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A Big Day For Ballet

--By Jeremy Caplan

When the dancers of the New York City Ballet company step onstage on January 22, they will honor what would have been the 100th birthday of one of the greatest choreographers of the 20th century, George Balanchine (ba-lun-sheen). Before he died, in 1983, Balanchine created 425 works of dance. He designed dancers' steps, jumps and twirls and showed them new ways to move. He guided some of the world's greatest ballerinas, helping them perform with grace and elegance.

Balanchine was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in 1904. At age 9, he started learning how to dance. After several years of performing, Balanchine decided to try creating his own dances.

He was so good at it that he soon stopped dancing. He focused on creating his own pieces and teaching them to dancers. He crafted movements to match the style and pace of the classical music he chose for his dances. Each ballet told a story. Audiences loved his work.

BRINGING BALLET TO AMERICA

Balanchine came to the United States in 1933, after having spent a few years in Europe. With a colleague, he founded the School of American Ballet, which still exists and trains dancers from all over the world. Next, Balanchine introduced to American audiences a new style of ballet that didn't tell a story, but instead emphasized graceful movements inspired by music. In 1948, he helped start the New York City Ballet company, which he led for nearly 35 years.

BALANCHINE'S LEGACY IN DANCE

"No one has had as much of an impact on dance history as Balanchine," says Helgi Tomlinson, who worked with Balanchine and is now the artistic director of the San Francisco Ballet. Balanchine's ballets are being performed this year by more than 60 companies worldwide. Dancers from China, Russia, France, England and the U.S. planned to honor his memory by staging a night of ballet together in China on January 20. "Balanchine was a great artist, like Picasso," says Nancy Reynolds, an expert on ballet. "He can never be replaced."

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