Jewish Women and Ballet in the United States
Whether for economic, cultural, or political reasons, fewer Jewish women went into ballet than into modern dance. A number of Jewish women, however, became well known in the field of ballet. Those interested in ballet studied with gentile classical teacher-choreographers, such as Mikhai Fokine, Michael Mordkin, and Adolf Bolm. They performed in the main ballet companies, including the American Ballet Theatre, the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, George Balanchine’s New York City Ballet, and even Radio City Music Hall’s ballet company. An unexpected outcome of the popularity of ballet study in American by the 21st century is its influence in a wide background of American childhoods, including children of Orthodox Jewish communities.
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