Musagète

This ballet is dedicated to George Balanchine. It is an expression of the choreographer's admiration for him. From a Russian perspective, it is also an appreciation for a man who so brilliantly developed and transformed the traditions of Russian ballet and made possible the evolution of dance from the 19th to 21st century. It is not a biographical ballet, but there is the personality of the choreographer.

Since Mr. Eifman was asked to create a ballet for New York City Ballet in the year of the Balanchine Centennial, he became absorbed in the world of Balanchine's ballets and fascinated by the personality of the choreographer. The result is Musagète.

Boris Eifman pays tribute to the schooling, choreography, teaching, and genius of George Balanchine in this work. He interprets the choreographer’s personal and artistic life by shifting scale, moving back and forth from intimate pas de deux to large-scale sections for the corps. Mr. Eifman is assisted visually by a changing architectural background, costumes that are predominantly black and white, and dramatic lighting. There are frequent choreographic references from signature Balanchine works, and many moments showing the inspiration Balanchine derived from teaching his dancers.

47 minutes