Alan Bergman (dancer)
Encyclopedia
Alan Bergman was an American
ballet dancer, photographer and businessman.
He was the product of two generations of Russian
/Polish
Yiddish actors: Glicka and Morris Balavsky, co-founders of Nordska Films, the Actors Studio and his mother, Miriam, a child star in the Yiddish theater.
jumping about playing the part of an airplane in a school play. Eglevsky took Bergman on as his protégé and taught him privately for two years. When Bergman was 10 years old Eglevsky took him to George Balanchine
’s School of American Ballet
where he was offered a full scholarship. A young spectator at his audition, Melissa Haydn
, was impressed enough to note: "Alan possessed an extraordinary talent". Bergman’s teacher’s were Anatole Oboukoff, Pierre Vladimirov, (the partner of Anna Pavlova and contemporary of Vaslav Nijinsky
), and Felia Doubrovska. He was also coached by the legendary Olga Preobrajenska
and studied with Alexandra Danilova
.
By age 15, Bergman was dancing soloist roles and soon became a principal dancer with a number of major companies such as the San Francisco Ballet
and a Guest Artist with companies such as The National Ballet of Venezuela.
After seeing Bergman as the Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty with the Eglevsky Ballet Company, the great dance critic Walter Terry said, "I had the unexpected pleasure of seeing a most talented and exciting young male dancer from George Balanchine's School of American Ballet. His elegant arms and extraordinary clean beats, entrechat-six and brise, are a homage to Andre Eglevsky whose protégé he is. The height of his explosive leaps and soft landings can not help but conjure up images of the legendary Vaslav Nijinsky. His name, Alan Bergman, is one to remember. He will undoubtedly have a great career."
Bergman also danced as a principal in numerous revivals of Broadway shows including Annie Get Your Gun
, where he partnered Ginger Rogers
.
Unfortunately a severe injury brought Alan Bergman’s dancing career to an early and abrupt halt.
, London.
Bergman also has a collection with Arenapal : The Performing Arts Image Library
.
The company's dance and sports wear has become popular with professionals worldwide including principals of the Bolshoi and Kirov ballet, the British Army School of Physical Training as well as members of the British Olympic Team. Madonna
even wore the Dans-Ez Classic Camisole on her 2006 Confessions world tour.
The Dans-ez Minimal Bounce sports bra is the only sports bra that is internationally patented.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ballet dancer, photographer and businessman.
He was the product of two generations of Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
/Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
Yiddish actors: Glicka and Morris Balavsky, co-founders of Nordska Films, the Actors Studio and his mother, Miriam, a child star in the Yiddish theater.
Dance career
Bergman's dance career was shaped from the early age of 8 years old when he was spotted by Andre EglevskyAndré Eglevsky
André Eglevsky was a Russian-born American ballet dancer and teacher.Eglevsky was born in Moscow, but was taken to live in France when he was eight, his mother having decided that his talent as a dancer demanded that he be properly trained...
jumping about playing the part of an airplane in a school play. Eglevsky took Bergman on as his protégé and taught him privately for two years. When Bergman was 10 years old Eglevsky took him to George Balanchine
George Balanchine
George Balanchine , born Giorgi Balanchivadze in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to a Georgian father and a Russian mother, was one of the 20th century's most famous choreographers, a developer of ballet in the United States, co-founder and balletmaster of New York City Ballet...
’s School of American Ballet
School of American Ballet
The School of American Ballet is one of the most famous classical ballet schools in the world and is the associate school of the New York City Ballet, a leading international ballet company based at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. The school trains students from the...
where he was offered a full scholarship. A young spectator at his audition, Melissa Haydn
Melissa Hayden (dancer)
Melissa Hayden was a Canadian ballerina at the New York City Ballet.-Early life:...
, was impressed enough to note: "Alan possessed an extraordinary talent". Bergman’s teacher’s were Anatole Oboukoff, Pierre Vladimirov, (the partner of Anna Pavlova and contemporary of Vaslav Nijinsky
Vaslav Nijinsky
Vaslav Nijinsky was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer of Polish descent, cited as the greatest male dancer of the 20th century. He grew to be celebrated for his virtuosity and for the depth and intensity of his characterizations...
), and Felia Doubrovska. He was also coached by the legendary Olga Preobrajenska
Olga Preobrajenska
Olga Iosifovna Preobrajenska was probably the best loved ballerina of the Russian Imperial Ballet....
and studied with Alexandra Danilova
Alexandra Danilova
Aleksandra Dionisyevna Danilova was a Russian-born prima ballerina who became an American citizen....
.
By age 15, Bergman was dancing soloist roles and soon became a principal dancer with a number of major companies such as the San Francisco Ballet
San Francisco Ballet
The San Francisco Ballet is a ballet company, founded in 1933 as the San Francisco Opera Ballet. The company is currently based in the War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, under the direction of Helgi Tomasson. SFB is the first professional ballet company in the United States...
and a Guest Artist with companies such as The National Ballet of Venezuela.
After seeing Bergman as the Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty with the Eglevsky Ballet Company, the great dance critic Walter Terry said, "I had the unexpected pleasure of seeing a most talented and exciting young male dancer from George Balanchine's School of American Ballet. His elegant arms and extraordinary clean beats, entrechat-six and brise, are a homage to Andre Eglevsky whose protégé he is. The height of his explosive leaps and soft landings can not help but conjure up images of the legendary Vaslav Nijinsky. His name, Alan Bergman, is one to remember. He will undoubtedly have a great career."
Bergman also danced as a principal in numerous revivals of Broadway shows including Annie Get Your Gun
Annie Get Your Gun (musical)
Annie Get Your Gun is a musical with lyrics and music written by Irving Berlin and a book by Herbert Fields and his sister Dorothy Fields. The story is a fictionalized version of the life of Annie Oakley , who was a sharpshooter from Ohio, and her husband, Frank Butler.The 1946 Broadway production...
, where he partnered Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers was an American actress, dancer, and singer who appeared in film, and on stage, radio, and television throughout much of the 20th century....
.
Unfortunately a severe injury brought Alan Bergman’s dancing career to an early and abrupt halt.
Photography
After his injury, Bergman went on to become a successful dance and theatre photographer. His work has been widely exhibited nationally and internationally in solo and traveling exhibitions. His images are currently displayed in six museums including the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, DC, the National Portrait Gallery, London, where a number are currently on show as part of the Royal Ballet's 75th Anniversary and the Theatre MuseumTheatre Museum
The Theatre Museum in the Covent Garden district of London, England, was the United Kingdom's national museum of the performing arts. It was a branch of the UK's national museum of applied arts, the Victoria and Albert Museum...
, London.
Bergman also has a collection with Arenapal : The Performing Arts Image Library
Arenapal : The Performing Arts Image Library
Arenapal is a UK company which specialises in the licensing of performing arts images, both in the UK and throughout the world.Its collection falls under the main categories of opera, theatre, classical and contemporary music, classical and contemporary dance, as well as educational imagery...
.
Dans-ez International
In 1976 Bergman founded the Dans-ez International Limited after producing the world's first cotton/Lycra leotards and tights. He came upon the idea during a New York photoshoot with a dancer who was wearing a nylon/Lycra leotard.The company's dance and sports wear has become popular with professionals worldwide including principals of the Bolshoi and Kirov ballet, the British Army School of Physical Training as well as members of the British Olympic Team. Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
even wore the Dans-Ez Classic Camisole on her 2006 Confessions world tour.
The Dans-ez Minimal Bounce sports bra is the only sports bra that is internationally patented.