Alexander Alexeyevich Gorsky facts for kids
Alexander Gorsky (born August 6, 1871 – died 1924) was a Russian ballet choreographer. He lived around the same time as Marius Petipa, another famous ballet master. Gorsky is well-known for changing classic ballets like Swan Lake, Don Quixote, and The Nutcracker. He wanted ballet to look more natural and realistic. He believed that good acting was more important than just showing off difficult dance steps. His new ideas for ballets were often discussed and sometimes caused disagreement. He also worked with artists who were not dancers to create the stage designs and costumes.
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Early Life and Ballet Training
Alexander Gorsky was born on August 6, 1871, near St. Petersburg, Russia. When he was eight years old, his parents planned for him to attend a business school. His sister was going to the Imperial Ballet School in St. Petersburg. When Alexander went with his sister to the ballet school, the school officials also wanted him to become a student there. His parents agreed, and Alexander began his studies at the Imperial Ballet School.
Starting His Ballet Career
Gorsky was taught by important ballet teachers. These included Platon Karsavin (the father of the famous dancer Tamara Karsavina), N. I. Volkov, and Marius Petipa. After finishing ballet school, Gorsky joined a dance company. He moved up through the ranks, starting as a corps de ballet dancer (part of the main group). He then became a coryphée (a dancer in small groups) and later a solo dancer. He performed in ballets such as La Fille mal gardée and La Flûte magique.
In 1895, Alexander Gorsky became friends with Vladimir Ivanovich Stepanov. Stepanov was creating a special way to write down dance moves, called dance notation. After Stepanov passed away, Gorsky improved this system. He was later asked to teach it to students at the Imperial Ballet School. The Imperial Ballet used Stepanov's system to record many of their ballets. Today, these written dance notes are part of the Sergeyev Collection.
In 1900, Gorsky was chosen to be the main male soloist (Premier danseur) at the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatre. However, just eight days later, he was moved to the Ballet of the Moscow Imperial Bolshoi Theatre as a manager (régisseur). This move was meant to be temporary, but it became permanent. The Bolshoi school was producing many talented students, but the ballet company itself was struggling. Gorsky was then named the main ballet master (Premier Maître de Ballet) of the Imperial Bolshoi Theatre. In his teaching, he used "free dance movements." This was different from the strict, traditional style of classical ballet. He was inspired by Isadora Duncan, who believed dance should be a natural expression. He was also inspired by Konstantin Stanislavski's acting "system."
Gorsky's Ballet Creations
Alexander Gorsky created, changed, and brought back many ballets. He made some of his own ballets. But his changes to Marius Petipa's famous ballets are what he is most known for. Some people say his work helped prepare the way for Michel Fokine's new ideas in ballet. Some of Gorsky's own ballets included Gudule's Daughter (a new version of La Esmeralda), Salammbo, and Dances of the Nations.
At the Bolshoi Theatre, Gorsky brought back many classic ballets. He revived the Petipa/Ivanov version of La Fille mal gardée in 1903. Gorsky's version became the basis for almost every production for many years. He also revived Swan Lake in 1901 and Petipa's Don Quixote in 1900. Other revivals included La Bayadère (with Vasily Tikhomirov) in 1904 and Raymonda in 1905. He also changed The Nutcracker and Petipa's version of Arthur Saint-Léon's The Little Humpbacked Horse in 1901.
Changes to Don Quixote
Gorsky presented his new version of Don Quixote in 1900. He added music by the French composer Antoine Simon. He also staged this version for the Imperial Ballet in 1902. Gorsky's production became the foundation for almost every Don Quixote ballet performed after that.
The biggest change Gorsky made was to the corps de ballet (the group dancers). In Petipa's ballets, the corps often just formed a moving background. But Gorsky made them an important part of the story. They moved around the stage, breaking the straight lines and perfect shapes that Petipa often used. Their movements were often lively, playful, and looked like a real group of people. Some ballet fans thought this new version was amazing. They rushed to Moscow to see it. Others, like Alexander Benois, thought it was messy. However, the lively and joyful feeling of Don Quixote today is largely thanks to Gorsky.
Changes to Swan Lake
By 1920, Gorsky had created several versions of Swan Lake. His versions were quite different from Petipa's and Ivanov's original St. Petersburg Ballet version. He changed the peasants' waltz in the first act. He added more character dances. He also removed the strict, geometric lines that Petipa used. He ended the first act with dancers carrying torches. The second act was also made more dramatic. The swans ran in circles and in confused groups. Some critics at the time found these changes hard to accept.
Changes to The Nutcracker
It was Alexander Gorsky who first had the idea to make the fantasy scenes in The Nutcracker a dream. In his version, Clara wakes up at the end, realizing it was all a dream. In the original ballet and story, these magical events actually happened. Gorsky also changed the story so that Clara and the Nutcracker/Prince were danced by adults, not children. This made their relationship a romance instead of just a friendship. Often, Vasili Vainonen gets all the credit for these changes. But it was Gorsky who first thought of them.
See also
In Spanish: Aleksandr Gorski para niños
