School of American Ballet: Difference between revisions

The school was founded by the renowned Russo-Georgian-born [[choreographer]] [[George Balanchine]], and philanthropists [[Lincoln Kirstein]] and [[Edward Warburg]] in 1934.<ref name="jta">{{cite news |date=November 19, 1933 |title=Edward M. M. Warburg Strives to Give Life Meaning Through Art |url=http://www.jta.org/1933/11/19/archive/edward-m-m-warburg-strives-to-give-life-meaning-through-art |newspaper=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |access-date=October 12, 2015}}</ref> Balanchine's self- prescribed edict, "But first, a school", is indicative of his adherence to the ideals of the training that was fostered by the [[Imperial Ballet School]] where he received his training. He realized that most great dance companies were fed by an academy closely associated with it. This practice afforded scores of dancers, well versed in the specifics of his technique and choreographic style. Among the teachers there were many Russian emigres who fled the [[Russian Revolution]]: [[Pierre Vladimiroff]], [[Felia Doubrovska]],<ref>[[Jack Anderson (dance critic)|Jack Anderson]], [https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70614FF3F5D0C728EDDA00894D9484D81 "Felia Doubrovska Dies at 85; Ballerina and Noted Teacher"], ''New York Times'', September 21, 1981.</ref> [[Anatole Oboukhoff]], [[Hélène Dudin]], [[Ludmilla Schollar]], [[Antonina Tumkovsky]], and Alexandra Danilova. Their intention was to establish a major classical ballet company in America, which would lead to the formation of today's New York City Ballet. The school was formed to train and feed dancers into the company. It opened at 637 Madison Avenue with 32 students on January 2, 1934, and the students first performed that June.<ref>[https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70E1FF8395D167A93C2A8178DD85F408385F9 RAIN DEFERS RECITAL OF BALLET SCHOOL; 250 Guests of Mr. and Mrs. Felix M. Warburg Witness Part of Event at White Plains], June 10, 1934</ref><ref>[https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00D17FE3958177A93C3A8178DD85F408385F9 BALLET SCHOOL GIVES 2 WORLD PREMIERES; Recital at Estate of the Felix M. Warburgs Is First Outside of Studio], June 11, 1934.</ref> Seventy-five years later, the School was awarded the [[National Medal of Arts]] by President [[Barack Obama]].<ref>[http://www.nea.gov/news/news10/Medals.html White House Announces 2009 National Medal of Arts Recipients] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100505160005/http://www.nea.gov/news/news10/Medals.html |date=2010-05-05 }}</ref>