Ballet - a symbol of elegance and pose, the classic ballets such as Swan Lake come to mind when you first think of ballet. However that is not the modern era of ballet, it isn't surprising to learn that it was a Russian choreographer who helped change the face of ballet into its modern stance of expression and feelings. Serge Diaghilev created a band of ballet dancers known as the Ballets Russes, its choreographer was known other than Michel Fokine a dancer who had been trying to reform ballet. In 1909, the Ballet Russes appeared in Paris and performed the Les Sylphides, and it is the performance, which is said to mark the beginning of the modern era of ballet. An interesting note about this group is that its producer and director Diaghilev was not a dancer; however he had an eye for dance for he brought the best of designers, musicians, choreographers and dancers together and put together marvelous shows. Ballet Russes performed to the music of Stravinsky in the productions of The Firebird in 1910 and Petrouchka in 1911.
The next choreographer of the Ballet Russes was dancer and choreographer Vaslav Nijinsky. He is know for 3 productions; one of which caused riots in Paris upon its premier. Two of the productions were put to the music of Debussy with Afternoon of a Faun in 1912 and Jeaux in 1913. It was the production of The Rite of spring that started the riots in Paris. The Rite of spring was produced in 1913 to the music of Stravinsky. After the riots, Leonide Massine replaced Nijinsky. Massine had 2 productions during that time: The Parade in 1917 and The Three-Cornered hat, which premiered in 1919.
Ballet both classical and modern are dances put to music, a very well known ballet still performed today is Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky - a part of the Nutcracker Suite. It is often his music that I have playing through my mind as I read the literature of Russian writers.
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