Ballets Russe

  • Founding of the Russian Imperial School of Ballet

    Founding of the Russian Imperial School of Ballet
    Originally called the Imperial Theater School, the school that trained all the original ballet dancers of the Ballets Russes was founded in St. Petersburg.
  • The Premier of Ballets Russes

    The Premier of Ballets Russes
    Ballets Russes premiered at the Theatre du Chatelet wowing Parisian audiences thus beginning the Fokine era.
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    Fokine era

    During the first of the Ballets Russes choreographic eras, Fokine choreographed he majority of the company's ballets and acted as b balletmeister. Some of his ballets are still performed today such asr Les Sylphides, Scheherezade, Firebird, Petrushka, and Spectre de la Rose.
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    The Brief Njinsky Era

    A Brief period of time during the Diaghilev era, during his era Nijinsky took the creative reins and choreographed numerous ballets.
  • Jeux is premiered

    Jeux is premiered
    Njinsky's Jeux premieres at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and was composed by Claude Debussy.
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    Massine Era

    During this time Massine worked more towards modern dance rather than traditional ballet choreographing works such as Le Soleil de Nuit, La Boutique Fantastique, and Le Tricorne.
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    Balanchine Era

    Balanchine was the last of the choreographers for Diaghilev's Ballets Russes choreographing nine ballets including La Chatte, Apollon Musagete, Le Fils Prodigue and Le Bal.
  • Death of Diaghilev

    Death of Diaghilev
    Upon his death, Diaghilev left his dancers without work. Many believed this was the end of Ballets Russes as it appeared no one would step up to fill the late impresario's position.
  • Ballets Russes De Monte Carlo Premier

    Ballets Russes De Monte Carlo Premier
    Lead by Wasily de Basil and Rene Blum with Balanchine as Ballet master the Ballets Russes De Monte Carlo opened to raving reviews with critics sggesting that it was the true heir to the ballet Russe.
  • The Falling Out

    The Falling Out
    Blum and Basil did not see eye to eye and in 1934 their partnership was dissolved. Basil stuck with the original company while Blum resigned and went out on his own
  • The Second Fallout

    The Second Fallout
    Basil's ego became to much for Massine to handle and hence Massine resigned taking the title of the company with him.
  • The Original Ballets Russes

    The Original Ballets Russes
    At the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden in London Basil's company under its new name began its inaugural season
  • Ballets Russes De Monte Carlo at Theater Royal

    Ballets Russes De Monte Carlo at Theater Royal
    Under Massine's leadership the company began a season at the Theater Royal, Drury Lane
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    London Ballet Wars

    In 1938 both the Original Ballets Russes and the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo performed in London within a few hundred yards of each other during what was known as the London Ballet Wars
  • The Original Ballest Russes final bow

    Due to much internal conflict and impresario Horuk's desertio of the company, it took its final bow on any stage in November of 1948 in America.
  • Ballets Russes De Monte Carlo sets sail for America

    Ballets Russes De Monte Carlo sets sail for America
    Lead by impresario Sol Horuk, the company toured the U.S. reaching over 3 million patrons by 1935