Vaslav Nijinsky

Vaslav Nijinsky was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer born March 12, 1889 in Kiev, Ukraine. In the world of ballet, Nijinsky was known as the greatest male dancer of the early 20th century. He gained his popularity and recognition for his intense commitment to characterizations, artistry, and extreme focus on techniques. Those achievements were gained within the time span of nine years—compared to other artists of that time, it took decades or even after their career for their work to be recognized. Vassal Nijinsky was one of the few men who was able to flawlessly execute the technique ‘en pointe’. The classical ballet technique required dancers to support their entire body weight at the tip of their toes with a fully extended vertical foot, making dancers appear weightless. Nijinsky was born into a home that was heavily influenced by dance through his parents. Tomas Nizynski and Eleonora Bereda were Polish dancers who worked on the touring circuit with the Setov Opera Company. They also performed in circuses, opera houses, and summer theaters throughout Poland and Russia. Since Nijinsky’s parents toured with the company, he was exposed to dance at a very young age—especially since Thomas…

course. I allowed my body to give into gravity, but also remembering the use of breath and musicality. I gained knowledge on the changes in history of ballet from the beginning to present day. Knowing ballerinas were required to wear corsets to keep their upper body straight inspired me to imagine I was wearing one during class to keep from being loose. Not only were changes made over time with the corset, but changes in a dancer’s presentation also. A famous ballet “Rite of Spring”, originally…

On May 29, 1913, spectators filled every sit in the theatre des Champs-Elysees in Paris. They sat in anticipation of celebrated dancer and choreographer Vaslav Nijinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps, in English, The Rite of Spring, a ballet set on the dancers of the critically-acclaimed Russian company, Ballets Russes. Ever since its inception in French courts in the 15th century, ballet has remained a pastime reserved for those with class. When one envisions a ballet, they imagine an evening of…

It is regarded as the most influential ballet of the 20th century, and its influences are still evident today. The Ballet Russes toured in America in 1916. Anna Pavlova briefly worked for the Ballet Russes. Both the company and Pavlova assisted in the introduction of ballet to America. Vaslav Nijinsky is considered the most popular and talented dancer in The Ballet Russes’ history, as well as the greatest male dancer of the 20th century. Nijinsky began formally studying ballet at the age of…

One of the greatest and most infamous success scandals of the modern art is “The Rite of Spring”. In Paris, on May 29, 1913, a hundred and three years ago, the Ballets Russes debuted “Le Sacre du Printemps” which its traduction to English is “The Rite of Spring”. With the opening notes of the musician and composer Igor Stravinsky, the main dancer and choreographer Vaslav Nijinsky, with Marie Rambert helping him to assist the choreographies, and Nicholas Roerich the costume designer a…

Diaghilev was relishing in the uproar. He got what he wanted out of the performance. Vaslav Nijinsky, the choreographer, was told by audience members that his choreography did not embody what ballet actually was. The audience did not understand Nijinsky’s choreography. He was trying to embody the awkward movements that may have came from a primitive society. The jumping, stomping, and shaking was to show the terror the people of the society felt about the sacrifice. Some of the dancers claimed…

Claude Debussy was born in the year 1862 near Paris, France. His birth name was Achille-Claude Debussy. When Debussy was a young boy, his aunt Clementine set up his first piano lessons with Jean Cerutti. In 1871, his father was arrested and he was sent to live with Antoinette Maute. While living with Maute, Debussy was enrolled in the Paris conservatory and began attending classes in 1872. While he was there he studied under Antoine Marmontel and Albert Lavignac. Even though he was a skilled…

it was taken in a forest, but upon further examination, it is clear that the photograph was taken in an urban environment. A patch of a brick wall can be seen through the leaves and a concrete floor can be seen in the foreground. The autochrome technique allows for a much clearer image, when compared to older techniques including the daguerreotype, ambrotype, or ferrotype. However, the fine details of the photograph are slightly grainy and blurred. Baron Adolph de Meyer, the creator if this…

Existentialism is not so much a philosophy or ideology as a psychological attitude - almost a post-trumatic stress syndrome brought on by ordinary, everyday life instead of combat in especially sensitive souls. In fact, if Colin Wilson is to be believed, the giants of western thought are basically literate versions of the wounded, no-ranch cowboys of S. E. Hinton’s section-eight housing Tulsa. They are sensitive and artistic souls revolted by a cruel and meaningless universe which they are…

the Mariinsky Ballet, and has been since the end of Soviet rule. Originally known as “the Imperial Russian Ballet – the company was born under the command of Catherine the Great.” The ballet company possessed some artistic freedom under Soviet rule but still had to follow particular guidelines. In order to maintain multiple dancers, the theater would recruit children from all over Russia and bring them back to the theater to be trained. They were then able to “…spread and evaluate the quality…