All Sources:
Mr Moir
http://jeromerobbins.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Side_Story_%28film%29#Cast
http://kimmy-westsidestory.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/calendar-and-events/2014/11/10/jerome-robbins-fancy-free-to-on-the-town/3955
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy#Latin_America_and_communism
Thursday 4 December 2014
Social,Economic,Technological,Political,Historical, and Cultural Influences
America
To understand the history of America firstly you have to travel back before West Side Story to unravel the series of events. During the 1920's America was fairly young, and was a hub of transformation especially regarding mass production from the invention of the radio,chewing gum, to jazz. At a very technological time these formative years were definitely the year of development from Ford the car giant to colour TV. America hadn't yet started trading abroad and were 50% below the poverty line which was a huge struggle not to mention the total lack of equality not just in the South but everywhere with WASPS (White Anglo Saxon Protestants) controlling everything, times were tough but this was the start.
From 1939-1945 for America WW2 had begun and by 1945, American was out for primacy through a mixture of economy,power,technology,and weaponry which in being up and coming America had. American now had enough money to loan to Europe in the Marshall Plan of $16 billion dollars, as Britain,Russia, and Germany were all bankrupted from two world wars. America started to worm their way to the top through the medium of soft power which was a quick leap to dominance, like a virus spreading themselves quickly and efficiently, through branding KFC,APPLE,MCDONALDS and more were soon everywhere as much of the world became "Americanised". Popular Culture in the 50's can be captured in just a few words which speak volumes. "The Cold War", "Baby Boomers" , "Korea" , which contributed to overcrowding,less jobs and recession. This was the decade where people built Bomb Shelters, had babies and the news was filled with what the reds were doing or going to do. Another other important change was in how teenagers were perceived up until the 50's when teenagers were just children and were treated as such. As the future decades changed that was when teenagers became an important section of society when politicians and others had realised that teenagers would very quickly become voters and consumers and a new generation of pop stars including Elvis Presley.
Before WW2 the popular and talented people from the world were the Picasso's and Monet, and Ballet Russe, but as soon as America started its bid for primacy, The American Dream looked very fetching to everyone, which was endorsed by public figures such as Elvis.This is where countries like Russia come into play being communist trying to block out this American Dream and idolising of America. At this time politically America was a dangerous place to challenge authority following lots of assassinations and the WASPS. Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army during World War II and served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe, Eisenhower entered the 1952 presidential race as a Republican to crusade against "Communism, Korea and corruption". After Eisenhower,
John F Kennedy (JFK) was the next American President where such a contrast in leadership resulted in a culturally changed America as an American politician who served as the 35th President of the United States from January 1961 until his assassination in November 1963. significant events that occurred during his presidency included the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Space Race—by initiating Project Apollo, the building of the Berlin Wall, the African-American Civil Rights Movement. JFK was a catholic man, all for equal rights and equality for America which helped solidify the Civil Rights Movement, and the JFK Foundation which supported and funded projects from the "black and other overlooked races" giving them an opportunity to be free, and do what they love from art to dance and literacy skills. This was probably to the angered and frustrated the WASP's as the colonised nations of America spread the news about escaping colonialism, and hardship and the ability of being accepted slowly but surely. All this change was even more significant when Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 as part of a conspiracy.
How did the Puerto Rican's end up in America?
The answer is 'The Great Migration'. In 1917 the United States Congregation approved 'The Jones Act' permitting citizenship for Puerto Rican's wanting to live in America. By 1920 roughly 5'000 Puerto Rican's were living in the USA , but post war over 58'500 more had migrated. The migration was sparked by mainly economic factors as "The American Dream" was very prominent as the urge came for a fulfilment of a better life. The new use of air travel was also very handy as this meant that it was much quicker to get to America rather than the ferry which took days. Spanish Harlem/East Harlem were very popular places to settle for Puerto Rican's although with more than 4 people per apartment, poverty,racism, and discrimination Puerto Rican's still flocked in their huge families to fulfil a better life. After a successful yet difficult migration Puerto Rican's would move to populated places like the Bronx which was a city moving up the social ladder from poorer neighbour hoods due to the housing scheme which was introduced at the time.
As the Puerto Rican's arrived they were not met kindly by the New Yorkers which is shown throughout West Side Story, especially in the 'Prologue' where after a fight erupts Lieutenant Schrank and Officer Krupke arrive and break it up, the authority are definitely not very unwelcoming to the Puerto Rican's and this summarises how the Puerto Ricans are treated generally, he says “Get your friends out of here, Bernardo, and stay out!...Please! Boy, oh, boy…As if this neighbourhood wasn't crummy enough." In addition, the gang’s name (Sharks) is a metaphor for bloodthirsty fish with large teeth, also known as ugly filth, and menaces of the sea (or streets in this case). They are also treated as criminals because they are never given warnings but taken to jail right away if they “break the law”. Racism and discrimination were a daily struggle for Puerto Rican's let alone the language barrier, the Puerto Rican's were at the bottom of the chain.
There is no specific morale that one can gather from both stories on love and relationships. Both stories seek to portray the chaos and obstacles that surround passion and love.
To understand the history of America firstly you have to travel back before West Side Story to unravel the series of events. During the 1920's America was fairly young, and was a hub of transformation especially regarding mass production from the invention of the radio,chewing gum, to jazz. At a very technological time these formative years were definitely the year of development from Ford the car giant to colour TV. America hadn't yet started trading abroad and were 50% below the poverty line which was a huge struggle not to mention the total lack of equality not just in the South but everywhere with WASPS (White Anglo Saxon Protestants) controlling everything, times were tough but this was the start.
From 1939-1945 for America WW2 had begun and by 1945, American was out for primacy through a mixture of economy,power,technology,and weaponry which in being up and coming America had. American now had enough money to loan to Europe in the Marshall Plan of $16 billion dollars, as Britain,Russia, and Germany were all bankrupted from two world wars. America started to worm their way to the top through the medium of soft power which was a quick leap to dominance, like a virus spreading themselves quickly and efficiently, through branding KFC,APPLE,MCDONALDS and more were soon everywhere as much of the world became "Americanised". Popular Culture in the 50's can be captured in just a few words which speak volumes. "The Cold War", "Baby Boomers" , "Korea" , which contributed to overcrowding,less jobs and recession. This was the decade where people built Bomb Shelters, had babies and the news was filled with what the reds were doing or going to do. Another other important change was in how teenagers were perceived up until the 50's when teenagers were just children and were treated as such. As the future decades changed that was when teenagers became an important section of society when politicians and others had realised that teenagers would very quickly become voters and consumers and a new generation of pop stars including Elvis Presley.
Before WW2 the popular and talented people from the world were the Picasso's and Monet, and Ballet Russe, but as soon as America started its bid for primacy, The American Dream looked very fetching to everyone, which was endorsed by public figures such as Elvis.This is where countries like Russia come into play being communist trying to block out this American Dream and idolising of America. At this time politically America was a dangerous place to challenge authority following lots of assassinations and the WASPS. Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army during World War II and served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe, Eisenhower entered the 1952 presidential race as a Republican to crusade against "Communism, Korea and corruption". After Eisenhower,
John F Kennedy (JFK) was the next American President where such a contrast in leadership resulted in a culturally changed America as an American politician who served as the 35th President of the United States from January 1961 until his assassination in November 1963. significant events that occurred during his presidency included the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Space Race—by initiating Project Apollo, the building of the Berlin Wall, the African-American Civil Rights Movement. JFK was a catholic man, all for equal rights and equality for America which helped solidify the Civil Rights Movement, and the JFK Foundation which supported and funded projects from the "black and other overlooked races" giving them an opportunity to be free, and do what they love from art to dance and literacy skills. This was probably to the angered and frustrated the WASP's as the colonised nations of America spread the news about escaping colonialism, and hardship and the ability of being accepted slowly but surely. All this change was even more significant when Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 as part of a conspiracy.
How did the Puerto Rican's end up in America?
The answer is 'The Great Migration'. In 1917 the United States Congregation approved 'The Jones Act' permitting citizenship for Puerto Rican's wanting to live in America. By 1920 roughly 5'000 Puerto Rican's were living in the USA , but post war over 58'500 more had migrated. The migration was sparked by mainly economic factors as "The American Dream" was very prominent as the urge came for a fulfilment of a better life. The new use of air travel was also very handy as this meant that it was much quicker to get to America rather than the ferry which took days. Spanish Harlem/East Harlem were very popular places to settle for Puerto Rican's although with more than 4 people per apartment, poverty,racism, and discrimination Puerto Rican's still flocked in their huge families to fulfil a better life. After a successful yet difficult migration Puerto Rican's would move to populated places like the Bronx which was a city moving up the social ladder from poorer neighbour hoods due to the housing scheme which was introduced at the time.
As the Puerto Rican's arrived they were not met kindly by the New Yorkers which is shown throughout West Side Story, especially in the 'Prologue' where after a fight erupts Lieutenant Schrank and Officer Krupke arrive and break it up, the authority are definitely not very unwelcoming to the Puerto Rican's and this summarises how the Puerto Ricans are treated generally, he says “Get your friends out of here, Bernardo, and stay out!...Please! Boy, oh, boy…As if this neighbourhood wasn't crummy enough." In addition, the gang’s name (Sharks) is a metaphor for bloodthirsty fish with large teeth, also known as ugly filth, and menaces of the sea (or streets in this case). They are also treated as criminals because they are never given warnings but taken to jail right away if they “break the law”. Racism and discrimination were a daily struggle for Puerto Rican's let alone the language barrier, the Puerto Rican's were at the bottom of the chain.
There is no specific morale that one can gather from both stories on love and relationships. Both stories seek to portray the chaos and obstacles that surround passion and love.
Movement and Theme Analysis
Movement Style:
Jerome Robbins movement style in West Side Story is prevalent in his previous pieces throughout his life, going back to 'Fancy Free (1944)' which was the only straight forward ballet with characters who had a strong representative focus to do with their personal characterisations in dramatic situations. 1944 ballet about three sailors on shore leave in New York City during World War II.
"What Fancy Free did most impressively," writes dance critic Marcia Siegel, "was to integrate classical and colloquial dances within a context of carefully observed characters. . . . Robbins achieved it for the first time in a contemporary ballet. He gave gesture and the acting of real people the same validity on the concert stage that Fred Astaire gave to dancing in the quasi-realistic milieu of movie romances." Did you know that Robbins created over 60 ballets over two periods from 1944-1961 then from 1969-1997, and Fancy Free was Robbins's first collaboration with the amazing composer that is Leonard Bernstein,. Fancy Free was enjoyed so much that it played 160 performances in its opening season, musicals especially like this were a form of escapism, from all the real world problems at the time. The same year, the ballet was transformed into the hit Broadway musical 'On the Town (1944)' and established Robbins and Bernstein's strong relationship which spanned generations.
In 'Fancy Free' you can see that Jerome Robbins has always had a strong focus on 'naturalism' which are natural movements such as walking that effortlessly evolves into dancing, during 'Fancy Free' typic 'Robbins' movements you will see all draw from different genres from Ballet to Contemporary and Latin.
Moves you will see in 'Fancy Free' are:
- Accented hops (jazz)
- Parallel Retire (jazz)
- Elevated Ball change (jazz)
- Drag Runs (jazz)
- Side Kick (jazz)
- Barrel Jump (ballet)
- Technical Arm Lines (ballet)
- Retire (ballet)
- Release (contemporary)
- Suspension (contemporary)
- Hip Rolls (Latin)
- Body Rolls (Latin)
These moves are all present in West Side Story, from the Prologue to the Gym in the big dance scenes. Also with the characterisations, throughout West Side Story and Fancy Free with the humour and comedy aspects, and that every character has a purpose which comes with their own little quirks, and movements. For example 'Bernado' is famous for his hip-rolls and Anita for her Attitude leg. Robbins was creating characters that were 'real' and claimed a sense of humanity. Jerome Robbins made sure that in West Side Story every character had a name,purpose, and allowed them to create individual background information which helped create realistic characters.
"You are not just an abstract figure, you're a real human with real feelings" - Dancer Rebecca Krohn
In West Side Story the moves that form from naturalism are sometimes basic but still are full of dynamics and are very expressive. As mentioned previously Robbins is a huge fan of Naturalism, and it is basically the foundation of most scenes and dancing in West Side Story. For example in 'Afternoon of a Faun and A Suite of Dances' the dancers are exploring how they can move their bodies and their own personal flow to which a dance piece emerges smoothly. For an audience this would seem as if the dancers are moving spontaneously which is what Robbins wanted, to give off the illusion that they were all discovering movement for the very first time, and in groups as they express themselves and interact with each other with little speaking, and all physical communication that is free for interpretation.
Themes:
Jerome Robbins never choreographs without purpose and theme behind it. In West Side Story there are many different themes and underlying sub-themes such as reality,community,and relationships. Contemporary reality and brutality of treatment was very real in West Side Story, from the racism and discrimination that the Puerto Rican's received. For the Puerto Rican's West Side Story really depicts a fight for acceptance and urban space. The main reason why Robbins had this rivalry of gangs in West Side Story, was because of the cultural differences, which is similar to Romeo and Juliet, only they have their differences in terms of class. But what the gangs don't realise is that they both have the same amount of class, which is merely no class, and they are both immigrants; however the Jets think that they are more accepted because they are white. Both gangs are in the same position of not being accepted by society, and living in the Slums of New York City.
Relationships, between characters, society and groups are a huge focus within West Side Story as every character has a connection with one another where its by relation, friendship,counterpart/enemy, or romantically. Jerome Robbins explores who characters interact and come together through the medium of dance. Robbins allows us to see how different relationships from example we see the affection between Maria and Tony as love, Maria and Bernado as Siblings with his protective nature as her brother, and between Tony and Bernado as rivals. As an audience we are able to tell the difference characteristically with behaviour but with the certain moves associated with the relationship. For example with Maria and Tony their moves as lovers are more elongated with a connection compared to Tony and Bernado's moves which are quicker,sharper and are filled with tension and frustration.
Violence brought about by love is another theme that permeates in both stories. In both stories, love is linked to death. As in the case of Tony who died at the end of the story in West Side Story. The same goes to Romeo and Juliet, who met untimely death at the end of the story.Violence is very pronounced in both stories as we are being made painfully aware from the very start that the two protagonists come from feuding clans such as in Romeo and Juliet or feuding culture such as in The West Side Story. We have this unshakable feeling that trouble is brewing as soon as the story commences.
Another theme in the story is the conflict of individual self with society. What the protagonists in both stories Romeo and Juliet wanted were different from what the society expected from them. Romeo and Juliet fought for their private feelings to the end by committing the ultimate act of privacy- suicide. In the same vein, Maria and Tony fought for their private love but they did not really resort to extreme means. Tony’s death is not brought about by suicide although he challenged the villain Chino to come to kill him when he thought Maria was killed. Still, Tony’s death is not self-inflicted or voluntary as in the case of the lovers Romeo and Juliet.
Jerome Robbins movement style in West Side Story is prevalent in his previous pieces throughout his life, going back to 'Fancy Free (1944)' which was the only straight forward ballet with characters who had a strong representative focus to do with their personal characterisations in dramatic situations. 1944 ballet about three sailors on shore leave in New York City during World War II.
"What Fancy Free did most impressively," writes dance critic Marcia Siegel, "was to integrate classical and colloquial dances within a context of carefully observed characters. . . . Robbins achieved it for the first time in a contemporary ballet. He gave gesture and the acting of real people the same validity on the concert stage that Fred Astaire gave to dancing in the quasi-realistic milieu of movie romances." Did you know that Robbins created over 60 ballets over two periods from 1944-1961 then from 1969-1997, and Fancy Free was Robbins's first collaboration with the amazing composer that is Leonard Bernstein,. Fancy Free was enjoyed so much that it played 160 performances in its opening season, musicals especially like this were a form of escapism, from all the real world problems at the time. The same year, the ballet was transformed into the hit Broadway musical 'On the Town (1944)' and established Robbins and Bernstein's strong relationship which spanned generations.
In 'Fancy Free' you can see that Jerome Robbins has always had a strong focus on 'naturalism' which are natural movements such as walking that effortlessly evolves into dancing, during 'Fancy Free' typic 'Robbins' movements you will see all draw from different genres from Ballet to Contemporary and Latin.
Moves you will see in 'Fancy Free' are:
- Accented hops (jazz)
- Parallel Retire (jazz)
- Elevated Ball change (jazz)
- Drag Runs (jazz)
- Side Kick (jazz)
- Barrel Jump (ballet)
- Technical Arm Lines (ballet)
- Retire (ballet)
- Release (contemporary)
- Suspension (contemporary)
- Hip Rolls (Latin)
- Body Rolls (Latin)
These moves are all present in West Side Story, from the Prologue to the Gym in the big dance scenes. Also with the characterisations, throughout West Side Story and Fancy Free with the humour and comedy aspects, and that every character has a purpose which comes with their own little quirks, and movements. For example 'Bernado' is famous for his hip-rolls and Anita for her Attitude leg. Robbins was creating characters that were 'real' and claimed a sense of humanity. Jerome Robbins made sure that in West Side Story every character had a name,purpose, and allowed them to create individual background information which helped create realistic characters.
"You are not just an abstract figure, you're a real human with real feelings" - Dancer Rebecca Krohn
In West Side Story the moves that form from naturalism are sometimes basic but still are full of dynamics and are very expressive. As mentioned previously Robbins is a huge fan of Naturalism, and it is basically the foundation of most scenes and dancing in West Side Story. For example in 'Afternoon of a Faun and A Suite of Dances' the dancers are exploring how they can move their bodies and their own personal flow to which a dance piece emerges smoothly. For an audience this would seem as if the dancers are moving spontaneously which is what Robbins wanted, to give off the illusion that they were all discovering movement for the very first time, and in groups as they express themselves and interact with each other with little speaking, and all physical communication that is free for interpretation.
Themes:
Jerome Robbins never choreographs without purpose and theme behind it. In West Side Story there are many different themes and underlying sub-themes such as reality,community,and relationships. Contemporary reality and brutality of treatment was very real in West Side Story, from the racism and discrimination that the Puerto Rican's received. For the Puerto Rican's West Side Story really depicts a fight for acceptance and urban space. The main reason why Robbins had this rivalry of gangs in West Side Story, was because of the cultural differences, which is similar to Romeo and Juliet, only they have their differences in terms of class. But what the gangs don't realise is that they both have the same amount of class, which is merely no class, and they are both immigrants; however the Jets think that they are more accepted because they are white. Both gangs are in the same position of not being accepted by society, and living in the Slums of New York City.
Relationships, between characters, society and groups are a huge focus within West Side Story as every character has a connection with one another where its by relation, friendship,counterpart/enemy, or romantically. Jerome Robbins explores who characters interact and come together through the medium of dance. Robbins allows us to see how different relationships from example we see the affection between Maria and Tony as love, Maria and Bernado as Siblings with his protective nature as her brother, and between Tony and Bernado as rivals. As an audience we are able to tell the difference characteristically with behaviour but with the certain moves associated with the relationship. For example with Maria and Tony their moves as lovers are more elongated with a connection compared to Tony and Bernado's moves which are quicker,sharper and are filled with tension and frustration.
Violence brought about by love is another theme that permeates in both stories. In both stories, love is linked to death. As in the case of Tony who died at the end of the story in West Side Story. The same goes to Romeo and Juliet, who met untimely death at the end of the story.Violence is very pronounced in both stories as we are being made painfully aware from the very start that the two protagonists come from feuding clans such as in Romeo and Juliet or feuding culture such as in The West Side Story. We have this unshakable feeling that trouble is brewing as soon as the story commences.
Another theme in the story is the conflict of individual self with society. What the protagonists in both stories Romeo and Juliet wanted were different from what the society expected from them. Romeo and Juliet fought for their private feelings to the end by committing the ultimate act of privacy- suicide. In the same vein, Maria and Tony fought for their private love but they did not really resort to extreme means. Tony’s death is not brought about by suicide although he challenged the villain Chino to come to kill him when he thought Maria was killed. Still, Tony’s death is not self-inflicted or voluntary as in the case of the lovers Romeo and Juliet.
Contemporary Context
How does West Side Story fit into today's society?
In a modern society as today, West Side Story still graces our many stages, and millions of people will willingly flock to see such a musical. Firstly West Side Story’s dark theme, sophisticated music, spontaneous, dance, and brutal reflection of social problems which marked a turning point in American theatre. The previous “musical comedy” had been overturned as West Side Story became “musical theatre,” as directors and actors realised for the first time that the principles of serious drama should be applied to serious musicals.
In a modern society as today, West Side Story still graces our many stages, and millions of people will willingly flock to see such a musical. Firstly West Side Story’s dark theme, sophisticated music, spontaneous, dance, and brutal reflection of social problems which marked a turning point in American theatre. The previous “musical comedy” had been overturned as West Side Story became “musical theatre,” as directors and actors realised for the first time that the principles of serious drama should be applied to serious musicals.
The “West Side Story” Broadway production team in 1957: (l. to r.) lyricist Stephen Sondheim, scriptwriter Arthur Laurents, producers Hal Prince and Robert Griffith (seated), composer Leonard Bernstein and choreographer Jerome Robbins.
West Side Story is sometimes remembered as an old-school classic —but in fact this tale of rival gangs on the streets of New York broke all the rules. This is still relevant today, gang crime is still a serious issue that takes hundreds of young lives with unneeded fights over territory, initiation and the need to feel as if they belong to a unwritten society.
Racism is still another sad and unjustified issue that is unfortunately still occurring, right this second as Americans protest for young black men such as Mike Brown, and Eric Ferguson being unlawfully killed, and immigrants being verbally abused for "taking all of the jobs", regardless of who is being racially abused, racism is race less and personally I think that it is disgusting that things like this are still happening in 2014, but it shows that although we've come along way as a world we are still relating back issues seemingly to be of the past which are prevalent in West Side Story.
West Side Story was basically new territory, and it changed the face of musical theatre, suddenly all the elements in the form of music, lyrics,dance, and acting merged into one unified voice, pushing the story. Musicals used to just be about smiling and doing pretty steps but director/choreographer, Jerome Robbins enabled characters to dance because they had to, because there was simply no other way for the adrenalin and anger-filled kids to release the pent-up anger and restless frustration boiling beneath the surface. With the elements of the form so well merged, the result was outstandingly completely original.
West Side Story made such an impact that we still study it today as a society, I am studying it now as a dancer, because of all the historical and contextual issues surrounding such a musical, and the inspiring director/choreographer that created it. West Side Story is about many things: race and power, belonging and frustration; but most of all it’s about the brutality of prejudice, and its implications for true love. In the musicals of the ‘20s and ‘30s (Babes in Toyland, No No Nanette, Anything Goes) love was predominantly idealistic, naive, and simple: Boy and girl fall in love, something or someone challenges their love, but love conquers all, ALWAYS. The ‘40s saw the rise of Rodgers and Hammerstein favourites like Oklahoma(1942) and South Pacific(1943), in which obstacles became deeper and more complex but love still prevailed in the end. But all that changed in 1957. Not only was Tony and Maria’s love story complex, it was also very adult, very political . . . and impossible. Love wouldn’t win, couldn’t win in the shadow of such hatred and prejudice. West Side Story faced, for the first time in a musical, the harsh reality that things don’t always work out and sometimes hatred has the final say. It’s a painful universal truth that we can still pluck out of today’s headlines, as society is never completely full of happy endings as we see in the mass media.
Jerome Robbins
Biographical Information
Jerome Rabinowitz was born on October 11th 1918, Robbins original name was Rabinowitz, however it translates to “son of a rabbi”, a name that Jerome Robbins never really liked, since it marked him as the son of an immigrant, so he took the name "Robbins" in the early 1920s, as the Rabinowitz family moved to New Jersey. Jerome was a chemistry student in high school, but as the money gave out, he tried dance after years of being dragged along to his sisters lessons, and miraculously felt free and happy, frequently writing in his diary which actually became his first high school composition. Robbins had studied a wide array of dance traditions, appeared with the Gluck Sandor–Felicia Sorel Dance Centre, and danced in the chorus of several Broadway musicals. In 1940 he joined Ballet Theatre (now American Ballet Theatre), where he was enabled to start dancing such important roles as Petrouchka.
Robbins new found passion for dance left him craving lessons, which he payed for by selling crazy things such as eggs to gain enough money to pay for them, which is determination at its finest.Robbins then went on to getting a dance scholarship to Sandoors Modern Dance Company - they took him on as an Apprentice and enabled him to land his first job in "Brothers Ashkenazi"(1936).\
By the time Robbins was age 22 dance was his light at the end of the tunnel and became his only dream. That summer Jerome went to a summer resort showbiz boot camp where he met the likes of Imogene Coca, where he created imitation ballet.
Creative Approach and Influences
Robbins wasn't a classical ballet dancer but stood out comedically, dramatically,and romantically which gave him that unique edge.Anthony Tutor was a tutor to Robbins and he admired George Balanchine who was definitely an inspiration to Robbins, and &after seeing "Swan Lake" Robbins felt like everything had clicked into place, and seeing the piece changed him. "Fancy Free"(1944) was Jerome Robbins first full length piece, it has been described as very floaty with casual movement This 1944 ballet was about three sailors on shore leave in New York City during World War II. "Fancy Free" was Robbins only straight-forward narrative ballet with representative characters in a clear dramatic situationBefore the creation of this Robbins began to think "Why can't we make something American, something current and today."
This then became more present in "Fancy Free" as the sailors were choreographed Spanish moves, swivelling hips,rolls, and isolation's that Robbins had perfected. (These Spanish movements are also present in "West Side Story"."Fancy Free" received amazing reviews, and was definitely a piece that uplifted people during the war, especially due to the fact that American people were dancing like European dancers.
"Fancy Free" was re-invented 8-months later as "On The Town"(1998) as it premiered on Broadway and Robbins was highlighted as a new hottest allet Broadway choreographer."On The Town" starred an all American cast.
Jerome Robbins was massively passionate about dance, and as a choreographer was incredibly predictable,inquisitive, and the definition of a perfectionist when it came to doing what he loved. As well as being a perfectionist everything had a way of being done, and dancers would dance over and over until it was exactly how he wanted it. During the creation of West Side Story did you know that the cast of Sharks and Jets were not allowed to meet each other? The first time they met was on set for filming, which kept the segregation between the Puerto Ricans and New Yorkers very alive. Robbins was a fan of characters being very "real" and alive not just playing a role, but being and immersing themselves within a role to give an inspiring performance.
From a young age Jerome Robbins had always been a perfectionist, and was described as very "inquisitive" yet difficult to work with because of his vicious temper. Jerome had a strong ballet influence for his first period and an expressionist for his second period which you can see in West Side Story's "Dance at the gym" with the extremely classical arm lines and closings.
The idea for a the musical that is now West Side Story had come almost a decade later than when Robbins brought the idea of a contemporary Romeo and Juliet to Bernstein and playwright Arthur Laurents. The project stalled for over 5 years, as nobody had faith or would put money into funding such a different type of musical that didn't even have a happy ending, until an article in the Los Angeles Times about gang violence renewed peoples interest. Instead of star-crossed lovers of Jewish and Irish Catholic descent, as Robbins had originally suggested, the protagonists became a Polish-American boy and a Puerto Rican girl in New York City. Bernstein brought in the untried Stephen Sondheim to write the lyrics.
Monday 1 December 2014
Welcome!
This blog, is a blog dedicated to West Side Story(1961) and the late great Jerome Robbins it's wonderful creator. Jerome Robbins revolutionised the theory of American Broadway musical comedy and West Side Story is undoubtedly one of the greatest musicals of all time that is still culturally relevant today, which is a huge achievement all the way from its original conception in 1957, to 2014 where it is immersed in the A-level and BTEC Dance spec that students all around the nation follow.
Former theatre critic Frank Rich, “It was as if, for the first time, something modern and new was crashing into the commercial Broadway world."
Former theatre critic Frank Rich, “It was as if, for the first time, something modern and new was crashing into the commercial Broadway world."
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