Cold War-era ballet tours were high-stakes artistic displays

University of Washington Magazine ^ | 2021 | George Spencer

[CondoleezzaProtege]

The Italian Renaissance gave birth to ballet, but Russians dominated the art to such a degree no one questioned their supremacy. The Bolshoi, the world’s reigning company, pirouetted onto U.S. stages in 1959 and 1962. The State Department-sponsored American Ballet Theatre (ABT) went east in 1960 followed two years later by the New York City Ballet (NYCB), led by its Russian émigré choreographer George Balanchine. Adding a thermonuclear layer of stress, the Cuban Missile Crisis ignited in October 1962 when the Bolshoi and the NYCB were in each other’s countries.

Upstart Americans left home unproven underdogs…The New York Times feared a “profound national humiliation” might result if the ABT disappointed the folks back home.

But audiences in both nations went wild. The Bolshoi’s artistic director wrote to his wife that people screamed, cried, and tore up their programs after an audience demanded 17 curtain calls. Scalpers resold tickets for the equivalent of $830 in 2018 dollars.

Cultural misunderstandings hobbled both sides. The Bolshoi flopped with “Spartacus,” a ballet about a Roman slave uprising. A Hollywood epic of the same name had just opened. The Soviets thought their extravaganza would do boffo biz while sneaking its true meaning—a depiction of proletariat revolt…

Just as astronauts and cosmonauts sought to literally fly higher than each other, in ballets like “Spartacus” and the Americans’ “Rodeo” and “Fancy Free,” male dancers did the same. They wielded swords, rode imaginary bucking broncos, and brawled like drunken sailors. Surprisingly, post-war ballet in both countries “glorified the very masculine working-class man” —with works whose “strong dancing showed off big jumps and big spins,” not genteel aristocratic male footwork.

No one out-machoed Balanchine—not Khrushchev, who went stag to a Moscow show, or a dapper President Kennedy in black tie...

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TOPICS: Arts/Photography; History; Society
KEYWORDS: ballet; coldwar; dance; diplomacy; russia; sovietunion; ussr

[CondoleezzaProtege]

Balanchine had fled the USSR in 1924, had not returned since, and in the intervening years had become recognized as one of the 20th-century’s great artists. His dozens of breathtaking works included “Stars and Stripes.” Set to John Philip Sousa’s martial marches, its finale featured a colossal American flag.

Upon arriving in Russia, an interviewer said, “Welcome to Moscow, home of classic ballet.” Balanchine shot back, “I beg your pardon. Russia is the home of romantic ballet. The home of classic ballet is now America.” Translation? Your ballets are mud. I own ballet’s future.

[mmichaels1970]

As a kid, I went to the USSR as a student ambassador. We saw a Russian ballet in Moscow one night. Can’t say I remember much though.

[CondoleezzaProtege]

As a kid, I went to the USSR as a student ambassador.

That is a very cool fact!

[mass55th]

Mikhail Baryshnikov defected from the Soviet Union on June 29, 1974. He was performing in Toronto at the time. He starred in the 1985 movie "White Nights" with Gregory Hines. He was romantically involved for a while with Jessica Lange.

Alexander Godunov defected from the Bolshoi Ballet in 1982, and was romantically involved with Jacqueline Bisset. He passed at the age of 45 in 1995.

[Drew68]

Mikhail Baryshnikov defected...

Alexander Godunov defected...

These were the types of people for whom our asylum laws were written. Not 300 million squatemalans fleeing gang violence.

[mmichaels1970]

Oh I’ve got tons of stories from that trip rarely shared. As a 16 year old kid (1986), I remember Russian kids sneaking into our hotel rooms. We’d all exchange smokes, light em up, and start trading stuff. They’d search our room and whisper “KGB” when they got there. I got a haul for a Beatles mix tape I’d brought along for my Walkman. Another kid approached a girl in our group near Red Square and pointed to her teeth. He wanted to try to trade for her braces.

They had drink vending machines on the street that had a cup attached to a chain. They’d buy their lemonade-like drink, it would pour into a cup, they’d drink it, then put the cup back for the next person.

On returning home, I wasn’t nearly as scared of the Russians as I was when I left.

Oh and all of that was like three months after Chernobyl (what were my parents thinking).

Thanks for the post and apologies for rambling on. It triggered some memories.

[DesertRhino]

Kinda a highbrow version of the way gangs would solve their differences with break dancing contests.

[Tijeras_Slim]

I knew a member of the USA Cycling Team that went over to the USSR in the mid-80’s for the Goodwill Games. They got friendly with a member of the housekeeping staff at the hotel. When they left, they gave her several pairs of Levis jeans and a Walkman. They said she cried over their generosity.

[mass55th]

"These were the types of people for whom our asylum laws were written. Not 300 million squatemalans fleeing gang violence."

Yep...but RAT Administrations have allowed everyone to claim asylum with no proof of them actually being in danger if they stayed in their own country.

[mmichaels1970]

When they left, they gave her several pairs of Levis jeans and a Walkman. They said she cried over their generosity.

Awesome story! Gifts of a lifetime for her!

[mmichaels1970]

Kinda a highbrow version of the way gangs would solve their differences with break dancing contests.

So like “you just got SERVED!” Cool way to look at it.

[Drew68]

Yep...but RAT Administrations have allowed everyone to claim asylum with no proof of them actually being in danger if they stayed in their own country.

Yep.

People talk about "100 million illegals" without realizing that many of these people are here legally, admitted by the Biden Administration under a farcical interpretation of our asylum laws. And this "legal" status allows them to qualify for various forms of taxpayer gibs, documents, and even to register to vote (they're not supposed to vote but they do, and the Democrats don't mind).

[AAABEST]

Baryshnikov’s Nutcracker was just amazing. Enthralling, though I was just a kid who understood nothing about ballet.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

Yep. Little Ron Reagan was a real trouper.

Where is he now? Rehab?

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Slavery is so COOL as long as the slaves are wearing pretty costumes right?

Please ignore the fact that after they dance they are handed around like favors to good party members.