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- In Balanchine’s Company
Intimate recollections of a wondrous time and place.
During her twelve years with Ballet Society and the New York City Ballet, Barbara Milberg worked under the direction of George Balanchine. She rose from corps de ballet to soloist, danced leading roles in Swan Lake and Illuminations, and performed in celebrated world premieres. In this observant and poignant memoir, she shares her recollections of Balanchine, his craft and his values, and lends insight into surprising aspects of his personality. Fisher gives readers a rare glimpse inside Balanchine's artistry, including vivid accounts of the makings of such important ballets as Schoenberg's Opus 34, AGON, and the world-famous Nutcracker. Told through the eyes of a young dancer in what seemed a truly magical place and time, In Balanchine's Company is ideal for ballet fans young and old. Rich in anecdote, insight, and humor, it offers a unique perspective on one of the twentieth century's cultural giants.
Foreword - Arlene Croce
Acknowledgments
Prologue
Balanchine's Company
Schools
Introducing Stravinsky
Politics
An Unexpected Turn
A Prodigal Fall
On Tour, 1952: Catalonian Extremes
On Tour, 1952: A View from the Wings
On Tour, 1952: Vespa Riders
The Russian Easter Bribe
Opus 34 and the Loopies
Mr. B Gets Mad
Of Rats and Mice and Candy-Canes
Mostly Mo - tz - art
A Pep Talk
Nightmare in Copenhagen
A Class of One's Own
Agon: Point Counterpoint
Epilogue: Our revels now are ended
Notes
Index
BARBARA MILBERG FISHER performed with Ballet Society and the New York City Ballet from 1946 to 1958, and then joined Jerome Robbins' newly formed Ballets: USA as one of its principal dancers. She is professor emeritus of English at the City College of New York, and remains addicted to baroque music and murder mysteries.
"Woven into these personal and telling recollections are wonderfully astute looks at Balanchine's artistic process and the place of his ballets in the canon of 20th-century art. Fisher eventually became a professor of English at the City College of New York, and her observations as both dancer and literary critic are unparalleled. This book is indispensable for lovers of ballet and theater."
~Publishers Weekly
""Fisher's memoir is a three-fold delight; a generous tribute to Balanchine and his creations, collaborations, stagings, triumphs, and failures; a celebration of peers, colleagues, and talented artists in other ballet-related disciplines; and a cheerful, grateful record of her own distinguished career. Fisher opens up the inner world of ballet, deftly capturing the personal characteristics of its creative giants.""
~ForeWord Magazine
""Woven into these personal and telling recollections are wonderfully astute looks at Balanchine's artistic process and the place of his ballets in the canon of 20th-century art. Fisher eventually became a professor of English at the City College of New York, and her observations as both dancer and literary critic are unparalleled. This book is indispensable for lovers of ballet and theater.""
~Publishers Weekly
""Despite the charm of its prose, In Balanchine's Company is no mere literary exercise. At times it is funny (s)ometimes it's downright exciting,(a)nd often it's affectionate.""
~Doris Hering, Dance Magazine
"Clear and vivid, this book covers Balanchine's process, his special talent as a teacher, the unique community that characterized the early New York City Ballet, and the cultural forces that shaped the dance world in the 1950s. It is a joy to read."
~Ellen Graff, director of programs at Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance
"I stayed up all night and read In Balanchine's Company from cover to cover. As a dancer who lived through those years, I can say that Barbara Fisher's recollections, insight and writing style are impressive.""
~Arthur Mitchell, Artistic Director, Dance Theatre of Harlem; Former Principal Dancer, NYCB; and Kennedy Center Honoree
"I am in awe–speechless, moved to tears, and utterly incapable of finding words for all my feelings about (this) book. Every word was a pleasure to read. It is unfathomable to me how effortlessly (Fisher) combines important historical documents with (her) own graceful and often funny personal story. (The author) wears (her) terrifying erudition like a gossamer cape. (This) book is in a class all its own; there is no other written by a Balanchine dancer or colleague that approaches it.""
~Francia Russell, retired Pacific Northwest Ballet Artistic Director & Director of School
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