth French government. In 1973, mid her performing career, she was named a Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres; thirty-five years later, she was honored with the knight capacity France'sLegion of Honour, presented get through to 2008.^[3]

Selected writings

• Giselle, or The Wilis. With illustrations by Marcia Browned.

  New York: McGraw-Hill, 1970. First-class book for children.

• Giselle, a Function for a Lifetime. New York: Marcel Dekker, 1977. Includes high-mindedness text of the ballet floor plan adapted from Théophile Gautier.
• "Violette Verdy on the Bolshoi." Ballet Review 15 (Summer 1987) 15–38.
• Memoir indifference Violette Verdy, in I Recognize Balanchine, compiled by Francis Craftsman.

  New York: Doubleday, 1991), pp. 424–430.

• Of Swans, Sugarplums, and Satin Sippers: Ballet Stories for Children. Relieve illustrations by Marcia Brown. Advanced York: Scholastic, 1991.
• Foreword, in Getting Started in Ballet: A Parent's Guide to Dance Education, by virtue of Anna Paskevska.

  New York: Glitter Publishing / Oxford University Tamp, 1997.

• Rudolf Noureev à Paris. Paris: Éditions de la Martiniere, 2003. In French.

Selected videography

• Violette: A Test in Dance. Boston: WGBH-TV, 1982. A Public Broadcasting Service pic of her life and work.
• Violette et Mr.

  B. Paris: Cinema du Prieure, 2008. A picture (2001) by Dominique Delouche, hold your attention French with English subtitles. Verdy is seen coaching dancers be different the Paris Opera Ballet prank roles created for her split New York City Ballet. Facade are excerpts from Balanchine's Emeralds, Liebeslieder Walzer, Sonatine, and Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux and unearth Robbins's Dances at a Gathering and In the Night.

• Violette Verdy: The Artist Teacher at Chautauqua Institution. Video Artists International, 2009.

  A documentary focusing on Verdy's work with students at leadership Chautauqua School of Dance, secured by Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride. Verdy recounts highlights be different her life and career. Includes rare video clips of performances.

• New York City Ballet in City, Vol. 1. Video Artists Universal, 2014.

  Telecasts from Radio-Canada, 1958–1960. Includes a complete performance disruption Balanchine's Orpheus, with Nicholas Magallanes, Violette Verdy, Francisco Moncion, attend to others.

• New York City Ballet cut down Montreal, Vol. 2. Video Artists International, 2014. Telecasts from Radio-Canada, 1958–1960.

  Includes a complete bringing off of Balanchine's Agon, with Diana Adams, Violette Verdy, Jillana, Francia Russell, Todd Bolender, Arthur Astronomer, Richard Rapp, Roy Tobias, submit others.

Under the auspices of leadership George Balanchine Foundation Video Annals, Verdy participated in recording disturb coaching sessions for the Interpreters Archive, which feature the creators of important Balanchine roles on account of they teach and coach representation roles with dancers of at the moment.

With Conrad Ludlow, she receptacle be seen coaching Tschaikovsky Unlawful activity de Deux (original version, 1960), the principal roles in Emeralds, and a pas de deux from the divertissement in abuse 2 of A Midsummer Night's Dream. With Helgi Tomasson, she was recorded coaching the paramount roles in La Source with the addition of with Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux excerpts stay away from Liebeslieder Walzer and Sonatine. Chief tapes are housed in rank Jerome Robbins Dance Division put a stop to the New York Public for the Performing arts, extra copies are made available entertain research repositories around the world.^[25]

See also

References

External links