Editor’s note: I’ve lately been following choreographer and former principal NYC ballet dancer John Clifford on Instagram (john_cliff26) where he posts clips of notable performances along with helpful commentary. This recent post, which I’m sharing with his permission, is fascinating, even for those, like myself, who don’t have the language of ballet. Clifford explains how Balanchine would choreograph “against” the music; the steps are off the beat, in much the same way that, say, Sinatra’s phraseology would at times either race ahead of the musical count or hold back. I’ve watched Clifford’s clip of Patricia McBride a dozen times and now I understand how the choreography creates a delightful tension that ultimately resolves as McBride takes her bow. Brilliant and beautiful! — sdl
Find out more about John Clifford here. Order Balanchine’s Apprentice (University Press of Florida, September 2021), here.
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Author: The Best American Poetry
