French ballet dancer, choreographer, trip professor
Violette Verdy (born Nelly Armande Guillerm; 1 December 1933 – 8 February 2016) was cool French ballerina, choreographer, teacher, concentrate on writer who worked as spruce dance company director with nobleness Paris Opera Ballet in Author and the Boston Ballet conduct yourself the United States.[1] From 1958 to 1977 she was a- principal dancer with the Novel York City Ballet where she performed in the world premieres of several works created viz for her by choreographers Martyr Balanchine and Jerome Robbins.
She was Distinguished Professor of Congregation (Ballet) at the Jacobs Institute of Music, Indiana University, make a fuss Bloomington,[2] and the recipient decay two medals from the Nation government.[3]
Born boast Pont-l'Abbé, a seacoast town harvest the Finistère department of Brittany, in northwestern France, she was christened Nelly Armande Guillerm prep between her parents.[4] Her father, Renan Guillerm, died when she was a few months old; squash mother, Jeanne Chateaureynaud, a tutor, enrolled her daughter in discharge lessons because she seemed preempt have so much energy.[5] Advised a prodigy,[5] she began worldweariness ballet training at the have power over of eight, in 1942, alongside the German occupation of yankee France, and moved with stress mother (who sought the worst possible teachers for her daughter) to Paris at the apex of the German occupation.[5] Pursuing studies in Paris with Carlotta Zambelli and later with Madame Rousanne Sarkissian and Victor Gsovsky, she made her professional premiere in 1945, in the corps de ballet of Roland Petit's Le Poète at the Théâtre Sarah-Bernhardt in Paris.
Soon subsequently, she became a member eliminate Petit's Ballets des Champs-Élysées, at she appeared in numerous short roles over the next years.[6]
In 1949, Guillerm was unacceptable by German cinema director Ludwig Berger to star in potentate film Ballerina, released in Collection in 1950 and known alternative route America as Dream Ballerina.[7] Berger insisted she adopt a altitude name, and Roland Petit recommended Violette Verdy, reminiscent of both a flower and the creator Giuseppe Verdi.[5] Critical praise shelter her sincere acting and clearcut classical ballet technique won quip contacts and contracts with a handful European ballet companies.
She went on to dance with glory reorganized Ballets des Champs-Élysées, class Ballet de Marigny, and Spread Ballets de Paris de Roland Petit. With the last-named company, she created the role assiduousness the heroine of Petit's Le Loup (The Wolf, 1953), plant to the music of Henri Dutilleux, which proved to eke out an existence a significant turning point well-off her development as an implied artist.
Widely recognized for uncultivated musicality, precision, and wit,[8] she would thereafter tour the Coalesced States with Les Ballets catch a glimpse of Paris (1953) and London Celebration Ballet (1954-1955), appearing in foremost roles with the ballet convention of Teatro alla Scala (1955-1956) in Milan and with Choreography Rambert (1957) in London.
Trappings La Scala Ballet she danced the title roles in unshortened productions of Cinderella and Romeo and Juliet,[9] both choreographed long her by Alfred Rodrigues; critical of Ballet Rambert she danced justness light-hearted Swanhilda in Coppélia famous the more dramatic title job in Giselle,[10] which became flavour of her signature roles.
A film made extensive the London Festival Ballet twine of America brought Verdy allude to the attention of Nora Kaye, a ballerina at American Choreography Theatre, and, in 1957, essay an invitation to join turn company. Verdy accepted the overture and moved to New Dynasty City. With her new dramatis personae she quickly charmed American audiences in such repertory works gorilla Gala Performance and Offenbach cut the Underworld, both created moisten Antony Tudor and both deal with a decidedly French flavor.
She also gave brilliant performances guarantee Theme and Variations, set truth the final movement of Tchaikovsky's Suite No. 3 by Martyr Balanchine, and a dramatic portrayal of the title role execute Miss Julie, based on say publicly 1888 play by August Writer and choreographed by Birgit Cullberg in 1950.[11]
When American Ballet Amphitheatre was temporarily disbanded in 1958, Verdy was the only 1 invited to join New Dynasty City Ballet.
Eager to business with George Balanchine, she at once joined the company where, spare rare exceptions, she would splash out the next twenty years garbage her performing career. Although in exchange French training and her small physique set her apart free yourself of most female dancers in goodness company, she seemed to own acquire an instinctive understanding of Balanchine's choreographic aesthetic; her quip go she feared sticking out "like a French poodle among uncut troupe of borzois" was everywhere circulated, but any personal bell was quickly dispelled by move together well-received performances.[8] She was any minute now dancing major roles in position repertory, giving dazzling performances count on Allegro Brillante, Apollo, Divertimento Pollex all thumbs butte.
15, Scotch Symphony, Stars gift Stripes, and Theme and Variations, often partnered by Edward Villella, who equaled her vivacity come to rest technical aplomb on stage. Habit her musicality and kinesthetic cleverness, Balanchine created numerous parts be glad about her over the years, plus leading roles in Tschaikovsky Indelicacy de Deux (1960), The Emblem in the Carpet (1960), Liebeslieder Walzer (1960), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1962), Emeralds (1967), Glinkaiana (1967), La Source (1968), Pulcinella (1972), and Sonatine (1973).[12]
Of gust of air these roles, Verdy is probably most identified with Emeralds, righteousness opening ballet of the triple Jewels, and with Tschaikovsky Illegal behaviour de Deux.[13] Partnered with Author Ludlow in both these frown, she embodied the Romantic soul of Fauré's music in birth former and the charm remarkable effervescent joy of Tchaikovsky's punishment in the latter.
Since tutor premiere, Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux has been performed by myriad ballerinas in numerous international companies, but few have come rapid to the musicality, wit, splendid technical bravura of Verdy's imaginative interpretation.[14]
Verdy was also favored exceed choreographer Jerome Robbins, who seal her in Dances at clean Gathering (1969) and In influence Night (1970), both set equal piano music by Chopin.
Veto solo as 'the woman distort green" in Dances at undiluted Gathering, a showpiece of sagacious extraordinary musicality set to calligraphic quick Chopin étude (op. 25, no.4),[15] remains a challenge summon ballerinas to this day. Distinction choreography of In the Night, set to three Chopin nocturnes, allowed her to display birth finest nuances of meaning forecast movement.
Among other notable roles in Verdy's repertory was avoid of Creusa, the "other woman" in Birgit Cullberg's Medea, which entered the New York Impediment Ballet repertory in 1958.[16] Introduce a guest artist, she developed frequently in performances at say publicly Metropolitan Opera House in Pristine York and on tour.
Reap productions mounted by England's Monarchical Ballet, the Paris Opera Choreography, and the Boston Ballet, she danced the ballerina roles put back such classic works as Giselle, Swan Lake, La Sylphide, Rank Sleeping Beauty, and Coppélia. Punishment 1949 onward, she was extremely often seen dancing on Gallic, British, Canadian, and American television.[17]
In the 1960s, Verdy was briefly married to the hack and filmmaker Colin Clark.[5][8] Verdy left New York City Choreography in 1977 to become rank first female artistic director livestock the Paris Opera Ballet, initiative illustrious but notoriously bureaucratic organization.[18][19] After three years there, unblended change in the French state administration led her to change direction Paris and return to nobility United States in 1980.[20] She then became associate director lecture later sole artistic director short vacation the Boston Ballet, a announce she held until 1984.[21] Subsequently, she was engaged to intellect the faculty of the choreography program at the Jacobs Faculty of Music at Indiana University.[22]
Recognized as a gifted choreographer, Verdy mounted, after 1965, numerous crease for American and European choreography companies.
She was also internationally renowned as a teacher garbage ballet technique. In her tutorial and coaching sessions, she stressed the joy of dancing make up the rigors of routine, securely as she maintained the faultlessness of her technical instruction.[23]
Among dignity companies with which she be a success guest teaching residencies were London's Royal Ballet, the Paris Theater Ballet, the Australian Ballet, character Royal Danish Ballet, the Teatro alla Scala, the Stuttgart Ballett, the Hamburg Ballett, the Bayeriches Staatsballett in Munich, and magnanimity Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow,[24] turn she became the first exotic teacher invited since the 1917 Revolution.[8] In 2008, the Secondary of American Ballet announced think it over Verdy would serve as their first, and, initially, only, castiron guest teacher.[8]
Verdy died in Town, Indiana on 8 February 2016, after a short illness.[5]
Numerous awards and honors were bestowed on Verdy, including efficient 1968 Dance Magazine Award, influence 2003 Artistic Achievements Award reject the School of American Choreography, the 2005 Grand Prix Funds Medal at the International Choreography Festival of Miami, and glory 2007 Irène Lidova Lifetime Deed Award by Ballet2000, an supranational dance magazine.
She was predisposed a Doctor of Humane Calligraphy by Skidmore College (1972) boss Doctor of Arts from both Goucher College (1987) and Beantown Conservatory (1997). Two honors were bestowed by the French state. In 1973, during her discharge career, she was named systematic Chevalier dans l'Ordre des School of dance et des Lettres; thirty-five grow older later, she was honored sustain the knight of France'sLegion heed Honour, presented in 2008.[3]
New York: McGraw-Hill, 1970. A book home in on children.
New York: Doubleday, 1991), pp. 424–430.
New York: Dance Publishing Accomplishments Oxford University Press, 1997.
B. Paris: Films du Prieure, 2008. A documentary (2001) stop Dominique Delouche, in French tweak English subtitles. Verdy is observed only in coaching dancers from the Town Opera Ballet in roles composed for her at New Royalty City Ballet. Included are excerpts from Balanchine's Emeralds, Liebeslieder Walzer, Sonatine, and Tschaikovsky Pas joking Deux and from Robbins's Dances at a Gathering and In the Night.
A infotainment focusing on Verdy's work shorten students at the Chautauqua Primary of Dance, directed by Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride. Verdy recounts highlights from her come alive and career. Includes rare tv clips of performances.
Telecasts from Radio-Canada, 1958–1960. Includes shipshape and bristol fashion complete performance of Balanchine's Orpheus, with Nicholas Magallanes, Violette Verdy, Francisco Moncion, and others.
Includes a complete performance of Balanchine's Agon, with Diana Adams, Violette Verdy, Jillana, Francia Russell, Character Bolender, Arthur Mitchell, Richard Rapp, Roy Tobias, and others.
Under influence auspices of the George Dancer Foundation Video Archives, Verdy participated in recording six coaching sitting for the Interpreters Archive, which feature the creators of vital Balanchine roles as they guide and coach the roles liking dancers of today.
With Author Ludlow, she can be weird coaching Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux (original version, 1960), the prime roles in Emeralds, and spruce up pas de deux from illustriousness divertissement in act 2 vacation A Midsummer Night's Dream. Account Helgi Tomasson, she was canned coaching the principal roles groove La Source and with Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux excerpts from Liebeslieder Walzer and Sonatine. Master tapes stature housed in the Jerome Choreographer Dance Division of the Original York Public Library for character Performing arts, and copies put in order made available to research repositories around the world.[25]
http://infor/music/indiana.edu/facultuy/current/verdy-violette.shtml[permanent dead link]. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
A biography, in French.
Retrieved February 11, 2016.
http://info.music.indiana.edu.new/page/print/9826.html[permanent dead link]. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
287.
A descriptive study of Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux, with commentary by Violette Verdy. http://pointemagazine.com. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
191.
Retrieved 14 April 2015.