Richard Cragun facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Cragun
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 5 October 1944 Sacramento, California, United States
|
| Died | 6 August 2012 (aged 67) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
|
| Education |
|
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1962–2012 |
| Known for | Stuttgart Ballet |
| Partner(s) | Roberto de Oliveira (m. 1998) |
Richard Cragun (born October 5, 1944 – died August 6, 2012) was a famous American ballet dancer. He was also a teacher and a ballet director. He spent most of his career dancing with the Stuttgart Ballet in Germany, from 1965 to 1996.
Many people called Cragun a "prince of the ballet world." He is also known as "one of the most important dancers of the twentieth century."
Contents
Early Life and Dance Training
Richard Cragun was born in Sacramento, California. He was one of three sons. His father worked as a college librarian. From a young age, Richard loved both music and dance. He started taking tap dance lessons when he was just five years old.
A few years later, Richard decided he wanted to be a professional dancer. This happened after his father took him to see the movie Singin' in the Rain (1952). Donald O'Connor, one of the stars of the film, became Richard's first big idol. Richard was inspired by O'Connor's smooth, ballet-like tap dancing. He then started taking ballet classes himself.
As a teenager, Richard earned a scholarship to the Banff School of Fine Arts in Canada. There, he studied with teachers Betty Farraly and Gweneth Lloyd. A famous dancer named Alexander Grant visited Banff. He was very impressed by Richard's skills. Grant suggested that Richard apply to the Royal Ballet School in London, England.
Richard spent one year at the Royal Ballet School. He worked with teachers Errol Addison and Harold Turner. When he was 17, Richard went to Copenhagen, Denmark. He trained privately with Vera Volkova. She helped him perfect his amazing classical ballet technique.
Becoming a Professional Dancer
In 1962, Vera Volkova recommended Richard Cragun to John Cranko. Cranko was the director of the Stuttgart Ballet. Cranko hired Richard without even seeing him dance. Richard joined the company as a member of the corps de ballet, which means he danced in the main group.
In 1965, Richard became a principal dancer in Stuttgart. This is a very high rank for a ballet dancer. Soon after, he began his famous dance partnership with Marcia Haydée. They performed many well-known ballets together. These included Swan Lake, Onegin, and The Taming of the Shrew. Their professional partnership at the Stuttgart Ballet lasted for a very long time. It continued from 1965 until Richard retired in 1996.
Besides dancing in Germany, Richard also performed in many other countries. He danced in Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, England, Sweden, Italy, Canada, the United States, and Japan. In 1990, the Stuttgart Ballet brought back the Broadway musical On Your Toes. Richard got to show off his tap dancing skills in this show.
What Critics Said About His Dancing
People who watched Richard Cragun dance often described him as a big, handsome man. He had a strong body and danced with amazing skill. His powerful style was a perfect match for Marcia Haydée's delicate and brilliant technique.
Another description said that Richard had a perfect body for dancing. He was a true master of the ballet stage. Only a few male dancers of his time could compare to him. He was known for an exciting and colorful style of classical ballet. This style was sometimes called "the Stuttgart style." His special move was a flawless triple tours en l'air. This is a very difficult athletic feat. Only a few other amazing dancers, like Edward Villella and Mikhail Baryshnikov, could do it so well.
Clive Barnes, a dance critic for The New York Times, wrote about Richard. He said, "He possesses tremendous elevation." This means Richard could jump very high. Barnes also noted, "There is a cumulative pulse and rhythmic beat to his dancing that is enormously impressive."
Richard received high praise for his main roles in Cranko's ballets. These included Romeo und Julia, Onegin, and especially The Taming of the Shrew. One critic said, "Cragun was a strikingly handsome Petruchio." Petruchio is a character in The Taming of the Shrew. The critic added that Richard was "by turns self-mocking, overbearing, funny, and tender." This role fit his strong and charming stage personality. It also showed off his amazing skills and how well he could partner with other dancers. Many people felt no other dancer has been as good as him in that role.
Roles He Helped Create
During his long career, Richard Cragun helped create many new roles in ballets. These were in ballets by John Cranko and other European choreographers. Here are some of the important roles he created:
Ballets by John Cranko
- 1969. The Taming of the Shrew, music by Domenico Scarlatti. Role: Petruchio.
- 1971. Carmen, music by Wolfgang Fortner. Role: Don José.
- 1972. Initials R.B.M.E., music by Johannes Brahms. Role: R (for Richard).
Ballets by Other Choreographers
- 1965. Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth), choreography by Kenneth MacMillan. Role: Der Mann (The Man).
- 1973. Voluntaries, choreography by Glen Tetley. Role: principal dancer.
- 1975. Daphnis und Chloë, choreography by Glen Tetley. Role: Daphnis.
- 1978. Die Kameliendame (The Lady of the Camellias), choreography by John Neumeier. Role: Armand.
- 1979. Orpheus, choreography by William Forsythe. Role: Orpheus.
- 1983. A Streetcar Named Desire, choreography by John Neumeier. Role: Stanley.
- 1987. Dornröschen (The Sleeping Beauty), choreography by Marcia Haydée. Role: Carabosse.
- 1995. Edward II, choreography by David Bintley. Role: Edward.
Personal Life and Later Years
Richard Cragun and Marcia Haydée were very close friends and dance partners. They lived together for 16 years. Even after they stopped living together, they remained very good friends and colleagues. Marcia Haydée said, "Richard was one of the best dancers in the world. Even after our separation, we were the best of friends."
In his later years, Richard Cragun was in a relationship with Brazilian choreographer Roberto de Oliveira. This relationship lasted until Richard's death.
Towards the end of his time with the Stuttgart Ballet, Richard Cragun also became one of the company's ballet masters. This means he helped train and guide the dancers. After he stopped dancing, he became the ballet director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin in Berlin. He left this job in 1999.
With encouragement from Marcia Haydée, Richard and Roberto de Oliveira moved to Brazil. There, they started a dance company called DeAnima Ballet Contemporáneo. This company was for young people from the favelas (poor neighborhoods) of Rio de Janeiro. Richard also became the ballet director at the city's Teatro Municipal. He managed a company of 70 dancers there. He also put on ballets from the Stuttgart Ballet's collection. Richard was also a talented cartoonist. He showed his artwork in several exhibitions in art galleries in Rio.
In 2005, Richard Cragun had a stroke. His health became very poor. On August 6, 2012, Richard had a seizure caused by a lung infection. He was taken to a hospital in Rio de Janeiro, where he passed away soon after.
At Richard's funeral, a friend shared a touching moment. As his coffin moved away, his friends and fans, led by Marcia Haydée, stood up. They applauded and shouted 'Bravo', just as they had done many times after his amazing performances. It was a special way to say goodbye to a truly great dancer.
Images for kids
-
Richard Cragun, a famous American ballet dancer.
See also
In Spanish: Richard Cragun para niños
