André Eglevsky
Encyclopedia
André Eglevsky was a Russia
n-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. He studied ballet in Nice
with Maria Nevelskaya (also known as Maria Nevelska formerly of the Bolshoi Ballet
), Lubov Egorova, Mathilde Kschessinskaya, Alexandre Volinine, Olga Preobrajenskaya, and Leon Woicikowski in Paris, Nicholas Legat
in London
, and the School of American Ballet
in New York City
. At the age of fourteen he joined Wassily de Basil's (a.k.a Colonel W. de Basil) Ballet Russe, and after six months was dancing leading roles in such ballets as Swan Lake
, Les Sylphides
, and Les Présages. In 1935 he joined Igor Youskevitch
as the company's Premier Danseur, and a year later joined René Blum's Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
.
Eglevsky travelled to the United States in 1937, and was premier danseur in George Balanchine
's American Ballet
(later New York City Ballet
) until 1938. He also danced at the Radio City Music Hall
and in the Broadway musical Great Lady. After becoming an American citizen, in 1939 he rejoined the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, staying there until 1942. For the following four years he danced with the Ballet Theatre (now the American Ballet Theatre
), as well as dancing as a guest star with Léonide Massine's Ballet Russe Highlights
in 1944 and 1945. In the late 1930s he married the ballerina Leda Anchutina. His daughter, Marina Eglevsky, is also a ballerina.
In 1946 Eglevsky rejoined Col. de Basil, now director of the Original Ballet Russe
, and a year later became premier danseur of Marquis George de Cuevas
' Grand Ballet de Monte Carlo. From 1951 to 1958 he was a principal with the New York City Ballet
. In 1952 he appeared in Charlie Chaplin
's film Limelight.
He trained as his protege the dancer Alan Bergman
who after having a short career on stage, invented the famous Dans-EZ dancewear range.
Upon his retirement in 1958, Eglevsky and his wife started a school in Massapequa, New York
, and formed the Eglevsky Ballet Company, which continues under the artistic direction of Ali Pourfarrokh. Eglevsky died in Elmira, New York
of a heart attack
at the age of fifty-nine.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n-born American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ballet dancer and teacher.
Eglevsky was born in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, but was taken to live in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
when he was eight, his mother having decided that his talent as a dancer demanded that he be properly trained. He studied ballet in Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
with Maria Nevelskaya (also known as Maria Nevelska formerly of the Bolshoi Ballet
Bolshoi Ballet
The Bolshoi Ballet is an internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia. Founded in 1776, the Bolshoi is among the world's oldest ballet companies, however it only achieved worldwide acclaim by the early 20th century, when Moscow became the...
), Lubov Egorova, Mathilde Kschessinskaya, Alexandre Volinine, Olga Preobrajenskaya, and Leon Woicikowski in Paris, Nicholas Legat
Nicholas Legat
Nikolai Gustavovich Legat , was a dancer with the Russian Imperial Ballet from 1888 to 1914 and was the main successor to the rôles of the great ballet dancer, Pavel Gerdt....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and the 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...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. At the age of fourteen he joined Wassily de Basil's (a.k.a Colonel W. de Basil) Ballet Russe, and after six months was dancing leading roles in such ballets as Swan Lake
Swan Lake
Swan Lake ballet, op. 20, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, composed 1875–1876. The scenario, initially in four acts, was fashioned from Russian folk tales and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger...
, Les Sylphides
Les Sylphides
Les Sylphides is a short, non-narrative ballet blanc. Its original choreography was by Michel Fokine, with music by Frédéric Chopin orchestrated by Alexander Glazunov. Glazunov had already set some of the music in 1892 as a purely orchestral suite, under the title Chopiniana, Op. 46...
, and Les Présages. In 1935 he joined Igor Youskevitch
Igor Youskevitch
Igor Youskevitch was a ballet dancer and a choreographer of Russian-Ukrainian origin, famous as one of the greatest male ballet dancers of the 20th century, as a master of the classic style, e.g., in Afternoon of a Faun, and as a dance partner to Alicia Alonso.- Early years :Born in the village...
as the company's Premier Danseur, and a year later joined René Blum's Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo was a ballet company created by members of the Ballets Russes de Monte-Carlo in 1938 after Léonide Massine and René Blum had a falling-out with the co-founder Wassily de Basil...
.
Eglevsky travelled to the United States in 1937, and was premier danseur in 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 American Ballet
American Ballet
The American Ballet was the first professional ballet company George Balanchine created in the United States. The company was founded with the help of Lincoln Kirstein and Edward Mortimer Morris Warburg, managed by Alexander Merovitch and populated by students of Kirstein and Balanchine's School of...
(later New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company...
) until 1938. He also danced at the Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
and in the Broadway musical Great Lady. After becoming an American citizen, in 1939 he rejoined the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, staying there until 1942. For the following four years he danced with the Ballet Theatre (now the American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
), as well as dancing as a guest star with Léonide Massine's Ballet Russe Highlights
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo was a ballet company created by members of the Ballets Russes de Monte-Carlo in 1938 after Léonide Massine and René Blum had a falling-out with the co-founder Wassily de Basil...
in 1944 and 1945. In the late 1930s he married the ballerina Leda Anchutina. His daughter, Marina Eglevsky, is also a ballerina.
In 1946 Eglevsky rejoined Col. de Basil, now director of the Original Ballet Russe
Original Ballet Russe
The Original Ballet Russe was a ballet company established in 1932 by René Blum and Colonel Wassily de Basil as a successor to the Ballets Russes. The company assumed the new name Original Ballet Russe after a split between de Basil and Blum...
, and a year later became premier danseur of Marquis George de Cuevas
George de Cuevas
George de Cuevas was a Chilean-born ballet impresario and choreographer who was best known for the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas that he formed in 1944....
' Grand Ballet de Monte Carlo. From 1951 to 1958 he was a principal with the New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company...
. In 1952 he appeared in Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
's film Limelight.
He trained as his protege the dancer Alan Bergman
Alan Bergman (dancer)
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.- Dance career...
who after having a short career on stage, invented the famous Dans-EZ dancewear range.
Upon his retirement in 1958, Eglevsky and his wife started a school in Massapequa, New York
Massapequa, New York
Massapequa is a hamlet located in the suburban Nassau County, New York. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 21,685.Massapequa is located on the South Shore of Long Island....
, and formed the Eglevsky Ballet Company, which continues under the artistic direction of Ali Pourfarrokh. Eglevsky died in Elmira, New York
Elmira, New York
Elmira is a city in Chemung County, New York, USA. It is the principal city of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses Chemung County, New York. The population was 29,200 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Chemung County.The City of Elmira is located in...
of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
at the age of fifty-nine.
External links
- "André Eglevsky" by Dick Andros