Cricket201905-06

GeorgeBalanchine,theschool’sRussian-born

founderanda world-renownedteacherand

choreographer.

Balanchinecreateda danceforthe

nine-year-oldJacquesintheroleofPuck,a

mischievousspriteintheballetA Midsummer

Night’sDream. TheBossmadeJacquesa

chocolate-browncostumeandattachedclus-

tersoffakegrapesandberriestoit.Thefabric

wastheitchiestwool.ButJacquesforgothis

itchingwhenhebegantodance!Hejumped

high,kickinghisfeetbehind.Onlanding,he

wiggledhisbottom.Theapplausemadehim

feellikehehadscoreda homerunina base-

ballgame.Heevenearnedtendollarsforthe

performance!

ThekidsinJacques’sCatholicschool

teasedhimaboutballetclasses.Onetough

boyconfrontedhim.“Youa sissy?”

Jacquesreplied,“Ballet’sgreat.It’ssohard.”

Jacquestoldthemabouta maledancer,

Eglevsky,whohadmuscularthighsasbigas

theirchestsanddida jumpcalleda sauté.

Jacquesputdownthebagthatheldhistights

andT-shirtfordance,stoodinfifthposition,

leapedintheairsidewaysoverthebag,and

landedontheotherside.

“Here,youwanttotryit?”Jacqueschal-

lengedtheboys.Theytriedthesautéto

comicaleffect.Theystruggledtogettheirfeet

intofifthpositionandjumpedawkwardly

overthebag,landingwithwhirlingarmsand

unsteadyfeet.On

otherdays,Jacques

demonstratedpirou-

ettesandthelatest

stepshe’dlearned,

elicitingoohsandahs.

Notonlydidthese

boysacceptJacques’s

balletclasses,the

wholeschooldid,too.

Jacquesremained

oneofthe rough

andtumbleboysin

the neighborhood.

Althoughbusywith

schoolanddanceles-

sons,hestillfound

timetogetintomis-

chiefwithhisyoung

gang.Hetingled

EVERYBUGGY ON YOUR TOES, IF

YOU’VE GOT ’EM! CHANGEMENT!

PLIÉ! PIROUETTE!

MEW!

COM CA! PIROUETTE? HOW’S MY

ONE FOOT,

RIGHT?

TOTALLY.

(^)
Jacque
s^ at^ a
ge^ tw
enty-three^ dancing the (^) title
(^)
role^ in^ A
pollo
with^ th
e^ New^ York^ City (^) Ballet