Mr. B: George Balanchine's 20th Century
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- Create Date：2022-11-04 18:21:41
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Jennifer Homans
- ISBN：0812994302
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Summary
"A fascinating read about a true genius and his unrelenting thirst for beauty in art and in life。"--MIKHAIL BARYSHNIKOV
Based on a decade of unprecedented research， the first major biography of George Balanchine， a broad-canvas portrait set against the backdrop of the tumultuous century that shaped the man The New York Times called "the Shakespeare of dancing"--from the bestselling author of Apollo's Angels
Arguably the greatest choreographer who ever lived， George Balanchine was one of the cultural titans of the twentieth century--The New York Times called him "the Shakespeare of dancing。" His radical approach to choreography--and life--reinvented the art of ballet and made him a legend。 Written with enormous style and artistry， and based on more than one hundred interviews and research in archives across Russia， Europe， and the Americas， Mr。 B carries us through Balanchine's tumultuous and high-pitched life story and into the making of his extraordinary dances。
Balanchine's life intersected with some of the biggest historical events of his century。 Born in Russia under the last czar， Balanchine experienced the upheavals of World War I， the Russian Revolution， exile， World War II， and the Cold War。 A co-founder of the New York City Ballet， he pressed ballet in America to the forefront of modernism and made it a popular art。 None of this was easy， and we see his loneliness and failures， his five marriages--all to dancers--and many loves。 We follow his bouts of ill health and spiritual crises， and learn of his profound musical skills and sensibility and his immense determination to make some of the most glorious， strange， and beautiful dances ever to grace the modern stage。
With full access to Balanchine's papers and many of his dancers， Jennifer Homans， the dance critic for The New Yorker and a former dancer herself， has spent more than a decade researching Balanchine's life and times to write a vast history of the twentieth century through the lens of one of its greatest artists: the definitive biography of the man his dancers called Mr。 B。
Based on a decade of unprecedented research， the first major biography of George Balanchine， a broad-canvas portrait set against the backdrop of the tumultuous century that shaped the man The New York Times called "the Shakespeare of dancing"--from the bestselling author of Apollo's Angels
Arguably the greatest choreographer who ever lived， George Balanchine was one of the cultural titans of the twentieth century--The New York Times called him "the Shakespeare of dancing。" His radical approach to choreography--and life--reinvented the art of ballet and made him a legend。 Written with enormous style and artistry， and based on more than one hundred interviews and research in archives across Russia， Europe， and the Americas， Mr。 B carries us through Balanchine's tumultuous and high-pitched life story and into the making of his extraordinary dances。
Balanchine's life intersected with some of the biggest historical events of his century。 Born in Russia under the last czar， Balanchine experienced the upheavals of World War I， the Russian Revolution， exile， World War II， and the Cold War。 A co-founder of the New York City Ballet， he pressed ballet in America to the forefront of modernism and made it a popular art。 None of this was easy， and we see his loneliness and failures， his five marriages--all to dancers--and many loves。 We follow his bouts of ill health and spiritual crises， and learn of his profound musical skills and sensibility and his immense determination to make some of the most glorious， strange， and beautiful dances ever to grace the modern stage。
With full access to Balanchine's papers and many of his dancers， Jennifer Homans， the dance critic for The New Yorker and a former dancer herself， has spent more than a decade researching Balanchine's life and times to write a vast history of the twentieth century through the lens of one of its greatest artists: the definitive biography of the man his dancers called Mr。 B。
Reviews
Lauren
，
This incredibly， incredibly detailed book delved deep into the life of arguably the man who brought modern ballet into the spotlight - especially into the Americas。 Balanchine is the name one associates with ballet when one doesn't know much about it， and this book gave new life to the man behind （literally） the curtain。 I grew up dancing ballet and Balanchine was always a mysterious figure who was always seen as impacting everything even after his death。 This book was a heavily detailed but inf This incredibly， incredibly detailed book delved deep into the life of arguably the man who brought modern ballet into the spotlight - especially into the Americas。 Balanchine is the name one associates with ballet when one doesn't know much about it， and this book gave new life to the man behind （literally） the curtain。 I grew up dancing ballet and Balanchine was always a mysterious figure who was always seen as impacting everything even after his death。 This book was a heavily detailed but informative read。 Some readers might find this too in-depth， and if that's the case they can skip around to parts that may interest them the most。 A lovely read。 Thanks to NetGalley， the author， and the publisher for this ARC！ 。。。more
Jennifer Schultz
，
This is a thorough examination of Balanchine's fascinating life and career。 Balletomanes will definitely want to read it。 Is it a little overlong in details for Balanchine's friends and acquaintances？ In my opinion， yes。 But that's a minor complaint for an otherwise beautifully written biography。 Many thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review。 This is a thorough examination of Balanchine's fascinating life and career。 Balletomanes will definitely want to read it。 Is it a little overlong in details for Balanchine's friends and acquaintances？ In my opinion， yes。 But that's a minor complaint for an otherwise beautifully written biography。 Many thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Sherry Brown
，
This book is the life story of George Balanchine。It was intriguing， very interesting and heart touching。
Becca Hansen
，
This biography is extensively thorough， and explores the dynamic George Balanchine in depths that we’ve never seen before。 It was absolutely fascinating to learn about the connection between the complexities and difficulties in Balanchine’s life and his choreography。 I will say， however， readers who are not either from the dance world， or appreciators of the art， may have a difficult time getting through it， because it is LONG and dense。 Growing up as a dancer and learning Balanchine’s methods， This biography is extensively thorough， and explores the dynamic George Balanchine in depths that we’ve never seen before。 It was absolutely fascinating to learn about the connection between the complexities and difficulties in Balanchine’s life and his choreography。 I will say， however， readers who are not either from the dance world， or appreciators of the art， may have a difficult time getting through it， because it is LONG and dense。 Growing up as a dancer and learning Balanchine’s methods， I was absolutely fascinated。 Entranced， even。 Homans’ depth of research is something to be marveled。 。。。more
Ruth
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