Gelsey Kirkland (Variation From Thème and Variations)

Gelsey Kirkland was one of the greatest ballerinas of her generation. I first became aware of her when she was still at SAB at around 13 yrs-old. I then choreographed a ballet using her for SAB when she was just 15 (to music by Plisetskaya’s husband, Rodion Shchedrin, and Plisetskaya came to the in my book), and Balanchine took her into the company soon after. Then I choreographed two major ballets for her, and became one of her most frequent I knew her pretty well. Balanchine, and everyone else, simply adored her in her early years with the company. It wasn’t until she came under the influence of the teacher Maggie Black did things go south for her with Balanchine. I’m still kicking myself that I’m the one who took her to Maggie in the first place. Maggie had become quite popular with some of the biggest ballerinas of that time, and Verdy, Hayden, and Makarova, were her earliest advocates, but like me, they soon dropped away. Gelsey, however, became the Trilby to her Svengali. In those years Gelsey was still very young and impressionable, and Maggie gave her the attention she felt she lacked from Balanchine. Mr. B never liked to over-coach his dancers; preferring to see what they themselves would bring to the table. Gelsey wanted/needed more attention and Maggie was glad to give it. It was a bit like Marilyn Monroe and her addiction to her acting teachers. Marilyn needed them on the set, and Gelsey needed Maggie in the even for rehearsals right under Balanchine’s nose. (Again it’s all in my book and may surprise many). All that being said, Gesley’s THEME and VARIATIONS is still the one to beat. Balanchine once turned to me, when we were together watching this from the wings, with tears in his eyes. He practically shouted, “Isn’t she wonderful!?!“ He so loved her. He was like a child on Christmas morning. In those years she was adding triple pirouettes after the last fouettees and started adding gargouillades instead of the last pas de than what she does here. Merrill Ashley did the arms differently on the pas de chats, but less effective I feel. These are the original. Mr. B probably didn’t care.