Lew Christensen

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Lew Christensen (1909-1989) was a ballet dancer, choreographer and director for many companies. He was largely associated with George Balanchine in addition to The San Francisco Ballet where he was the director from 1952 – 1984. Some other companies Christensen was a part of include Ballet Caravan directed by Lincoln Kirstein and Ballet Society directed by both Kirstein and George Balanchine.[1]

Contents

[edit] Early Life and Training

Lew Christensen was born May 6, 1909 in Brigham, Utah. He came from a family who had roots in dance and music. His grandfather, Lars Christensen emigrated from Denmark and taught folk and social dances [2]. At the young age of ten, Lew Christensen began studying dance with his uncles and music with his father. His early ballet technique was also taught by Stefano Mascagno, an Italian teacher. His brother William started Lew and his other brother Harold in vaudeville. In addition to their small vaudeville shows, they landed a job in the Broadway musical The Great Waltz. During this time Lew Christensen became a student at the new School of American Ballet. Here he met George Balanchine. Later in 1935, he joined the Metropolitan Opera’s American ballet ensemble with his brother Harold. (For more info about his relation to Balanchine see Dancing with Balanchine).[3]

[edit] Dancing with Balanchine

As soon as Lew Christensen began his training, he received special attention from George Balanchine, who recognized his talent. Among Balanchine’s first lead male dancers, Christensen danced principle roles and received much praise in Orpheus and Eurydice and Apollon Musagete [4]. Lew Christensen was indeed the first American to play Apollo. His outstanding performance set a new standard for others who would play the roll and was considered America’s first “home grown” significant male dancer [5].

As World War II began, Lew Christensen was drafted into the army. After his return in 1946, he went back to Balanchine and Kirstein’s latest project, Ballet Society. At Ballet Society, later known as the New York City Ballet, Christensen was a ballet master. He was thought to be the logical heir to Balanchine’s company however; Christensen was enticed to join his brothers at the San Francisco Ballet in 1948.[6]

[edit] Ballet Caravan

Ballet Caravan was started in 1936 by Lincoln Kirstein, was intended to give American ballet dancers a summer job [7]. As a member, Lew Christensen was a lead soloist, choreographer, and ballet master until 1940.

Between 1936 and 1941 some of the ballets Christensen choreographed were: Pocahontas (1936), Filling Station (1938), Charade (1939), and Pastorela (1941). Filling Station incorporated Christensen’s vaudeville roots, acrobats, “deadpan humor,” and tap dancing.

With Ballet Caravan Lew Christensen and his wife Gisella Caccialanza toured South American in 1941.[8]

[edit] San Francisco Ballet

Associate director in 1949

Co director in 1951 (with brother William)

Director 1952-1984


Lew Christensen transformed the San Francisco Ballet to an internationally recognized neoclassical (revival of classical art forms) company [9]. Although he joined the San Francisco Ballet in 1949, he still acted as ballet master for the New York City Ballet until 1950. After he became co-director in 1951 he kept a good relationship between San Francisco Ballet and NYC Ballet. In 1952, William Christensen left to establish a ballet program at the University of Utah and Lew became Director. For the San Francisco Ballet, he choreographed over 110 works, several of them still in current repertoire. He also brought impressive choreography from Balanchine to the company. With Lew Christensen as director, San Francisco Ballet first toured nationally and internationally and received much acclaim.[10]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Sowell, Debra. "Christensen Brothers." International Encyclopedia of Dance. Vol. 2. ed. Selma Jeanne Cohen. 1998. 160-162.
  2. ^ Sowell, Debra. "Christensen Brothers." International Encyclopedia of Dance. Vol. 2. ed. Selma Jeanne Cohen. 1998. 160.
  3. ^ Sowell, Debra. "Christensen Brothers." International Encyclopedia of Dance. Vol. 2. ed. Selma Jeanne Cohen. 1998. 160-162.
  4. ^ Sowell, Debra. "Christensen Brothers." International Encyclopedia of Dance. Vol. 2. ed. Selma Jeanne Cohen. 1998. 160.
  5. ^ Sowell, Debra. "Christensen, Lew." International Dictionary of Ballet. Vol. 1. ed. Martha Bremser. 1993. 277.
  6. ^ Sowell, Debra. "Christensen, Lew." International Dictionary of Ballet. Vol. 1. ed. Martha Bremser. 1993. 274-277.
  7. ^ "Christensen Brothers." San Francisco Ballet. 2008. San Francisco Ballet. 24 Mar. 2008 <http://www.sfballet.org/about/history/christensenbrothers.asp>.
  8. ^ Sowell, Debra. "Christensen, Lew." International Dictionary of Ballet. Vol. 1. ed. Martha Bremser. 1993. 274-277.
  9. ^ "Christensen Brothers." San Francisco Ballet. 2008. San Francisco Ballet. 24 Mar. 2008 <http://www.sfballet.org/about/history/christensenbrothers.asp>.
  10. ^ "Christensen Brothers." San Francisco Ballet. 2008. San Francisco Ballet. 24 Mar. 2008 <http://www.sfballet.org/about/history/christensenbrothers.asp>.

[edit] External links