Vaslav Fomich Nijinsky (Вацлав Фомич Нижинский; transliterated: Vatslav Fomich Nizhinsky; Polish: Wacław Niżyński) (March 12, 1890 – April 8, 1950) was a Polish-born Russian ballet dancer and choreographer. Nijinsky was one of the most gifted male dancers in history, and he became celebrated for his virtuosity and for the depth and intensity of his characterizations. He could perform en pointe, a rare skill among male dancers at the time (Albright, 2004) and his ability to perform seemingly gravity-defying leaps was also legendary.

Early Life and Work

---

He was born in Kiev to a Russified Polish dancer's family; despite poor language knowledge, he regarded himself as a Pole. In 1900 he joined the Imperial Ballet School, where he studied under Enrico Cecchetti, Nicholas Legat, and Pavel Gerdt. At 18 years old he had leading roles in the Mariinsky Theatre.

A turning point for Nijinsky was his meeting with Sergei Diaghilev, a member of the St Petersburg elite and wealthy patron of the arts, promoting Russian visual and musical art abroad, particularly in Paris. Nijinsky and Diaghilev became lovers, and Diaghilev became heavily involved in directing Nijinsky's career. In 1909 Diaghilev took a company to Paris, with Nijinsky and Anna Pavlova as the leads. The show was a great success and increased the reputation of both the leads and Diaghilev throughout the artistic circles of Europe. Diaghilev created Les Ballets Russes in its wake, and with choreographer Michel Fokine, made it one of the most well-known companies of the time.

More on [ Vaslav Nijinsky ]

ArtsJournal: Daily Arts News - Dance

Ballet Star Irina Baronova, 89
Wed, 02 Jul 2008 06:58:55 -0800
Baronova, an international ballet star who was one of three celebrated prodigies known as the "baby ballerinas" after George Balanchine discovered them in Paris in the 1930s, died on Saturday at her home in Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia....
Saving Lives With Dance In Colombia
Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:19:17 -0800
"In the nation of Colombia, a dance troupe known as 'The Body School' is gaining widespread attention for helping members of the company to escape lives of violence and hardship."...
In Lebanon - A Struggle For Contemporary Dance
Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:17:13 -0800
"In Lebanon, popular culture remains committed to folk forms like dabkeh and belly dance, while the middle classes - the natural audience for contemporary dance - remains emaciated after 15 years of civil war, civil unrest and migration."...
Tere O'Connor On How To See Dance
Sun, 29 Jun 2008 17:05:35 -0800
"When did they get stuck interpreting or trying to impose a narrative? When did they lose interest or space out? When did they grasp a moment of emergence of what O'Connor called a developing architectural form?"...
The Tango - Cure For The Blues?
Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:36:37 -0800
Researchers in Australia are investigating whether doing the tango can help people battle depression....
BalletMetColumbus Tries Last Minute Efforts To Avoid $100,000 Hole
Fri, 27 Jun 2008 04:51:56 -0800
"Except for a $50,000 shortfall in its 2004-05 season, BalletMet has balanced its budget every year. Executive Director Cheri Mitchell attributed the shortage to the poor economy, which has depressed ticket sales and donations from corporations. Bad winter weather also contributed to fewer ticket sales, she said."...

Subscribe to Dance RSS feed