Ballet Wars

  • Marie Taglioni Birth

    Marie Taglioni is born on this day.
  • Fanny Cerrito Birth

    Fanny Cerrito is born on this day.
  • Carlotta Grisi Born

    Carlotta Grisi is born on this day in 1819.
  • Lucile Grahn Birth

    Lucile Grahn was born on this day.
  • La Sylphide

    Marie Taglioni performed her signature role of "La Sylphide" for the first time in Paris.
  • Fanny and Saint-Leon

    Fanny and Saint-Leon met and got married.
  • Grahn Moves

    Grahn moved to England and was the youngest member of the Pas de Quatre.
  • Taglioni Retires

    In 1847, Marie Taglioni retires from her career. She still continued to teach dance and she opened her own school.
  • Last Appearance

    Fanny and Saint-Leon performed together for the last time.
  • Grissi Retires

    Grissi retired in 1854 at the height of her career and settled in Paris.
  • Marius Petipa: Giselle

    The original choreography of Giselle has been lost, so the version we see most often today is based on Petipa's version.
  • Marie Taglioni Death

    This is the day that Marie Taglioni died.
  • Carlotta Grissi Death

    On this day in May, 1899, Carlotta Grissi died.
  • Grahn Died

    Lucille Grahn died in Germany on this day.
  • Cerrito Dies

    On this day in 1909, Fanncy Cerrito died.
  • Diaghilev Died

    All of Diaghilev's dancers were left without work.
  • Ballet Russe Ressurection

    The resurrection of the company began after Diaghilev's death.
  • First Performance

    The first performance of the Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo occured and critics said, "it was the authentic air to Diaghilev’s Ballet Russe.”
  • Massine Era

    At the Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo in London, the Massine Era of ballet began.
  • Tour to America

    The Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo left for America where Sol Hurok booked their first American tour. He was the most powerful theatrical promoter in the states.
  • Ready to Debut

    The Original Ballet Russe and the Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo were both ready to make their debut. Massine had lost all of the rights to his choreography, so he found himself having to create 3 new ballets for his company to perform.
  • Back in London

    Sol Hurok needed an another american tour, and he chose hte Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. Basil took his new company to Australia where they filled the theaters for seven months. In 1939 both companies were back in London.
  • Start of War

    Britain and France declared war on Germany in World War II. Both companies traveled on the same boat headed to America to escape the chaos going on in Europe.
  • Hurok Leaves

    Sol Hurok cut all ties he had with Basil and left The Original Ballet Russe. He declared Basil one of the most difficult people to work with. Basil and his company were left with no work, so they embarked on a Latin America tour.
  • Ballet and Broadway

    In 1944 Ballet crossed over into Broadway, choreographed by George Balachine. This was Balanchine's "return", because 12 years ago he has left the Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo and had been bouncing between Broadway and film.
  • Last Performance

    Hurok and Basil started talking again, and Hurok arranged for the country to return to America, but the company was not ready for the demands of touring again. The company started to fall apart, and their last performance was in 1948.