Monthly Archives: May 2016

Integration and Culture: What are the Next Steps?

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The article “Is multi-kulti dead?” which focuses on integration of immigrants in Europe—specifically Germany—sparked my reflections on meanings of nationalism and culture. In this piece from The Economist, Germany is initially portrayed as an unaccepting, nationalist state that is unwilling to integrate foreigners into the German state. With the influx of immigrants and new religions, many Germans desire “’sharply restricting’ Muslim religious practice…[and] a third think the country is overrun with foreigners and a tenth say they want a strong Fuhrer.” ((“Is Multi-kulti Dead?” The Economist. 2010))  Germany has long been a non-pluralistic, nationalist state. Lately, though, it has been moving away from such, but people such as Chancellor Angela Merkel have argued that recent attempts of integration and multiculturalism have “failed, absolutely failed.” ((Ibid)) Merkel and other government officials such as President Christian Wulff have sought to change this; the government is constructing a law “that would make it easier for the hundreds of thousands of immigrants in Germany with professional qualifications to have them recognised so that they can do something more rewarding than cleaning houses.” ((Ibid)) It seems that Germany, despite its rigid history, is moving in the right direction.

The article argues that despite this governmental reform towards integration, not everyone in Germany is on the same page. German citizens have not yet fully embraced new religions and cultures, shedding light on the stiff nationalism and purity that has often isolated Germany and its citizens from the rest of the world throughout history. The author asks many questions at the end of the piece, all of which focus on the potential future for German multiculturalism and what measures Germany needs to take to further address the issue. One of those questions is “Will Muslims be forced to choose between practising their religion and adopting a German identity?” ((Ibid))

The world is becoming more diverse as we know it. How dedicated are we to integrating countries that have historically been predominantly non-pluralistic? How will we go about successfully and peacefully integrating other cultures? Are countries such as the United States and Germany avoiding the seemingly daunting task of integration; are we afraid of it? Or are we not addressing the issue in the right way? I think all of these questions are very important to think about as we move forward in society.

Original Proposal and Bibliography (Part 5 of 5)

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Proposal

Scope:

Over the course of the semester I am conducting research on the dispersion of Russian culture from 1909-1929 through the Ballet Russes and the immediate years following its’ dissolution and dispersion of members. Immediately following the dissolution of the Ballet Russes, the Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo was formed by former members who continued on the practices in a smaller capacity. By examining the spheres of popular culture and fashion (both social and theatrical), I will determine how culture changed and evolved over time. Historical occurrences will be taken into account only to the extent of providing context for the spread of Russian culture.

The majority of cultural research that I have gathered thus far relates to costumes and clothing. The expression of culture through clothing is of particular interest to me, especially because prior to the Ballet Russes ballet costumes were extremely rigid, and rarely varied from the traditional tutu. With the increase of fluid motion in Ballet Russes’ choreography styles began to transition into more freely flowing garments. This new fluidity allowed greater expression and emotion through movement. Men’s roles also evolved with the Ballet Russes along with their garments. Traditionally men were viewed as an assistant to the ballerina, but then they took on a more active presence on stage and their clothing followed suit.

Value and Originality:

While scholarship on the dispersion of Russian culture via the Ballet Russes already exists, I will be focusing on the sphere of fashions and costumes to convey the pertinent information. The Ballet Russes were a visual spectacle, and yet there is nearly no existing footage of a performance; a lone thirty-second clip of an outdoor rehearsal. This clip was filmed without the consent of Diaghilev, the creater of the Ballet Russes. The lengths to which Diaghilev went to ensure high box office sales were to the point where choreography and details gained from physically experiencing his spectacular performances have been lost over time due to a lack of video documentation. Many photographs of costumes and set designs were taken during the time of the Ballet Russes, but the fluidity and motion, for which the ballet was renown, was kept within the company. This reliance on costumes to envision the Ballet Russes performances particularly interests me, because so much is left to interpretation and lost to history. I believe that my research will be unique in that I am examining the relationship between popular culture fashion and theatrical fashion, because a symbiotic relationship existed between the two factors.

Through research I hope to discover to what extent social and theatrical clothing were related, and which had greater influence over the other. In the instance of the production Le Train Bleu, the famous designer Coco Chanel designed the costumes for the athletic beach inspired ballet. For this particular production it is clear that modern fashion was the inspiration, but the source of inspiration is not always so obvious. In many of the Ballet Russes productions cultural Russian garb was reproduced for the stage, which causes the question to arise whether these styles became en vogue once again do to their reoccurrence. To aid in my quest for answers to these questions Robert Hansen and Roger Leong in Scenic and Costume Design for the Ballet Russes and From Russia With Love, respectively detail the costume designs used in their books and their origins of design and fabrication.

Practicality:

At this point in research I have struggled in finding primary resources, however I have found many secondary sources. The main primary resource that I have come across is embedded within a secondary source, the DVD Diaghilev and the Ballet Russes. In the film is a short clip of a Ballet Russes performance. This is an extremely vital piece of information as it is the only existing video footage of the Ballet Russes. Original sketches and set designs are also primary sources, which I am referencing, the main lacking primary resources are written works.

Bibliography

Aldrich, Elizabeth. “Serge Diaghilev and His World Examined.” Library Of Congress                     Information Bulletin 68, no. 7/8 July 2009, 131-132.

Anderson, Jack. The One and Only: The Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo. New York: Dance           Horizons, 1981.

The time period after the death of Diaghilev was one in which the former members of The Ballet Russes split off individually to begin their own chapters of ballet. The author illustrates the various was in which the ballet adapts once it splits off, but recognizes that as a whole the Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo did not make any great moves of it’s own. For my purposes I will use the continuation of the Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo as proof of the worldwide appeal and desire to adopt this new style of ballet into each culture. Using photographs and primary sources such as local newspapers Anderson supports his claims throughout the book.

Anderson, Jack. “The Enduring Relevance of Léonide Massine.” Experiment: A Journal Of         Russian Culture 17, no. 1 (January 2011): 256-263.

Bakst, Léon. Léon Bakst: Set and Costume Designs, Book Illustrations, Paintings and                 Graphic Works. Comp. Irina Nikolaevna Pruzhan. Harmondsworth, Middlesex,                   England: Viking, 1987.

Barnes, Clive. “Cincinnati Ballet.” Dance Magazine 17, no. 2, February 2003.

Caddy, Davinia. The Ballet Russes and Beyond: Music and Dance in Belle-Epoque Paris.           Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 2012.

France is arguably the most influenced country by the Ballet Russes, as the group originated to perform to the high society in France. Evidence is presented in this novel, which reveals how the French style of dance evolved due to the influence of the Ballet Ruses. Caddy’s thesis builds on historically linking events through history into one smooth streamlined timeline. In my paper I will be able to link the influence of the ballet Russes to shifts in tone and style in French theatrical realms, displaying the universality of dance and music.

Diaghilev and the Ballet Russes. Produced by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, on           the occasion of the exhibition Diaghilev and the Ballet Russes, 1909-1929: When Art         Danced with Music. 2013, DVD.

This film was created in conjunction with an exhibit by the same name at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC as an overview of the History of the Ballet Russes. Using interviews of former dancers, historians and a composer, the viewer is able to gain a broad view of the history and impact of the Ballet Russes. The DVD inserts multiple clips of ballet performances, including the only existing film fragment of a Ballet Russes performance. As an extremely visual spectacle of art, this video aids in my understanding of the movement and practice of the ballet in order to understand what it would have been like to witness a live performance in full. The interviews placed throughout the film provide diverse perspectives on the actions taken by Diaghilev during his time running the ballet.

Garafola, Lynn. “Dance, film, and the Ballets Russes.” Dance Research: The Journal Of               The Society For Dance Research 16, no. 1 (Summer 1998): 3-25.

Garafola, Lynn. Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.

In the interest of dissecting the result of the Ballet Ruses and the world, it must first be understood how the group came to be and how the creative decisions came about. The company never actually performed in Russia, it’s roots were in trying to get Parisians to gain a favorable impression of Russia in order for the Tsar to receive a loan form France. With a background in imperialist Russia the direction in which the troupe developed can be contextually analyzed. Garafola employs photographs and primary and secondary sources to trace the development of the company. For my paper it is necessary to be able to trace historical events to their impacts on and development of production themes and adjustments.

George, Adrian. “The Art of Dance.” Dance Theatre Journal 18, no. 2 (2002): 20-24.

Haldey, Olga. “Savva Mamontov, Serge Diaghilev, and a Rocky Path to Modernism.” The           Journal of Musicology 22 no. 4 (2005): 559-603.

Hansen, Robert C. Scenic and Costume Design for the Ballet Russes. Ann Arbor,                       Michigan: UMI Research Press, 1985.

By chronologically investigating the performances of the Ballet Ruses, Hansen is able to smoothly trace influence from its originating performance and costume designs. With the research method chosen by Hansen, he can attribute each identified trend to the current creative director at the time. Taking into account photographs of costumes and performances and multiple secondary and primary sources Hansen comes to the conclusion that it was the combined effort of the Ballet Russes, which ultimately led to its wide success. To prove the significance of this establishment of the Ballet Russes Company I must be able to attribute variances in style and choices to the management at the time, and I am able to do this with the aid of the detailed case study of costumes.

Jackson, Barry. “Diaghilev: Lighting Designer.” Dance Chronicle 14, no. 1 (1991): 1-33.

Kennedy, Janet. “Pride and Prejudice: Serge Diaghilev, the Ballet Russes, and the French           Public.” In Art, Culture, and National Identity in Fin-de-siècle Europe, ed. Michelle               Facos and Sharon L. Hirsh, 90-118. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2003.

Leong, Roger. From Russia With Love: Costumes for the Ballet Russes 1909-1933.                    Australia: National Gallery of Australia, 1998.

Similarly to the above DVD, this book focuses on the costume design and symbolism and significance they had. As this book was published in Australia, the main thesis is concerned with displaying how Australian ballet and dance were forever influenced by the Ballet Russes. I will use this resource in order to bring visual representation to my research.

Massie, Suzanne. Land of the Firebird. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1980.

In this highly specific case study of The Firebird, every aspect is detailed and investigated. Specifically interesting to me is the success garnered by the performance because of its heavily Russian theme and   perceived exoticness. Parisian crowds were in awe of the rich Russian sound in combination with the highly emotive dancers, which were a complete departure from traditional practices of the day. I will use this source to enforce the influence of the Ballet Russes and also to link performance success with Russian cultural ties.

Ostlere, Hilary. “Saluting the theatrical Diaghilev.” Dance Magazine 72, February 1998.

Potter, Michelle. “Designed for Dance: The Costumes of Léon Bakst and the Art of Isadora         Duncan.” Dance Chronicle, 1990.

Pritchard, Jane. Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes, 1909-1929: When art danced with                 music. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 2013.

Ruane, Christine. The Empire’s New Clothes: A History of the Russian Fashion Industry,             1700-1917. New Haven, London: Yale University Press, 2009.

The heyday of the Ballet Russes coincided with multiple historical events and changes in society, which were reflected in the clothing and costumes worn for Ballet Russes productions. The belief that “Russian art should make its own contribution to European art… defined a new artistic movement on the Russian art scene”. ((Christine Ruane, The Empire’s New Clothes: A History of the Russian Fashion Industry, 1700-1917 (New Haven, London: Yale University Press, 2009), 171.))  In striving to make it’s own mark on the industry, the Ballet Ruses ushered on a wave of modernity, which is observable thought shifts in clothing. By analyzing the photographs and sketches of the ballet costumes I will be able to assess the connection between modernity and Russian folk roots in the popular spread of the art.

Winestein, Anna. “Quiet Revolutionaries: The ‘Mir Iskusstva’ Movement and Russian                   Design.” Journal of Design History 21, no. 4 (2008): 315-333.

 Part 1: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/quallsk/2016/05/03/ballet-russes-the-early-years-part-1-of-6/

Part 2: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/quallsk/2016/05/03/leon-bakst-and-scheherazade-part-2-of-5/

Part 3: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/quallsk/2016/05/03/the-loss-of-gesamtkunstwerk-part-3-of-5/

Part 4: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/quallsk/2016/05/03/images-of-the-ballet-russes-part-4-of-5/

Images of the Ballet Russes (part 4 of 5)

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Irina photos of Baskt with other BR members in Lausanne

Photograph. ((Leon Bakst, Léon Bakst: Set and Costume Designs, Book Illustrations, Paintings and Graphic Works, Comp. Irina Nikolaevna Pruzhan, (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Viking, 1987), 217))

Irina photos of Baskt with other BR members Milan

Photograph. ((Leon Bakst, Léon Bakst: Set and Costume Designs, Book Illustrations, Paintings and Graphic Works, Comp. Irina Nikolaevna Pruzhan, (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Viking, 1987), 217))

Irina Scheherazade scene woman

Scene from Scheherazade. ((Leon Bakst, Léon Bakst: Set and Costume Designs, Book Illustrations, Paintings and Graphic Works, Comp. Irina Nikolaevna Pruzhan, (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Viking, 1987), 17))

Irina Firebird photo pair

Scene from the Firebird. ((Leon Bakst, Léon Bakst: Set and Costume Designs, Book Illustrations, Paintings and Graphic Works, Comp. Irina Nikolaevna Pruzhan, (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Viking, 1987), 21))

Irina FIrebird pair sketch woman

Sketch of the FIrebird costme by Bakst. ((Leon Bakst, Léon Bakst: Set and Costume Designs, Book Illustrations, Paintings and Graphic Works, Comp. Irina Nikolaevna Pruzhan, (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Viking, 1987), 65))

Ruane photo modern gowns 2

Modern womens fashions of the early 1900s inspired by Scheherazade. ((Christine Ruane, The Empire’s New Clothes: A History of the Russian Fashion Industry, 1700-1917 (New Haven, London: Yale University Press, 2009), 179))

Irina Afternoon of a faun blue ribbon Nijinski

Bakst’s sketch for Afternoon of a Faun costume for Nijinski. ((Leon Bakst, Léon Bakst: Set and Costume Designs, Book Illustrations, Paintings and Graphic Works, Comp. Irina Nikolaevna Pruzhan, (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Viking, 1987), 60))

Aus Firebird sketch (has costume pair)

Costume sketch for the Firebird. ((Leon Bakst, Léon Bakst: Set and Costume Designs, Book Illustrations, Paintings and Graphic Works, Comp. Irina Nikolaevna Pruzhan, (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Viking, 1987), 35))

Aus Firebird costume (w: accompanying sketch)

Costume for the Firebird. ((Leon Bakst, Léon Bakst: Set and Costume Designs, Book Illustrations, Paintings and Graphic Works, Comp. Irina Nikolaevna Pruzhan, (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Viking, 1987), 34))

Pable Picasso (wearing a berat) pictured with scene painters for Parade. Curtesy of wikicommons.

Pablo Picasso (wearing a beret) pictured with scene painters for Parade. Courtesy of wikicommons. ((available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pablo_Picasso_and_scene_painters_sitting_on_the_front_cloth_for_Parade_(Ballets_Russes)_at_the_Th%C3%A9%C3%A2tre_du_Ch%C3%A2telet,_Paris,_1917,_Lachmann_photographer.jpg))

Part 1: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/quallsk/2016/05/03/ballet-russes-the-early-years-part-1-of-6/

Part 2: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/quallsk/2016/05/03/leon-bakst-and-scheherazade-part-2-of-5/

Part 3: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/quallsk/2016/05/03/the-loss-of-gesamtkunstwerk-part-3-of-5/

Part 5 (bibliography): http://blogs.dickinson.edu/quallsk/2016/05/03/original-proposal-and-bibliography-part-5-of-5/

The loss of Gesamtkunstwerk (part 3 of 5)

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The great impresario of the Ballet Russes, Serge Diaghilev, not only created a prominent art movement, but he also contributed to the downfall of its historic remembrance. By strictly controlling the viewing of Ballet Russes productions and prohibiting video recordings, many documents were not properly archived or were simply never recorded. This means that while the most famous performances have been continued into modern times, many popular performances of the day, which fell out of the repertoire, now exist only in fragments. ((Jack Anderson, The One and Only: The Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo (New York: Dance Horizons, 1981), 263)) Thus while the legacy continues to inspire new artists, their magic is dissipating, hampering future art enthusiasts from experiencing the full works, the complete gesamtkunstwerk of the Ballet Russes. ((Adrian George, “The Art of Dance”, Dance Theatre Journal 18, no. 2 (2002): 20.))

In many aspects of the Ballet Russes Diaghilev was forward thinking and cognizant of evolving media forms and platforms, however he ignored the largest growing media of video recordings almost completely. Diaghilev stated that he banned video recordings of his productions in order to “protect theatrical box office earnings”, however a single thirty-second clip rehearsal of Les Sylphides has evaded the redaction of Diaghilev. ((Diaghilev and the Ballet Russes, produced by the National Gallery of Art (2013), DVD.)) It is unclear how the illegal recording was produced; all that is gained from the short clip are women rehearsing outside in the Swiss resort of Montreux. ((Ibid)) While Diaghilev encouraged and surrounded himself with artists of diverse backgrounds and talents, the one neglected art form was video. Diaghilev was not usually obstinate when considering new technologies on the rise, even the relatively new practice of specific lighting of performances captured Diaghilev’s attention, as he personally choreographed the lighting for the majority of productions, it was the specific art form that seemed to bother him, however the lighting of performances remains to be incomplete because interpretations of documentation (when it exists) vary for every historian. ((Barry Jackson, “Diaghilev: Lighting Designer”, Dance Chronicle 14, no. 1 (1991): 3, 12))

Cast of Les Sylphides in London 1911, curtesy of wikicommons.

Cast of Les Sylphides in London 1911, courtesy of wikicommons. ((available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Les_Sylphides_London_1911.jpg))

Without film documentation, each aspect of the Ballet Russes can be reexamined separately, but in separating the components each contribution looses some of its significance. One of the long time choreographers of the Ballet Russes, Leonide Massine, actively archived his work for future use, but even these efforts are only partially recovered. ((Anderson, 263)) It is possible for diligent choreographers and dancers to collaborate in the modern day and piece together parts of formerly popular librettos, as when the three lone recoverable sections of Seventh Symphony were revived in 2004. ((Ibid)) Diaghilev was not against taking inspiration from film, as in Parade produced in 1917. ((Robert C. Hansen, Scenic and Costume Design for the Ballet Russes (Ann Arbor, Michigan: UMI Research Press, 1985), 59)) Abstract costumes in the cubist style of two managers along with a Chinese Conjurer dance along side an American girl inspired by Hollywood actresses of the day, while sounds of modernization blare in the background; typewriters, horns and contrasting sounds mimic an industrial city center. ((Ibid.; Lynn Garafola, “Dance, film, and the Ballet Russes”, Dance Research: The Journal Of The Society For Dance Research 16, no. 1 (Summer 1998): 15))

Parade

The French and the New York Manager from Parade, courtesy of wikicommons. ((available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Costumes_du_ballet_Parade_(Les_Ballets_russes,_Op%C3%A9ra)_(4555465155).jpg))

Léonide_Massine_(Ballets_russes,_Opéra)_(4564734593)

Leonide Massine as the Chinese Conjurer of Parade, courtesy of wikicommons. ((available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:L%C3%A9onide_Massine_(Ballets_russes,_Op%C3%A9ra)_(4564734593).jpg))

While Diaghilev attempted to protect he artistic creations produced by the Ballet Russes, he ultimately hindered the longevity of performances by excluding video or archival recording of productions. The most visually alluring aspect of the Ballet Russes was the costumes and their interplay of motion with the music, but this combination cannot be observed for all productions anymore because choreography has been lost and hinders recreations of the masterpieces. Due to the lack of many complete remaining works of the Ballet Russes, modern ballet companies have developed to carry on traditions of Diaghilev, and explore their own methods of art expression, including direct descendants The American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and the San Francisco Ballet Company are direct descendants of Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. ((Diaghilev and the Ballet Russes, produced by the National Gallery of Art (2013), DVD.))

Given the result of eschewing new technology, would Diaghilev reconsider his decision if he could have seen into the future? It is likely he would not. Revolutionary artists understand that great art combines talent and vision, but is a product of its time and place, and that art is something vital which everyone has the potential to actualize. How we perceive the world affects everything we do; art is a way of seeing and being – impacting not only our senses but our conception of reality. Art as inspiration, not imitation – finding one’s voice –is an endeavor that Diaghilev would applaud. Everyone has their seed of creativity to discover and develop in their own way.

Irina photos of Baskt with other BR members Venice

Photograph in Venice, 1912. ((Leon Bakst, Léon Bakst: Set and Costume Designs, Book Illustrations, Paintings and Graphic Works, Comp. Irina Nikolaevna Pruzhan, (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Viking, 1987), 217))

Part 1: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/quallsk/2016/05/03/ballet-russes-the-early-years-part-1-of-6/

Part 2: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/quallsk/2016/05/03/leon-bakst-and-scheherazade-part-2-of-5/

Part 4: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/quallsk/2016/05/03/images-of-the-ballet-russes-part-4-of-5/

Part 5 (bibliography): http://blogs.dickinson.edu/quallsk/2016/05/03/original-proposal-and-bibliography-part-5-of-5/

Leon Bakst and Scheherazade (Part 2 of 5)

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The opening seasons of the Ballet Russes in Paris was a unique explosion and intermingling of culture, merging east and west into an entirely new modern style. At the head of this movement was Leon Bakst, who was the chief designer for the Ballet Russes from 1909 to 1913. Bakst became synonymous with the Ballet Russes in these opening seasons, as he introduced Europe to the mysterious Russian culture and color palette. Through Bakst’s artistic vision, the Ballet Russes ushered in a new modern era of design by infusing ‘oriental’ aspects into then drab and bland fashions of the day in Paris, which have held lasting influences permeating multiple spheres of society, chiefly every day and high fashion.

Self portrait of Leon Bakst 1893. Originally from Irina Pruzhan.

Self portrait of Leon Bakst 1893. ((Leon Bakst, Léon Bakst: Set and Costume Designs, Book Illustrations, Paintings and Graphic Works, Comp. Irina Nikolaevna Pruzhan, (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Viking, 1987), 125))

In designing for the Ballet Russes Leon Bakst kept in mind Serge Diaghilev’s goal of the German term gesamtkunstwerk, or the total work of art in order to display Russians ability to be refined and cultured and dispel the stereotype of Russians as uncultured barbarians. ((Adrian George, “The Art of Dance”, Dance Theatre Journal 18, no. 2 (2002): 20.; Christine Ruane, The Empire’s New Clothes: A History of the Russian Fashion Industry, 1700-1917 (New Haven, London: Yale University Press, 2009), 180.)) In order to achieve this total work of art Bakst was heavily involved through the entire creative process of the ballets which he was involved with, from the conception of costume movement through choreography to the coordination between the costumes movement against scene backdrops. In the opening seasons of the Ballet Russes in Paris, Diaghilev was under immense pressure to succeed and prove his place among Parisian society, and he put much of his faith in Bakst. A few years before Bakst began designing for the Ballet Russes, his 1908 work ‘Acacia Branch Above the Sea’ astonished viewers with it unexpected composition and color scheme, deftly combining vibrant blues, greens, yellows and pinks. ((Leon Bakst, Léon Bakst: Set and Costume Designs, Book Illustrations, Paintings and Graphic Works, Comp. Irina Nikolaevna Pruzhan, (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Viking, 1987), 14)) When designing ballets Bakst was able to retain this spontaneity and allowed these ideas form years prior to influence the color theory for his Oriental ballet designs. Of the three oriental themed ballets Bakst produced, Cleopatre, Scheherazade and Narcisse, by far the most notable was Scheherazade.

Irina, Acacia Branch Above the Sea 1908, inspired Scheherazade later

Acacia Branch Above the Sea, 1908. ((Leon Bakst, Léon Bakst: Set and Costume Designs, Book Illustrations, Paintings and Graphic Works, Comp. Irina Nikolaevna Pruzhan, (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Viking, 1987), 158))

Irina Scheherazade set design

Set Design for Scheherazade. ((Leon Bakst, Léon Bakst: Set and Costume Designs, Book Illustrations, Paintings and Graphic Works, Comp. Irina Nikolaevna Pruzhan, (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Viking, 1987), 24))

 

A box office sensation of the ballet’s second Paris season, Scheherazade brought life to the artistically stagnant Paris art scene. When the curtain first rose on the set for Scheherazade in 1910, audiences were so enthralled with the color contrasts that the theater burst into applause, anticipating the spectacle to come. ((Robert C. Hansen, Scenic and Costume Design for the Ballet Russes (Ann Arbor, Michigan: UMI Research Press, 1985), 25.; Suzanne Massie, Land of the Firebird (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1980), 437.)) Prior to the travels of the Ballet Russes, Russian culture was stereotyped as barbaric and backwards, nonetheless the public changed their opinion once they set eyes on Diaghilev’s total work of art. ((George, 20.)) One critic called this performance “Bakst’s debauch of color”, and Scheherazade truly was the Parisians first foray into Eastern art and color theories because Parisians had become accustomed to muted colors on the stage and in fashion houses. ((Massie, 437, Bakst, 176))

Europe had been infatuated with the mysterious East, and the Parisian audience at long last got a taste of the ‘exotic’, readily embracing the colors, designs and attitudes of the Orient. Parisian couturier House of Worth exemplifies trends before the influences of the Ballet Russes were materialized in the corseted dress below, creating an hourglass figure, constructed with muted and pale colors of beige, pink and grey. This dress is reminiscent of imperial court clothing, and the backlash to the extreme structure came in the form of reinterpretations of Bakst’s costumes in clothing. The slim silhouette rose in popularity along with brighter colors, usually as embroidery, and comfort in less restrictive materials. ((Bakst, 178)) As the predominance of Bakst inspired clothing rose, popularity of Scheherazade parties among women became fashionable, where they would wear harem pants, turbans and other loosely fitting clothing, creating a new and modern social scene ((Diaghilev and the Ballet Russes, produced by the National Gallery of Art (2013), DVD.))

 

Ruane lady gown slim silhouette

A woman in evening attire in 1915. ((Christine Ruane, The Empire’s New Clothes: A History of the Russian Fashion Industry, 1700-1917 (New Haven, London: Yale University Press, 2009), 180))

Ruane photo modern gowns

Before and after the influence of the Ballet Russes on Parisian style. ((Christine Ruane, The Empire’s New Clothes: A History of the Russian Fashion Industry, 1700-1917 (New Haven, London: Yale University Press, 2009), 178))

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scheherazade truly was a seminal production of the Ballet Russes, marking a defining moment in the creation and development of modernity. ((Bakst, 177)) As one British photographer recorded, seemingly overnight Parisians shed the restraining corsets, lace, feathers, and pastel shades in favor of vivid colors, harem skirts, beads, fringe, and voluptuousness silhouettes. ((Ibid., 178)) In his costume designs Bakst intended for his costumes to be “inseparable from the dance”, this interdependence and emphasis on motion and comfort for the dancers also served to free modern women from the constraints of heavy and drab clothing. ((Michelle Potter, “Designed for Dance: The Costumes of Léon Bakst and the Art of Isadora Duncan,” Dance Chronicle, 1990, 168)) Though to a lesser degree men also experienced liberation from former dress constraints and greater allowances in expression through clothing. ((Ruane, 178))

The unintended fashion revolution initiated by Bakst’s costumes gave way to an altered body image through the fusion of the East brought to the West by Diaghlev. The “modernist body” image created space for the Parisian couturiers to expand upon the ballet costumes to daily attire. ((Ibid., 179)) Bakst had suddenly become the authority on modern fashion, with the top couturiers of the day drawing inspiration from Bakst’s designs along with inter design following suit with oriental furniture, textiles, and designs coming into fashion. ((Bakst, 25)) Historically, ballet costumes restricted dancers’ movements with tight tutus, slippers and fabrics with exotic motifs, but displaced on similarly constructed garments. ((Roger Leong, From Russia With Love: Costumes for the Ballet Russes 1909-1933 (Australia: National Gallery of Australia, 1998), 40)) In his desire to bring greater historical accuracy in costume design, Bakst also provide dancers with more natural body motions and freedom of expression of sexuality and androgyny. ((Ibid.))

Vaslav Nijinski as the GOlden Slave in Scheherazade, Curtesy of Leong, 57.

Vaslav Nijinski as the Golden Slave in Scheherazade. ((Roger Leong, From Russia With Love: Costumes for the Ballet Russes 1909-1933 (Australia: National Gallery of Australia, 1998), 57))

Vaslav Nijinski and Isadora Duncan challenged androgyny and sexuality of stage fashion in Europe, eliciting emotional expression in their audiences. Nijinski was an exceptional dancer who gracefully explored the boundaries of masculinity in his dance roles, displaying Bakst’s creations to wide audiences. The inspiration of Isadora Duncan led Bakst to develop the famous costumes for Nijinski as his muse. ((Potter, 158)) As an advocate for freedom of motion to increase choreographic integrity, Isadora performed in sheer and un-constricted costumes to allow form and rhythm to correspond. ((Ibid., 166)) In designing stage wear, Bakst often put music as a later consideration, but through the inspiration of Duncan Bakst gained an awareness of movement in relation to the libretto ((Leong, 36)) The new freedom of women’s clothing brought on through Duncan’s guidance was a welcome change because it gave women greater opportunities to directly participate in the artistic movement while challenging social norms. ((Ibid., 158)) Parisian society at the time was receptive to radical ballets like Scheherazade because society was anxious for a catalyst of change. At the time the nouveaux riches and déclassé aristocrats were challenging the cultural hegemony of the ruling elites in France, as the Ballet Russes simultaneously challenged decades of prescribed dance form and theater. ((Ruane, 177)) As described by Ruane, the “emotional content of the ballet converged with the emotional needs of the audiences”; this connection intertwined the Ballet Russes and France from that point forward in the journey to modernization. ((Ibid.))

 

Ruane Scheherazade Ble Sultan

The Blue Sultan from Scheherazade. ((Christine Ruane, The Empire’s New Clothes: A History of the Russian Fashion Industry, 1700-1917 (New Haven, London: Yale University Press, 2009), 174))

Potter: sketch of Isadora Duncan

Isadora Duncan sketch by Bakst. ((Leon Bakst, Léon Bakst: Set and Costume Designs, Book Illustrations, Paintings and Graphic Works, Comp. Irina Nikolaevna Pruzhan, (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Viking, 1987), 160))

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although one of the original factors that brought the Ballet Ruses to Paris was the goal of strengthening Russian and French relationships in the hopes of gaining financial aid, the company also carried other aspirations. In the early 1900s France was one of the leading powers of the world, while Russia was in economic turmoil. The Ballet Russes personified the Russian peoples’ desire to become a successful Asian colonial power and eventually compete with Britain and France. ((Ibid.)) By modernizing and absorbing France’s way of life and presenting the Eastern Russian culture as legitimate interpreters of the western traditions, French culture also became imbued with new perspectives on culture. ((Ibid.)). Fashion was one sphere in which the Russians had the upper hand of influence in the early 1900s, as the Scheherazade design became a fashion craze. The larger implications of this impression spread Russian culture as a modern authority on expression of sensuality of music through color and design choices throughout Europe, allowing Russian designers to be accepted into high couturier circles of fashion. ((Ibid., 180, Bakst, 24)) the new definition of modern fashion sensibilities developed from a synthesis of East and West; firmly rooting and defining modernity in the growing global economy and flow of fashion and ideas.

Ruane beach cartoon

Newspaper satire of the European’s adaptation of Russian fashion. ((Christine Ruane, The Empire’s New Clothes: A History of the Russian Fashion Industry, 1700-1917 (New Haven, London: Yale University Press, 2009), 176))

Part 1: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/quallsk/2016/05/03/ballet-russes-the-early-years-part-1-of-6/

Part 3: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/quallsk/2016/05/03/the-loss-of-gesamtkunstwerk-part-3-of-5/

Part 4: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/quallsk/2016/05/03/images-of-the-ballet-russes-part-4-of-5/

Part 5 (bibliography): http://blogs.dickinson.edu/quallsk/2016/05/03/original-proposal-and-bibliography-part-5-of-5/

Ballet Russes: The Early Years (Part 1 of 5)

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Emerging from Tsarist Russia and the turbulent early years of the twentieth century, the Ballet Russes was a hugely influential and revolutionary era in the arts that altered the interactions of art, music and dance for generations to follow. The ballet troupe lasted from 1909 to 1929 when the impresario Serge Diaghilev unexpectedly died. In order to fully grasp the movement created by Diaghilev it is essential to have a clear understanding of its origins and the motivations behind what became such a diverse array of talents. This combination gave rise to the colorful and impactful first modern ballet company of the twentieth century: the Ballet Russes. ((Robert C. Hansen, Scenic and Costume Design for the Ballet Russes (Ann Arbor, Michigan: UMI Research Press, 1985), 1-2.))

Many factors lead to the rise of the Ballet Russes and Russian society at the time to allow its acceptance of an artistic movement. The abolition of serfdom in the 1860’s led to the rise of the bourgeoisie, and the so-called “silver age” in Russia when nationalism and internationalism sentiments were cultivated through the arts. ((Ibid., 1.)) The two historical capitols of Russia, Moscow and Saint Petersburg, developed and influenced separately because of their geography. While the historical Russian capitol, Moscow, was then viewed as antiquated, its distance from the controlling influence of the tsar’s imperial courts of Saint Petersburg allowed for greater freedom in the development of nationalism and the avant-garde movement. ((Ibid)) Petersburg was known in Russia at the time as the window to the west and a European city because it was modeled after Versailles, and thus became a center for international arts and ideas. ((Ibid., 2.)) As the imperial courts and the tsar resided in Petersburg, the imperial artists directly monitored the development of arts and artistic movements with little variation.

Originally in Petersburg to pursue a law degree, Serge Diaghilev began integrating himself into the artistic community. Diaghilev would singlehandedly become the most influential artistic director in Russia through his eventual orchestrate the direction of the Ballet Russes. At school, Diaghilev joined a band of art lovers comprised of Alexandre Benois, Walter Nouvel, Dima Filosofov, Constantine Somov and Leon Bakst. ((Anna Winestein, “Quiet Revolutionaries: The ‘Mir Iskusstva’ Movement and Russian Design,” Journal of Design History 21, no. 4 (2008): 315.)) Calling themselves the Nevsky Pickwickians, their mission was to discuss the arts and “ideas for an artistic society” which they strove to synthesize. ((Ibid., 316.)) The Pickwickians were one among multiple social artistic circles; another of the time was the Mamontov art circle. ((Lynn Garafola, Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes (New York: Oxford University Press, 1989), 151.))

Diaghilev

Diaghilev, Courtesy of wikicommons. ((available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sergei_Diaghilev_02.jpg))

Although Diaghilev is often credited with the creation of diverse artistic groups in Russia, Savva Ivanovich Mamontov, one of Russia’s original premiere patrons of the arts in the late 1800s played a hugely influential role. Mamontov was able to support artistic endeavors through his wealth accumulated in investment in the Russian railroads. ((Lynn Garafola, Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes,150; Hansen, 4.)) Centered in his estate at Abramtzevo, Mamontov’s Art circle created the first private opera company. ((Hansen, 4.)) The synthesis of artists, costume designers and performers was the first such merger of art forms never before achieved in Russia or in the Western world. ((Garafola, Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes, 151)) Although the creation of the Mamontov Art circle was revolutionary, the results achieved were scattered and criticized because they suffered from a lack of cohesion among the disparate elements, and eventually this was the downfall of the private opera company. ((Ibid))

 

Savva Mamontov, Curtesy of wikicommons.

Savva Mamontov, Courtesy of wikicommons ((available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Savva_Mamontov.jpg))

 

 

 

 

 

Diaghilev was aware of Mamontov’s artistic experiments at Abramtzevo, and first became acquainted with Mamontov at an art exhibition which he had organized in Saint Petersburg. Diaghilev and the Pickwickians were so taken by the unique combinations of Mamontov, that the group quickly thereafter formalized their admiration of art in the formation of Mir Iskusstva (World of Art), an arts magazine evaluating everything from music, art, and performances. Hence, the magazine transitioned their social society into a “semi-professional, public enterprise” with the financial support of Mamontov and other art enthusiasts. ((Ibid)) Under Diaghilev’s leadership and direction Mir Iskusstva flourished, due to the aversion of sectarian causes, and rediscovery of Russia’s artistic heritage. ((Hansen, 9-10.))

Among Diaghilev’s innovations was to promote the finest associations of artists, choreographers and composers. Cut off from Russia after the war and Soviet revolution, he orchestrated ground-breaking artistic collaborations among young choreographers, composers, designers, and dancers, all at the forefront of their several fields. ((Garafola, Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes, 199)) This included Paris-based artists Pablo Picasso, André Derain, Henri Matisse, Georges Rouault, Georges Braque, Giorgio de Chirico and Chanel to design for his productions. ((Hansen, 1-15)) Although most of his original company were resident performers at the Imperial Ballet of Saint Petersburg, Diaghilev hired them to perform in Paris during the Imperial Ballet’s summer holidays. ((Diaghilev and the Ballet Russes, produced by the National Gallery of Art (2013), DVD.)) The Ballets Russes was based in Paris and performed throughout Europe and on tours to North and South America. ((Hansen, 333)) The company never performed in Russia, where the Revolution disrupted society. After its initial Paris season, the company had no formal ties there. Noteworthy to Diaghilev’s artistic achievements in revolutionizing the then 400-year old art of ballet is the political backdrop of the times: Russian revolutions of 1905 and 1917 and World War I. Despite the dangers of travel and bitter European rivalries, art not only prevailed but flourished.

Irina Cover for the world of art in 1902

Cover of Mir Iskusstva by Leon Bakst in 1902. ((Leon Bakst, Léon Bakst: Set and Costume Designs, Book Illustrations, Paintings and Graphic Works, Comp. Irina Nikolaevna Pruzhan, (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Viking, 1987), 97))

 

 

Part 2: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/quallsk/2016/05/03/leon-bakst-and-scheherazade-part-2-of-5/

Part 3: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/quallsk/2016/05/03/the-loss-of-gesamtkunstwerk-part-3-of-5/

Part 4: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/quallsk/2016/05/03/images-of-the-ballet-russes-part-4-of-5/

Part 5 (bibliography): http://blogs.dickinson.edu/quallsk/2016/05/03/original-proposal-and-bibliography-part-5-of-5/

US Exclusionary Policy Post-1989

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As the Berlin Wall fell, historian Mary Sarotte argues that the then exclusionist US Policy in Europe formed an ‘ordering point’ upon which the excluded Soviet Union forms its foreign policy to this day. The ‘ordering point’, according to Sarotte, is “the historical evidence now available from both Eastern and Western countries shows what alternatives ‘seemed real at the time’, and what chances they had of becoming actual outcomes of the upheaval of 1989.” What we can now see was not clear to individuals at the time, but the way in which these events played out now shapes our understanding of European-US and US-Russian relations. President George H.W. Bush’s mentality of trying to secure the US’ Cold War victory and failure to identify the long-term issues between Russia and the West provided much context for Sarotte to then justify actions for individuals such as Vladimir Putin. She believes that one can trace all of his actions involving Eastern Europe and the West back to Bush’s policies in the early 90s. With our current inability to reason with and control Putin, politicians and political pundits need to revisit the United States’ decisions during the H.W. Bush Administration and rediscover how the US’ exclusionist policies have more or less back the Russians into a corner. As ‘Baby’, their corner position has forced some of their aggressive actions, all in the name of trying to be seen and included in the world’s superpowers.

Sarotte, M. E.  “In Victory, Magnanimity: US Foreign Policy, 1989-1991, and the Legacy of Prefabricated Multilateralism”. International Politics, 48(4-5), 482-495. doi:http://envoy.dickinson.edu:2077/10.1057/ip.2011.21

Sarotte, Mary. “A Broken Promise?”  Foreign Affairs, Sep/Oct2014, Vol. 93, Issue 5, 90-97

Kohl’s Revivalist Vision

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Mary Elise Sarotte is a professor at the University of Southern California in their International Relations department. She focuses on Cold War history and especially the post-Cold War period, immediately following the destruction of the Berlin Wall. In her piece, In Victory, Magnanimity: US Foreign Policy, 1989-1991, and the Legacy of Prefabricated Multilateralism, Sarotte discusses the alternative structures that were proposed following the collapse of the Berlin Wall. She discusses four main possibilities, the second of which was proposed by Helmut Kohl, and deemed a revivalist vision. Kohl was the West German Chancellor and upon witnessing early American consent to Gorbachev’s attempted restoration of quadripartitism he created a different plan ((Sarotte, Mary. In Victory, Magnanimity: US Foreign Policy, 1989-1991, and the Legacy of Prefabricated Multilateralism. 2011.)) .

The revivalist vision was focused on recreating the ideas of German statehood, that is, recreating a confederation of German states. If it had been implemented, East and West Germany would have had independent social and political policies, however they would have been united under a single, national roof ((Sarotte, Mary. In Victory, Magnanimity: US Foreign Policy, 1989-1991, and the Legacy of Prefabricated Multilateralism. 2011.)). This architecture would have been successful in diffusing tension between East and West Germany, as they would be technically reunited under one German name, however, they would be allowed to have their own politics and remaining communist influence would have had the opportunity to be present in East German politics. It would have restored the self-governing capabilities to East Germany; however, it would not have created the strongest German state possible. By 1990, Kohl realized that his vision of a divided Germany under a united roof was not possible and switched towards advocating for American involvement in extending prefabricated institutions to Eastern countries.

Many of these possible architectures for restructuring took into account American involvement. Did American’s have the right to be so heavily involved in the restructuring of Europe or should they have been able to do it on their own? How would the outcomes have differed if Americans were not involved?