Farrell Fan Posted March 22, 2004 Share Posted March 22, 2004 I was astonished to read this in Jennifer Dunning's review of Symphony Space's Wall to Wall George Balanchine: "It was Lincoln Kirstein, who brought Balanchine to the United States from Paris in the 1930's who said, 'But first a school,' a famous dictum attributed once again to Balanchine in this program." She called the supposed misattribution "one of the few disappointments" of the day. Jennifer Dunning wrote a book, published in 1985, about SAB called "But First A School." The first lines of her preface are these: "'Would you come to America to start a ballet company?' The question was simple and direct, posed by Lincoln Kirstein to Georges Balanchine in London in 1933. 'But first,' Balanchine is said to have answered, 'a school.' That response is almost as firm a part of the Balanchine legend as his much-quoted notion that 'ballet is woman.' Their origins may be lost in time and embellished in myth." Has Ms. Dunning acquired new information cutting through time and myth to definitively identify the source of the quote? Personally, I think "Ballet is woman" was said by Maurice Bejart. Link to comment
Manhattnik Posted March 22, 2004 Share Posted March 22, 2004 I'm still absorbing Merrill Brockway's revelation that Mr. B's favorite TV show was "Wonder Woman." Funny thing is, I can really see it. Link to comment
Alexandra Posted March 22, 2004 Share Posted March 22, 2004 Farrell Fan, I think a lot of the bon mots attributed to Balanchine were phrased by Lincoln Kirstein -- but he did so accurately reflecting Balanchine's thoughts. This is the current state of the lore, at least. Since Dunning's book came out quite a while ago, she may well have found new information -- she couldn't possibly have written today's article not rememering her own book. (I don't know this - I don't know Dunning - but I can't imagine a writer forgetting a key point of her own book.) I love the Bejart attribution! I thought Balanchine watched Westerns -- that's the lore I grew up on. I can imagine him watching Wonder Woman. Perhaps that would have been a ballet..... Link to comment
Anna NYC Posted March 22, 2004 Share Posted March 22, 2004 Ask dancers who worked for Mr. B, at NYCB at length, and they will all tell you that Mr. B frequently said "ballet is woman." Link to comment
Alexandra Posted March 22, 2004 Share Posted March 22, 2004 Yes, Anna -- Farrell Fan and I were making a joke, but fogot the wink Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted March 22, 2004 Share Posted March 22, 2004 Yes, Balanchine said, "Ballet is Woman", and he said it on the cover of Newsweek magazine. That journal has nurtured a negative attitude toward male dancers ever since. Those of us who were around in the male dancing business at the time are still smarting a little from it. Link to comment
Alexandra Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 Yes, it's a very famous saying. And Bejart is known for making dances for men. As I wrote above, I think Farrell Fan's comment was meant as a joke, realizing that most people here would know the original. My comment was also made in that spirit. Link to comment
Farrell Fan Posted March 23, 2004 Author Share Posted March 23, 2004 Thanks, Alexandra. I'll be sure to post an appropriate smilie the next time I try to be funny. :rolleyes: Link to comment
Paul Parish Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 Gloria Govrin says that balanchine came over to her apartment to watch Gunsmoke. But then she herself IS Wonderwoman. Link to comment
doug Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 Francia Russell was speaking recently about working with Balanchine. She said when rehearsals were going slowly or choreography was not flowing, Balanchine would start asking whether it was time for coffee and then launch into an enthusiastic discussion of Wonder Woman. Link to comment
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