Jerome Robbins Pictures and Info - About Dancers and Dance Companies

Jerome Robbins

Above: Portrait of Jerome Robbins in "Three Virgins and a Devil." Photo by Carl Van Vechten.	Born: October 11, 1918 (New York City, New York) Style: Ballet, Musical Theater Family Life: - Parents: Harry Rabinowitz and Lena Rips (Polish Immigrants) - Jerome's father and uncle started a corset factory. - Jerome's sister, Sonia, had danced with Irma Duncan and Senya Gluck-Sandor’s Dance Center. Academic Education: - Woodrow Wilson High School (1935) - New York University (1935): matriculated with the intent of studying chemistry or journalism, but was forced to leave when his family could no longer afford tuition due to the great depression (in addition, he was failing 2/5 classes) Dance Training: - Ella Daganova (Ballet) Biographical Information: - Admitted to membership in the Communist Party during the 1930’s. Appeared in front of the House Un-American Activities committee and named eight individuals who he said had also been members. - Established the American Theatre Lab (1966) Legacy - Emphasized dances and ballets based on American themes. - Formed a partnership with musical legend Leonard Bernstein before he was well known. - His musical West Side Story was the first "concept" musical. - Choreographed or directed well-known musicals such as On The Town, Gypsy, West Side Story, Peter Pan and The King and I.

Awards Summary: - 5 Tony Awards - 5 Donaldson Awards - 2 Academy Awards - 1 Emmy Award - Kennedy Center Honors - And more. Dance Credits: - Apprenticeship with Gluck-Sandor's Company (through the influence of his sister, Sonia). - Yiddish Art Theatre production of The Brothers Ashkenazi (1937) - Performances and choreography at Tamiment (a movement and performing arts resort in the Poconos). - Jones Beach performances - New York World's Fair - Great Lady (Broadway, 1938): Ensemble Member - Stars in Your Eyes (Broadway, 1939): Ensemble Member - Keep Off the Grass (Broadway, 1940): Ensemble Member. Choreographed by George Balanchine. - Ballet Theatre (1940) Three Virgins and a Devil, role of the young man, Choreographed by Agnes De Mille Helen of Troy, role of Hermes Petroushka, role of Petroushka (breakout role). - New York City Ballet (1949): Danced in Prodigal Son, Tyl Eulenspiegel, and Bourrée Fantasque (opposite Tanaquil Le Clercq) - Retired from performance in the 1950s. Choreography Credits: - Death of a Loyalist - Strange Fruit - Choreography for Theatre Arts Committee at New York’s 92nd Street YMHA - Choreography for The Straw Hat Revue on Broadway (produced by Max Lieben, associated with Tamiment) - Fancy Free, for Ballet Theatre. Later became the motion picture and Broadway show "On The Town." - For Ballet Theatre: Interplay (1945) and Facsimile (1946). - Billion Dollar Baby (Broadway, 1946) - High Button Shoes (Broadway, 1947) - Look, Ma, I’m Dancin’ (Broadway, 1948) - The Guests (1949, a ballet) - Age of Anxiety (1950, a ballet) - The Cage (1951, a ballet with music by Stravinsky) - Miss Liberty (Broadway, 1949: Irving Berlin) - Call Me Madam (Broadway,1950: Irving Berlin) - The King and I (Broadway,1951: Rodgers and Hammerstein) - Two’s Company (Broadway, 1952: Starring Bette Davis). - Peter Pan (Broadway, 1954) - Bells Are Ringing (1956). Co-choreographer. Starring Judy Holliday. - The King and I (1956), film version. - Afternoon of a Faun (1953). Ballet for New York City Ballet. - The Concert (1956). Comical ballet for New York City Ballet. - West Side Story (Broadway, 1957) - Formed the company Ballets: USA (disbanded 1961), for which he created the following (in addition to others): a. New York Export: Opus Jazz (1958) b. Moves (1959). A ballet without music. - Dances at a Gathering (1969), for New York City Ballet. - In the Night (1970) - The Goldberg Variations (1971) - Watermill (1972) - Firebird (1970) for New York City Ballet. Collaboration with Balanchine. - Pulcinella (1972) for New York City Ballet. Collaboration with Balanchine. - A Suite of Dances (1980) - In G Major (1975) - Four Seasons (1979) - Opus 19: The Dreamer (1979) - Glass Pieces, (1983) - In Memory of... (1985). - Octet, 1985 - A Suite of Dances (1994). Made for Mikhail Baryshnikov. - Two- and Three-Part Inventions (1994). For School of American Ballet Students. - Brandenburg (1997). For New York City Ballet. - Les Noces (1998). For New York City Ballet. Direction/Staging: - That’s the Ticket (Broadway, 1948) - Ford 50th Anniversary Show (1953, for tv). With Ethel Merman and Mary Martin. - The Pajama Game ( Broadway, 1954) - Peter Pan (Broadway, 1954) - The Tender Land (1954). Opera by Aaron Copland. - Bells Are Ringing (1956). Starring Judy Holliday. - West Side Story (film, 1961). Co-director (dismissed due to behavior). Oscar winner. - Gypsy (Broadway, 1959) with Ethel Merman. - Oh, Dad, Poor Dad, Mama’s Hung You In the Closet and I’m Feelin’ So Sad (1962). Dramatic, no singing or dancing. - Mother Courage and Her Children (1963) starring Anne Bancroft. - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Broadway, 1962). Was called in as an emergency consultant to save the show. - Funny Girl (Broadway, 1964). Listed as a production supervisor. - Fiddler on the Roof (Broadway, 1964) - Les Noces (1965). For American Ballet Theatre. - The Exception and the Rule (1987) - The Poppa Piece (1991) - Jerome Robbins’ Broadway (1989) - Jerome's anthology show on Broadway, for which he received his fifth Tony. -


Links: Jerome Robbins Trust and Foundation