“Dramatic ballet” performances of the 1920s

Abstract

The article examines the period of formation of the association “Dramatic Ballet”, which existed in Moscow in the 1920s and 1930s, and, first of all, the performances created in the second half of the 1920s: “The War of Toys” to the music of F. Schumann, concert programs “Games in Dances” and “Sports Dances” (choreographer A. M. Messerer), “Ivan the Painter and Four Dandies” by Yu. S. Milyutina (choreographer N. A. Glan), “Murzilka and Mazilka” and “Mazilka Found!” for musical editing from the works of E. Grieg, A. K.Lyadova, N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, M. P. Mussorgsky, P. I. Tchaikovsky, R. M. Gliera (choreographer N. Bolotov), “Mischievous” to music by R. Schubert (choreographer K. Ya. Goleizovsky). The article examines the activity of the association «Dramatic Ballet» which was existing in Moscow at the 1920s–30s and first of all performances created in the second half of the 1920s. The main milestones, the principles and forms of interaction with other contemporary institutions are also represented. The basic theoretical ideas by which the teachers and choreographers working in the studio were guided are formulated. On the basis of materials of the press and memoirs the shape of the most significant statements is restored. Special attention is paid to how contemporaries perceived performances of studio. Following the results of the conducted research the author comes to a conclusion that activity of Dramatic Ballet studio had considerable impact on formation of an esthetics and the directions of search of ballet theater at the end of the 1920s–30s years. It is especially noted that from the end of studio activity a lot of things which were created there became a property of the other academic troupes.