- Russian dancer
and choreographer, whose work revitalized traditional classical ballet.
Born in Saint Petersburg, Fokine studied at the Imperial Ballet School
and became soloist with the Imperial Ballet in 1898, soon becoming dissatisfied
with ballet's traditional gestures. In his view, dance, music, scenic
decor, and costuming should contribute equally to create a unified whole.
Fokine's early works
included The Dying Swan (1905), a solo dance for Russian ballerina
Anna Pavlova, and Le Pavillon d'Armide (1907). In 1909 Russian
impresario Sergei Diaghilev invited Fokine to become choreographer
for his Ballets Russes in Paris. Fokine thus gained the opportunity
to develop his ideas, and Diaghilev enlisted some of the era's greatest
composers, dancers, and designers to work with him. Fokine returned
to live in Russia in 1914, later settling in New York City as a choreographer
and teacher.
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