The George Balanchine Foundation has launched a youtube channel

[Alexandra]

From the George Balanchine Foundation

THE GEORGE BALANCHINE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF ITS YOUTUBE CHANNEL

NEW YORK CITY: The George Balanchine Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of the official GBF YouTube channel. Taking advantage of the ubiquitous and ever expanding digital media available to the general public, the GBF YouTube channel will launch with content from our Video Archives Collection. We believe it is critically important to share this work, and to this end the Foundation will begin by posting nearly 50 video interviews from the Collection.

The GBF’s Video Archive Collection is designed to document as closely as possible Mr. Balanchine’s original intent as he choreographed his ballets. We engaged dancers for whom Mr. Balanchine either created or taught his ballets to coach today’s dancers in these roles. These recorded coaching sessions provide invaluable insights into Mr. Balanchine’s creative process. At the end of each coaching session, a dance historian or critic interviews the original interpreter(s) in depth in order to further flesh out Mr. Balanchine’s ideas. These interviews will now be readily accessible to dance professionals, students and the general public through our YouTube channel.

Nancy Reynolds, dance historian, writer, and the Foundation's director of research, conceived and continues to direct the program, assisted by independent film maker and film professor Virginia Brooks, Gus Reed, a New York City based film maker and Paul Boos, a répétiteur with the George Balanchine Trust and former dancer under Balanchine with the New York City Ballet.

Please visit the GBF YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/blnchn. For a full listing of the George Balanchine Video Archives please visit: http://balanchine.org/03/gbfvideoarchives_videos.html The complete versions of the Archive videos (complete versions include the entire coaching session) are available through many public libraries and universities through our partnership with Alexander Street Press. http://alexanderstreet.com/discipline/music-dance

The George Balanchine Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation founded in 1983. Its mission is to create programs that educate the public and further Balanchine’s work and aesthetic in order to facilitate high standards of excellence in dance and related arts.

[Drew]

This sounds great--I am off to check it out.

[Dale]

This is so wonderful!!

[sohalia]

Best news ever!

[Amy Reusch]

This is wonderful!! So very happy they found a way around risking the copyright of the choreography to do this!

[sandik]

About time! I did love this statement "Taking advantage of the ubiquitous and ever expanding digital media available to the general public."

[Kaysta]

How awesome!

[pherank]

Good news, indeed. Since this is a collection of coaching sessions and interviews, they are steering clear of performance videos at present. Presumably there are too many licensing issues with performances. Ah well.

The coaching sessions should be very interesting if you want to know something of the intent behind the movements.

[MadameP]

I wish they would show some of the actual ballets on this channel. For those of us who do not live in America, it is very difficult to see Balanchine choreography. The Royal Ballet does have , and has had, SOME Balanchine in its repertoire, but only a fraction of what is available. Yes, there is some on video but I would love to be able to see more.

[Cygnet]

This is wonderful news!

[volcanohunter]

Since this is a collection of coaching sessions and interviews, they are steering clear of performance videos at present. Presumably there are too many licensing issues with performances. Ah well.

The coaching sessions should be very interesting if you want to know something of the intent behind the movements.

I wish they would show some of the actual ballets on this channel. For those of us who do not live in America, it is very difficult to see Balanchine choreography. The Royal Ballet does have , and has had, SOME Balanchine in its repertoire, but only a fraction of what is available. Yes, there is some on video but I would love to be able to see more.

Making complete performances available would probably be the prerogative of the Balanchine Trust. The mandate of the Foundation is a little different. On the video front it's known for filming coaching sessions led by the original interpreters.

The George Balanchine Foundation Video Archives consists of two collections: the Archive of Lost Choreography and the Interpreters Archive. With the video archive program, the Foundation offers an invaluable reference tool that preserves forever Balanchine's views about his own choreography.

The Archive of Lost Choreography is dedicated to the retrieval of Balanchine choreography no longer performed and in danger of permanently disappearing. The Interpreters Archive features the creators of important Balanchine roles as they teach and coach the roles with dancers of today. This provides a unique record of the choreography as it first took shape.

http://www.balanchine.org/balanchine/03/gbfvideoarchives.html

[diane]

I understand the problems involved with putting up actual performances, but I also completely agree with MadameP, as I also do not live in the USA, and so have quite limited access to Balanchine ballets.

That said, I very much enjoy coaching sessions and also often prefer to watch rehearsals over actual performances - most fo the time, anyway - so I am very pleased to have this link and information! thank you!

-d-

[Mme. Hermine]

It's all fun to watch; I especially like the one of Violette with Conrad Ludlow about the Tchaikovsky PDD:

[vrsfanatic]

Thank you. This is wonderful.

[cubanmiamiboy]

It is great. I just watched the interviews with Alicia Alonso, Melissa Hayden and Conrad Ludlow.