Episode 100: Hear the Dance: Jennifer Homans (Part 2)

Oct 16, 2023

Dive into the collaborative journey of Balanchine and Lincoln Kirsten at New York City Ballet, exploring the evolution of Balanchine's ballets and the artistic influence of women in his life. Discover the power of dance in captivating performances like Firebird and Sugar Plum, and explore Balanchine's radical choreography in the Schoenberg Ballets Opus 34. Delve into the dedication, devotion, and complexity in the ballet world, and the balance of autocracy and freedom in theater leadership.

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Introduction

00:00 • 3min

The Relationship between Balanchine and Lincoln Kirsten

02:30 • 6min

The Evolution of Balanchine's Ballets

08:05 • 25min

The Artistic Influence of Women in Balanchine's Life

32:42 • 9min

Exploring Intensity, Backgrounds, and the Power of Dance

41:31 • 2min

Balanchine's Radical Choreography for Tanny in Schoenberg Ballets Opus 34

43:14 • 7min

Dedication, Devotion, and the Ballet World

50:07 • 23min

Balancing Autocracy and Freedom in Theater Leadership

01:13:09 • 11min

Balanchine's Ballet: A Symbolic Exploration

01:24:04 • 7min

This week, the two-part conversation between Hear the Dance host Silas Farley and dance historian Jennifer Homans continues. They discuss Lincoln Kirstein’s essential role as a collaborator with Balanchine, the creation of Serenade, and some of the key personal and artistic moments in the ongoing history of the New York City Ballet. Homans traces the development of the Company’s ethos through the individual dancers’ devotion to Balanchine's vision and to the art form; Balanchine’s presence, she describes, was an irresistible force. (1:31:11)

Written by Silas Farley Edited by Gus Reed

Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky Serenade for Strings in C, Op. 48 (1880) by Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky Firebird Suite for Orchestra (1945), from Firebird (1910) by Igor Stravinsky Symphony No. 1 in C major (1855) by Georges Bizet Orpheus (1947) by Igor Stravinsky Accompaniment to a Film-Scene, Op.34 (1930) by Arnold Schoenberg Agon (1953-56) by Igor Stravinsky Concerto in D minor for Two Violins, B.W.V. 1043 (1731) by Johann Sebastian Bach Two Part Invention In A minor, B.W.V. 784 (1723) by Johann Sebastian Bach Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 (1893) by Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky

Reading List: Balanchine: A Biography by Bernard Taper George Balanchine: Ballet Master by Richard Buckle in Collaboration with John Taras Balanchine and the Lost Muse: Revolution and the Making of a Choreographer by Elizabeth Kendall George Balanchine: The Ballet Maker by Robert Gottlieb Balletmaster: A Dancer’s Vision of George Balanchine by Moira Shearer By With To & From: A Lincoln Kirstein Reader by Lincoln Kirstein, Edited by Nicholas Jenkins Apollo’s Angels: A History of Ballet by Jennifer Homans The Worlds of Lincoln Kirstein by Martin Duberman Split Seconds: A Remembrance by Tamara Geva Zorina by Vera Zorina Choura: The Memoirs of Alexandra Danilova by Alezandra Danilova Maria Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina by Maria Tallchief with Larry Kaplan Dancing Past the Light: The Biography of Tanaquil Le Clercq by Orel Protopopescu Stravinsky and Balanchine: A Journey of Invention by Charles M. Joseph Balanchine and Kirstein's American Enterprise by James Steichen