The Russian Ballet

In Short

This brief, incandescent work of non-fiction explores the arrival of M. de Diaghiliev’s Russian Ballet in Western Europe and the profound aesthetic shift it initiated. Blending theatrical wisdom with immediate performance impressions, it traces the historical lineage of dance from sacred ancient rituals to modern classical revisions. Along the way, it examines iconic productions like Les Sylphides, Scheherazade, and Le Carnaval, celebrating the athletic and spiritual brilliance of male dancers alongside the company’s collective vitality. It has endured as an essential chronicle of artistic innovation written by a master of the stage.

The Story

The narrative opens with an appreciation of the overwhelming enthusiasm that greeted the Imperial Russian Ballet upon its arrival in England. Unlike audiences in France or Italy, who possessed established native traditions, British spectators embraced these extraordinary visitors from St. Petersburg with an uncritical, lasting fervor. Reflecting on this reception, the commentary moves backward in time to examine the nature of dance itself. It asserts that movement is the foundational parent of all performance arts, tracing its origin directly to ancient religious rites, Old Testament ceremonies, and early Christian liturgies where even bishops led sacred dances before the altar.

Over centuries, however, European dance degenerated into mechanical routines and stilted technique. The text outlines how the Russian revival reversed this decay not through rigid reform, but through a vital transformation supported by state academies. Central to this rebirth is the restoration of the male dancer. Moving beyond parterre technique on the ground, male performers trained in the "ballon" system bring height, weightlessness, and virile energy back to the stage, freeing the art form from sexualized stereotypes and elevating the movement of men and women alike.

The progression then turns to individual ballets to illustrate how this new vitality manifests. Classical works such as Giselle retain traces of rigid Italian instruction, yet native Russian composers like Tchaikovsky helped steer the tradition toward the fluid elegance of the French style. Under visionary directors and choreographers like Fokine, Bakst, and Benois, the company created pure "dance poems." In Les Sylphides, set to Chopin, white-clad figures dissolve the boundary between music and stage picture. In Le Carnaval, set to Schumann, a freakish, joyful comic spirit reigns through expressive pantomime. In Le Spectre de la Rose, a young girl’s dream of a ball rose comes alive in a fragile, pristine duodrama of virginal youth.

Yet the company’s range extends far beyond quiet romanticism. The narrative shifts abruptly to the violent, sensual nightmare of Scheherazade, where vibrant colors, terrifying intensity, and childlike desperation intersect. In Tamar, death becomes the penalty for a lover’s brief hour of passion in a high mountain tower, while the ferocious bow-dances of Prince Igor unleash an overwhelming, healthy barbarity. The argument culminates in an honest assessment of the limits of this restless artistic quest. When examining Narcisse, the commentary admits a rare failure, noting that the company's heavy-handed execution could not capture the serene, tranquil repose of ancient Greek sculpture. Nevertheless, the minor missteps cannot obscure the triumph: the Russian Ballet succeeded in reviving the flame of life through disciplined technique and unbounded imagination.

How It Unfolds

The arrival in England Audiences accustomed to a barren dance landscape embrace Diaghiliev’s visiting troupe with overwhelming, lasting fervor. The initial novelty of the agile strangers quickly turns into a deep, enduring passion for the modern ballet.

Sacred origins of movement Dance is identified as the parent of all performative arts, historically linked to biblical worship and early Christian church liturgies. Centuries of degeneration stripped the art form of its original nobility and spiritual weight.

Restoration of the male dancer State-subsidized Russian academies revive the tradition by emphasizing male dancers trained in elevation and "ballon" techniques. Their presence eliminates female travesties, balancing the ensemble and refocusing attention on artistic form rather than physical charm.

Visions of romantic dreamscapes In Les Sylphides, Le Carnaval, and Le Spectre de la Rose, choreographers and dancers translate musical rhythms into fluid, dreamlike stage poetry, combining exquisite ensemble work with sophisticated comic pantomime.

Sensual terrors and raw energy The company demonstrates its startling versatility by moving from delicate romance to the horrific, vibrant worlds of Scheherazade, Tamar, and Prince Igor, filling the stage with intense color, rapid action, and uninhibited physical energy.

Limits of the Russian spirit Attempting to translate ancient Greek classical ideals in Narcisse reveals the boundaries of the company's style. The heavy-handed production fails to capture serene Greek repose, yet the overarching vitality of the Russian movement remains triumphantly intact.

The People

• Vaslav Nijinsky: The supreme genius of the company, whose astonishing leaps and "ballon" technique defy gravity. He seeks to subjugate his material body so completely that his movement becomes a spiritual visitation. Whether playing a romantic dream figure in Les Sylphides, a mischievous Harlequin in Le Carnaval, or the tragic slave in Scheherazade, his presence dominates the stage, dancing with both body and soul.
• Tamara Karsavina: A leading ballerina of extraordinary range, tragic power, and luring grace. She moves effortlessly from the suppliant, snow-white innocence of the dreaming girl in Le Spectre de la Rose to the fatal, serpentine passions of the lethal queen in Tamar.
• Adolph Bolm: A magnificent male dancer and mime who brings fierce energy and commanding presence to the stage. He drives the wild, bow-bearing warriors in Prince Igor and captures dramatic tension as the doomed lover entering Tamar’s castle.
• Michel Fokine: The master choreographer who uses classical tradition without becoming its slave. He structures harmonious ensemble groupings and designs innovative movement sequences that give life and dramatic coherence to every production.
• Leon Bakst: The visionary designer whose daring use of intense color and bold sets creates vivid, intoxicating atmospheres, ranging from Victorian drawing rooms to palaces of violent sensuality.

In Its Own Voice

"Uncritical enthusiasm toward art and artists is an amiable attitude of the English once they have been gained over." On the warm reception given by British audiences to the visiting Russian company.

"The dancer is certainly the parent of my own art, but he has other children." Reflecting on how acting, poetry, and music all descend from the rhythmic movements of ancient dance.

"There are many young men in the Russian ballet who dance excellently with their bodies, even if they cannot leap as high as Nijinsky, but what really separates him from them is the fact that he dances not only with his body, but with his soul." Distinguishing mere physical athleticism from the rare spiritual genius of the celebrated dancer.

What It's Really About

Underneath its vivid descriptions of individual performances, the text is a meditation on the nature of artistic expression, discipline, and aesthetic renewal. It argues that true art requires a balance between rigorous technical mastery and authentic spiritual freedom. Mechanical perfection alone yields a dead beauty; real vitality emerges when performers use disciplined technique to express interior emotion.

The work also explores the distinction between talent and genius, proposing that genius lies in an indelible, soul-driven personality that transforms material reality into something divine. By examining how a historically isolated nation reformed European theater, it asks how tradition can be honored without becoming a cage. Ultimately, it champions imagination as an international force capable of crossing national borders to evoke universal dreams.

Why Read It Today

This text offers readers a rare, insider perspective on one of the most transformative eras in performance history. Because the commentary is written by a legendary theatrical figure, every observation carries practical insight into stagecraft, gesture, and audience psychology. Reading it feels like sitting beside a sharp, appreciative guide who watches the stage with both deep technical knowledge and unreserved wonder.

The writing avoids dry, academic terminology, opting instead for lively, immediate impressions. It is an ideal read for lovers of dance, theater, and cultural history, offering a vivid window into the early twentieth-century avant-garde. While modern readers should be prepared for brief references to historical performance conventions and light period phrasing, the text remains entirely accessible. Its short length makes for a swift, refreshing read. What remains with you long after finishing is its passionate defense of art as a serious, joy-giving endeavor, and its breathtaking descriptions of human movement raised to the level of poetry.