- Russian-American
dancer and choreographer, who furthered the arts of character dance
and pantomime. Born in Moscow, Massine studied under Russian ballet
producer Sergei Diaghilev. Massine debuted as a dancer in 1914
in Paris with Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, beginning his career in choreography
a year later. He made his American debut in 1916. Five years later,
he left Diaghilev to tour South America with his own company. He rejoined
the Ballets Russes in 1924 and remained with it until Diaghilev's death
in 1929. During the 1930s Massine created a new genre of dance called
the symphonic ballet. He later worked with offshoot companies of Ballets
Russes, American Ballet Theatre, and various European companies.
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