Massine and Balanchine Join Ballet Russe De Monte Carlo
In 1932, with the help from financier Serge Denham, René Blum and Colonel Vassili de Basil formed the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. The idea was to create a ballet company that would continue the work and legacy of the late Serge Diaghilev. The company hired Leonide Massine and George Balanchine as choreographers. The majority of the works performed had previously been staged by Diaghilev's company.
The managers dropped Balanchine after one year because they found that audiences preferred the Diaghilev works choreographed by Massine. The Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo struggled financially and almost declared bankruptcy during the Great Depression. Sol Hurok, an American, took over the management of the company in 1934, and brought the company to the United States.
Read more about this topic: Original Ballet Russe
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