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 performance...all 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 partners...so 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 theater...and 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 chats...faster 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.

[@monongahelacats]

No one can surpass this.

[@melissaking6019]

Thanks Heaven Gelsey's Theme was filmed. Her brilliant technique, strength, speed, and musicality are all glorious.

[@kabardinka1]

Brilliance and clarity unsurpassed.

[@Marta44339]

She's incomparable. Wonderful performance.

[@GariGold]

A brilliant high point for her career. I loved her at NYCB.

[@orlihimmelweit2105]

Phenonmenal.

[@running179]

SO GLAD you posted this, JC. I have this entire perf, but for decades it wasn't avail to the general public until (God-blessed) YTube. I used to get really angry when people would say that "Theme" was a "Merrill Ashley" ballet, & that Gelsey was "weak" in it bc she did pas de chats instead of gargouillades (Merrill did the gargs). So WHAT? I loved MAshley, but I think Gelsey had far deeper artistry, even tho she was a fierce technician. I think Gelsey was at her best as a Romantic ballerina ("Giselle" esp), but nobody can beat her in this for speed, clarity, precision - and she did this when she was frigging *16*!!! You were *there*, JC, you saw it.

[@kballet2001]

Anyone with artistry hates Gargouillades The version she does she has more air time and it’s in my opinion much more impressive. She really tucks her feet under her in the pas de chat and floats

[@genlyai5055]

No one with two functional brain cells compares two ballerinas as great as Ashley and Kirkland. I saw them both dance 'Theme' and they were both superb in every way. Such an asshole attempt at comparison has nothing to do with ballet or the masterpiece that is 'Theme'.

[@bobloblaw9679]

have you ever noticed that this solo matches perfectly with the music of aurora's entrance variation?

[@clairegau268]

Beautiful !

[@kerrytakashi12]

She is such a beautiful dancer. No one like her since. What I took away from her book was that she really wanted a surrogate parent, a father figure specifically.

[@jcliff26]

That's absolutely correct. Her father was an alcoholic and violent at times.

[@franciscatimbo-ballet5979]

*Dançando em meu túmulo* livro lindo da Gelsey Kirkland

[@fabiesque]

She is the greatest of the great. Her picture should be on the dictionary next to the term "ASSOLUTA"

[@mariannesouza8326]

Read her book, “Dancing on my Grave”.

[@jcliff26]

I did. Full of lies and faulty memories.

[@Marta44339]

@@jcliff26 I read it when it was new and reread it recently. Very mean spirited and I agree that some of the anecdotes sound like lies or weird perceptions.

[@marityngvesson8937]

She is hella fast 😮❤

[@running179]

PS: Gelsey was slightly off her pirouettes in her 1st variation in this perf, but she made up for that slight wobbling in this variation. I wish I could have seen her do this at 16/17 with Villella. I wish I could have seen *Alonso* do it, as it was made for her & Youskevitch!! And she was a pyrotechnician.

[@jcliff26]

There are clips of Alonso and Youskevitch in THEME on KZbin.

[@GariGold]

She often wobbled I recall. No one minded. Only endeared her more perhaps.

[@genlyai5055]

The ONE turn you're referring to is an attempted triple where most people can't even do a clean double. FIFY. LOL