Stars and Stripes (ballet)
Encyclopedia
Stars and Stripes is a ballet choreographed by George Balanchine
in 1958, using original music by John Philip Sousa
and performed in 5 acts (campaigns). It lasts an average of 28 minutes. The original music by Sousa was adapted and orchestrated by Hershy Kay, the composer and preeminent orchestrator.
The ballet, which evokes Fourth of July parades, is one of several of Balanchine salutes to his adoptive country. It is a full-company ballet complete with baton twirling, military marching and a regiment of rifle-bearing ballerinas. The fourth campaign is a challenging pas de deux with a coda set to the "Liberty Bell" and "El Capitan" marches which shows the virtuosity of the dancers.
The original cast included four New York City Ballet
stars of their time: Canadian ballerina Melissa Hayden
and Americans Jacques d'Amboise, Allegra Kent
and Diana Adams
. It premiered January 17, 1958 at City Center of Music and Drama
, New York, with costumes by Barbara Karinska
and lighting by Mark Stanley. When Balanchine was asked for his reason to choreograph a ballet to Sousa's marches, he famously replied: "Because I like his music."
This ballet was performed for many memorable occasions, including Nelson Rockefeller
's inauguration as governor of New York, tributes to Presidents John F. Kennedy
and Lyndon B. Johnson
, and the opening ceremonies for the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center
. The ballet is dedicated to the memory of Fiorello H. LaGuardia
, mayor of New York City and founder of the City Center of Music and Drama, City Ballet's first home. It is still traditionally performed by NYCB
on or around the 4th of July during their residency at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center
in Saratoga Springs, NY.
George Balanchine
George Balanchine , born Giorgi Balanchivadze in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to a Georgian father and a Russian mother, was one of the 20th century's most famous choreographers, a developer of ballet in the United States, co-founder and balletmaster of New York City Ballet...
in 1958, using original music by John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era, known particularly for American military and patriotic marches. Because of his mastery of march composition, he is known as "The March King" or the "American March King" due to his British counterpart Kenneth J....
and performed in 5 acts (campaigns). It lasts an average of 28 minutes. The original music by Sousa was adapted and orchestrated by Hershy Kay, the composer and preeminent orchestrator.
The ballet, which evokes Fourth of July parades, is one of several of Balanchine salutes to his adoptive country. It is a full-company ballet complete with baton twirling, military marching and a regiment of rifle-bearing ballerinas. The fourth campaign is a challenging pas de deux with a coda set to the "Liberty Bell" and "El Capitan" marches which shows the virtuosity of the dancers.
The original cast included four New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company...
stars of their time: Canadian ballerina Melissa Hayden
Melissa Hayden (dancer)
Melissa Hayden was a Canadian ballerina at the New York City Ballet.-Early life:...
and Americans Jacques d'Amboise, Allegra Kent
Allegra Kent
Allegra Kent is an American ballet dancer and actress.Born in Santa Monica, Kent studied with Bronislava Nijinska and Carmelita Maracci before joining the School of American Ballet. After graduating, she joined the New York City Ballet in 1953 at the age of 15, and was promoted to principal in 1957...
and Diana Adams
Diana Adams
Diana Adams was an American dancer, leading dancer for the New York City Ballet from 1950 to 1963 and a favorite of George Balanchine, later became a teacher and a dean at the School of American Ballet. Adams was born in Staunton, Virginia and died in San Andreas, California....
. It premiered January 17, 1958 at City Center of Music and Drama
New York City Center
New York City Center is a 2,750-seat Moorish Revival theater located at 131 West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in Manhattan, New York City. It is one block south of Carnegie Hall...
, New York, with costumes by Barbara Karinska
Barbara Karinska
Varvara Jmoudsky, better known as Barbara Karinska or simply Karinska , was costumer of the New York City Ballet, and the first costume designer ever to win the Capezio Dance Award, for costumes "of visual beauty for the spectator and complete delight for the dancer".However, she designed the...
and lighting by Mark Stanley. When Balanchine was asked for his reason to choreograph a ballet to Sousa's marches, he famously replied: "Because I like his music."
This ballet was performed for many memorable occasions, including Nelson Rockefeller
Nelson Rockefeller
Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller was the 41st Vice President of the United States , serving under President Gerald Ford, and the 49th Governor of New York , as well as serving the Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower administrations in a variety of positions...
's inauguration as governor of New York, tributes to Presidents John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
, and the opening ceremonies for the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of New York City's Upper West Side. Reynold Levy has been its president since 2002.-History and facilities:...
. The ballet is dedicated to the memory of Fiorello H. LaGuardia
Fiorello H. LaGuardia
Fiorello Henry LaGuardia was Mayor of New York for three terms from 1934 to 1945 as a liberal Republican. Previously he was elected to Congress in 1916 and 1918, and again from 1922 through 1930. Irascible, energetic and charismatic, he craved publicity and is acclaimed as one of the three or...
, mayor of New York City and founder of the City Center of Music and Drama, City Ballet's first home. It is still traditionally performed by NYCB
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company...
on or around the 4th of July during their residency at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Saratoga Performing Arts Center
The Saratoga Performing Arts Center is an amphitheater in Saratoga Springs, New York, which presents summer festivals of all kinds of music , dance, and opera, as well as a Wine & Food Festival...
in Saratoga Springs, NY.
Music
- Stars and Stripes: First Campaign, 1st Regiment ('Corcoran Cadets')
- Stars and Stripes: Second Campaign, 2nd Regiment ('Rifle Regiment')
- Stars and Stripes: Third Campaign, 3rd Regiment ('Thunder and Gladiator')
- Stars and Stripes: Fourth Campaign ('Liberty Bell' and 'El Capitan')
- Stars and Stripes: Fifth Campaign, All Regiments ('Stars and Stripes')
- Variation I
- Variation II
- Coda: Allegro molto
- Finale: The Stars and Stripes Forever
2009 Saratoga Springs
-
- First Campaign
- Erica Pereira
-
- Second Campaign
- Savannah Lowery
-
- Third Campaign
- Adam Hendrickson
-
- Fourth Campaign
- Ashley Bouder
- Andrew Veyette
first cast
-
- First Campaign
- Erica Pereira
-
- Second Campaign
- Savannah Lowery
-
- Third Campaign
- Daniel Ulbricht
-
- Fourth Campaign
- Sara Mearns
- Charles AskegardCharles AskegardCharles Askegard was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and began his dance training at the age of five with Loyce Houlton and the Minnesota Dance Theatre. He continued his studies in Minneapolis until the age of 16, spending one summer at the School of American Ballet in 1983Mr...
second cast
-
- First Campaign
- Erica Pereira
-
- Second Campaign
- Gwyneth Muller
-
- Third Campaign
- Daniel Ulbricht
-
- Fourth Campaign
- Ashley Bouder
- Andrew Veyette
third cast
-
- First Campaign
- Erica Pereira
-
- Second Campaign
- Gwyneth Muller
-
- Third Campaign
- Adam Hendrickson
-
- Fourth Campaign
- Teresa Reichlen
- Charles AskegardCharles AskegardCharles Askegard was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and began his dance training at the age of five with Loyce Houlton and the Minnesota Dance Theatre. He continued his studies in Minneapolis until the age of 16, spending one summer at the School of American Ballet in 1983Mr...
fourth cast
-
- First Campaign
- Erica Pereira
-
- Second Campaign
- Gwyneth Muller
-
- Third Campaign
- Adam Hendrickson
-
- Fourth Campaign
- Ashley Bouder
- Charles AskegardCharles AskegardCharles Askegard was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and began his dance training at the age of five with Loyce Houlton and the Minnesota Dance Theatre. He continued his studies in Minneapolis until the age of 16, spending one summer at the School of American Ballet in 1983Mr...
2011 Winter
-
- First Campaign
- Erica Pereira
-
- Second Campaign
- Megan LeCrone
-
- Third Campaign
- Adam Hendrickson
-
- Fourth Campaign
- Sara Mearns
- Charles AskegardCharles AskegardCharles Askegard was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and began his dance training at the age of five with Loyce Houlton and the Minnesota Dance Theatre. He continued his studies in Minneapolis until the age of 16, spending one summer at the School of American Ballet in 1983Mr...
Reviews
- http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/09/arts/dance/09whee.htmlNY Times by Alastair MacaulayAlastair MacaulayAlastair Macaulay is a dance critic for the New York Times. He was previously chief dance critic at The Times Literary Supplement and chief theater critic of the Financial Times, both of London...
, February 9, 2008]
- http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/30/arts/dance/30ball.htmlNY Times by Alastair MacaulayAlastair MacaulayAlastair Macaulay is a dance critic for the New York Times. He was previously chief dance critic at The Times Literary Supplement and chief theater critic of the Financial Times, both of London...
, June 30, 2008]