Ballet Russes

  • Serge Diaghilev

    Serge Diaghilev
    Diaghilev dies, no one to run the company
  • Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo

    Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
    Wasily de Basil and Rene Blum took over the ballet company and named it Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.
  • George Balachine

    George Balachine
    George Balachine was a choreographer for Serge Diaghilev in the original Ballet Russes. However, when Diaghliev died he became the ballet master for Basil and Blum.
  • Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo

    The first season opens for Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo for Basil and Blum. Ballerina's such as Tamara Toumanova, Irina Boranova, Tania Riabouchinska were important dancers in the Ballet Russe along with others. Each dancer had their own style like Tamara was known for a dramatic style of dancing and Irina was known for a pretty, girly style.
  • Leonide Massine

    Leonide Massine
    After the first season, George Balanchine was replaced with Leonide Massine. He danced and choreographed majority of the dances, his style involved a witty, sophisticated appeal to his dances. Also, he made strong lead roles for male dancers, the audience loved his work.
  • Sol Hurok

    Sol Hurok
    Sol Hurok was an impresario who booked their first American Tour.
  • Basil vs Massine

    Basil and Blum weren't aren't great terms when it came to the company, so Blum left and Massine didn't like Basil's attitude either so he left as well to start his own company.
  • Basil and Massine War

    There was a war between Basil and Massine of the who would keep the company name and dance. Massine won the company over and Basil changed his company name to the Original Ballet Russe. In addition, fought over which dancers would stay with the company.
  • David Lichine

    David Lichine
    Basil hired a new choreographer after Massine left, David Lichine.
  • Companies go Public

    Companies go Public
    Both companies performed in London for their first season and the public loved them. However, Basil went to Australia, they loved it as well. They both brought a different perspective on dance and ballet of how unique and different their dancing was.
  • WW2

    WW2
    War was declared in starting World War 2. Majority of Russian people didn't have the paper work to leave the country so both of the Ballet companies went on a boat to America.
  • Welcome to America

    Welcome to America
    After being on the boat with everything going on, it had been weeks without rehearsing and Massine 's Company had to perform when they got to America. In addition, both companies went on tour for 9 months traveling on the boat.
  • Last performance

    Last performance
    After touring, everyone was exhausted and Massine and Basil started talking about the company again. They wanted to tour again to America but it was too much and some of the dancers began to leave for other opportunities so Masssine hired new dancers. It was the company's last performance. Later on, Agnes de Mille a American dancer took overthe Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo company.