‘Parade’ (1917) - The Ballets Russes Cubist Work

For me, these two fragments give a little sense of what the Ballets Russes Cubist work, ‘Parade’, was actually like.
From one-act scenario by Jean Cocteau and with music from Erik Satie, the ballet premiered at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on 18th May 1917.
The costumes and sets were designed by Pablo Picasso and the choreography set by Léonide Massine, who danced the Chinese magician. The construction of this character is a stereotyping bordering on what these days we would see as racism, but this was the first quarter of the C20.
I love that the springy rhythms of the music are so perfectly realised in choreography, and here so well executed by Gary Chryst, the Chinese magician in this performance.
Enjoy!

[@2Chua]

I was so fortunate to have seen The Joffrey Ballet and Gary Chryst in this role. Astounding work. I hope these early works are being preserved, staged, and performed as they should be! Also the Nijinska ballets...timeless, classic.

[@ascenbach1]

Thanks, for a fascinating glimpse of this ballet and some narration that made some sense of it. I had only been familiar with Satie's music but now I would like to see a full performance. What an array of talent participated in putting Parade together! I do not, however, understand the last remark of the narrator that Cocteau intended this to be a patriotic work. I am reminded of Les enfants du paradis.

[@viewfromwilmington]

I remember Gary Chryst's amazing leaps from seeing this on PBS many years ago. I wish the whole ballet were available.

[@JohnRaymondHall]

+Chris Halkides me too - i wonder why not more was shot - all those cameras and studio time just for a few minutes seems odd. maybe it was only for illustrative purposes?

[@ZenGrammy]

I adore that gorgeous Picasso drop curtain. I love some Satie, especially those beautiful gymnopedies, but most "modern" music and dance is way over my head. I find this strange given that I really like Schoenberg's weirder pieces.

[@louiselins]

This work made me fall in love with Picasso.

[@JohnRaymondHall]

+louiselins hi! yes, it's remarkable all round - i love the curious movement style - it works so perfectly with the music, don't you think. i fell in love with Picasso all over again last time i was in Paris as i was living in Le Marais just around the corner from the Musée national Picasso - lots of long visits!

[@fethy23]

3 génies Satie, Picasso et Cocteau.

[@alina3254]

And Leonide Massine, the choreographer! He was still alive and choreographed this ballet when Joffrey Ballet revived it!

[@simaraft7373]

I was all ready to make a snide remark about modernism and then I actually liked this! Would have been so fun to see this. But what's patriotic about it?

[@djzio]

One of my favorite documentaries, 'Paris: The Luminous Years'!