Joffrey Ballet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Joffrey Ballet |
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| General information | |
| Name | The Joffrey Ballet |
| Year founded | 1956 |
| Founders |
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| Location | Joffrey Tower 10 East Randolph Street, Chicago, IL 60601 |
| Artistic staff | |
| Artistic Director | Ashley Wheater MBE |
| Music Director | Scott Speck, Chicago Philharmonic |
| Other | |
| Official school | The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet |
The Joffrey Ballet is a famous American dance company and school located in Chicago, Illinois. They perform many different types of ballets, from classic stories to modern dances. Each year, they put on their popular show of The Nutcracker at the Civic Opera House.
This ballet company was started in 1956 by two dance pioneers, Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino. The Joffrey Ballet is known for its exciting and new performances. One famous show was in 1987, when they brought back Vaslav Nijinsky's The Rite of Spring. This ballet's original dance moves from 1913 were thought to be lost, but the Joffrey Ballet helped bring them back to life. Many well-known dance creators, called choreographers, have worked with the Joffrey. These include Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp, and George Balanchine.
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History of the Joffrey Ballet
In 1956, most dance groups only performed shorter versions of classic ballets. But Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino wanted to do something different. They started a small group of six dancers. This group traveled across the country in a station wagon, pulling a U-Haul trailer. They performed new ballets that Joffrey himself created.
The first six dancers were Arpino, Dianne Consoer, Brunilda Ruiz, Glen Tetley, Beatrice Tompkins, and John Wilson. While Joffrey taught ballet in New York City to earn money for the dancers, Arpino led the touring group. Their first big city performance was in Chicago in 1957. Later, the Joffrey Ballet settled in New York City. It was then known as the Robert Joffrey Theatre Ballet.
In 1962, a modern dance creator named Alvin Ailey was asked to create a dance for the company. Rebekah Harkness was an important supporter early on. She helped the company travel internationally, including a trip to the Soviet Union in 1963. However, she and Joffrey later went their separate ways in 1964.
Joffrey then started building a new company. This new group debuted in 1965 as the Joffrey Ballet. After a successful season in 1966 at the New York City Center, the company was invited to become the main ballet group there. Joffrey became the artistic director, and Arpino became the main choreographer.
Arpino's 1970 ballet Trinity, which used rock music, was very popular. Joffrey also brought back many classic ballets. These included The Green Table by Kurt Jooss in 1967. They also revived Façade by Frederick Ashton and Pineapple Poll by John Cranko. Other revivals included Petrushka by Michel Fokine (with famous dancer Rudolf Nureyev in 1979). They also performed Afternoon of a Faun by Vaslav Nijinsky, also with Nureyev. In 1973, Joffrey asked Twyla Tharp to create her first ballet for the company, called Deuce Coupe. The company was known as City Center Joffrey Ballet until 1977.
From 1977, the company was simply called the Joffrey Ballet. They also had a second home in Los Angeles from 1982 to 1992. In 1995, the company moved from New York City to Chicago. This became their permanent home.
The first few years in Chicago were tough financially for the company. They almost had to close several times. But over time, more people came to their shows, and the audiences became younger. In 2005, the Joffrey Ballet celebrated 10 years in Chicago. In 2007, they finished a two-year celebration of their 50th anniversary. This included a "River to River" tour of free outdoor shows across Iowa.
Reconstructing The Rite of Spring
In the fall of 1987, the Joffrey Ballet performed a special reconstructed version of The Rite of Spring. This important ballet was created by Igor Stravinsky. The original ballet first appeared in 1913 in Paris, France. It was choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky.
Dance experts Millicent Hodson and Kenneth Archer spent 18 years researching the original ballet. They wanted to make sure they could rebuild it correctly. They found and remade 80 percent of the original costumes for the performance. Hodson and Archer were even able to talk to Marie Rambert, who was Nijinsky's rehearsal assistant. She helped them understand the original dance moves before she passed away in 1982.
What the Joffrey Ballet Does
The Joffrey Ballet has 40 dancers. They perform their main season from September to May at the Civic Opera House in Chicago. They also go on many tours both in the United States and other countries throughout the year. Their shows include both classical ballets and modern dance pieces.
Every December, they perform their annual The Nutcracker show. The Chicago Philharmonic plays the music for this performance. Since 2016, the company has performed a new version of The Nutcracker. This version was created by choreographer Christopher Wheeldon. It is set during the time of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.
In 2007, Gerald Arpino stepped back from his daily duties. He became artistic director emeritus until he passed away in 2009. In October 2007, Ashley Wheater became the third artistic director. He used to be a Joffrey dancer himself. In 2019, the Joffrey presented a brand new "story ballet" based on Anna Karenina. This was the first time the Joffrey had a full-length orchestral music score created just for them.
The Joffrey Ballet is located in Joffrey Tower. This building is at 10 East Randolph Street in downtown Chicago. The company travels a lot for performances. They also have an education program called the Joffrey Academy of Dance. This is the official school of The Joffrey Ballet. They also have a Community Engagement program. This program works with other art groups.
In 2021, the Joffrey Ballet moved its performances. They moved from the Auditorium Theatre, where they had performed since 1998. Now, they perform at the Civic Opera House. This move was part of a partnership with the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
See also
- Billboards, a Joffrey Ballet show based on the songs of Prince.
