Paul Parish Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Was it Balanchine who first used the title "choreographer" to refer to his work? If so, where did I read that? Link to comment
Helene Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 I don't think he was the first to call himself "choreographer", but he insisted upon being billed this way for his work on Broadway. I'm fairly sure this was in Taper, and it has been picked up by other biographers and writers as well. Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Before that, the term was customarily "dance director", or other similar formation. Link to comment
rg Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Balanchine was the first to insist on getting credit in his broadway word for 'choreography' but he seems to have disliked the word 'choreographer.' he preferred "balletmaster" - as his tombstone, like Petipa's. attests. it's said, i believe, that he was the first, or among the first, to get choreography credit for his show (and maybe movie) work. most russian lists of credits for ballets before and during Balanchine's day in russia also use the word 'balletmaster,' not 'choreographer.' Link to comment
bart Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Didn't Lifar, in the mid-30s, use "choreautor" or something like that? Link to comment
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