Rite of Spring; Joffrey Ballet. Documentary and Performance

[@monicacall7532]

I remember seeing the Joffrey Ballet’s premiere of the original “Sacre”. It was a mind blowing experience. As a musician I had played the music, had seen the Disney “Fantasia” segment with the dinosaurs and had seen different choreography done to Stravinsky’s music with various ballet companies. Seeing the original has truly been one of the greatest artistic experiences in my life.

[@jassenjj]

TBH, Joffrey Ballet's reconstruction is practically the best among all others that followed it, including the Mariinsky Ballet. Here the virgin just nails the part in every possible way.

[@roberthoward6590]

I have known and loved Le Sacre since about 1965. I have heard many concert performances and many more recorded performances. After seeing this video I can no longer bear to experience this masterwork without this loving dance recreation. I am so grateful for the opportunity of seeing it!

[@fatovamingus]

I am so glad to see this back intact. It was taken down a couple of years back. The interviews with Millicent Hodson are amazing.

[@sheilabloom6735]

Saw this at the Kennedy Center.

[@fatovamingus]

@sheilabloom6735 was it the Mariinsky? What year?!!!

[@imshinycaptain]

I've watched this probably a dozen times and I never get tired of it. This time the former dancer in me came out and it must be such a nightmare to count. XD

[@emilynelson9174]

I am, in the most professional and super cool way, uh obsessed with Le Sacre du Printemps. The innovative music, dance and plot just blow my mind every single time. I have seen many types of choreography to this music (specifically the second act/sacrificial dance) and I remain a big fan. The song tells a story all by itself ♥️♥️ But I love seeing the probable original choreography. Undeniable. I've shown le Sacre du Printemps to many relatives and friends (whom have no knowledge of the history) that comment how they are reminded of cave paintings. Absolutely perfect. Even over a century later, the dance is not lost on everyone. And at the end of the day, as a modern dance choreographer and a fan of heavy metal, how could I possibly deny The impact Of Le Sacre du Printemps Xoxoxo

[@docbailey3265]

Isn’t everybody?

[@northshore1000]

What gets me is the way the performance is hypnotic to watch! I am mesmerized by it, caught up in all the various movements, trying to “catch” it all. With the music? Oh! A delight for the eyes & ears & soul...

[@Murrlin27]

YOU TOO?

[@marsdenrhodri]

I've been wanting to watch this documentary for years, and never had any luck in tracking it down. Thanks so much for putting this online.

[@russellwright1324]

Same here! I never forgot this and immediately wanted to see it again. Now years later I can see it. Yay!

[@vaslav030547]

This Ballet and music knock me out! They have since the first time I witnessed them. Way Way ahead of its time! Sheer determination, drama, genius and artistry from the creators.

[@cathleensibley1679]

Thank you for sharing this historical masterpiece. Time for Joffrey to put it in a season and tour with it!

[@daviddemar8749]

I'd never seen the ballet until today although I have become very familiar with the score since 1st learning about it in a college music history class almost 40 years ago. now thanks to the continuation of my cultural journey and to what I have learned from Leonard Bernstein and Howard Goodall ,Michael Tilson-Thomas and others I finally finally finally finally understand what the fuss was all about and why Stravinsky and this ballet were so groundbreaking. Boy, I really get how they influenced so much over the previous 100 years. thank you so much for posting it!

[@carlohernadez6829]

could you please be more specific about this topic? im interested in learning about it.

[@HenrikBergpianorganist]

I love everything about this. And the choreography/costumes are so captivating, so hypnotic!

[@AnthonyPoetica]

I remember studying this as part of my BA Studies many years ago at Uni....It was a Huge Leap (yes Pun intended!) in the history of Choreography / Ballet / Music Composition / Theatre. In hindsight one can clearly see why.

[@BLooDCoMPleX]

You're a goddamn hero for actually recording this.

[@foreignparticle1320]

This is wonderful stuff. Like so many others, I am fascinated and captivated by the Joffrey reconstruction - after discovering the video many years ago, no other danced version of Le Sacre that I've seen can satiate me in the same way. I couldn't care less about the notion of less-than-100% accuracy and gap-filling; ultimately it is as close as we're ever going to get to experiencing the phenomenal, devastating, ground-breaking original theatrical concept, and I'm 110% happy with that. I want so much to be able to see this production live on stage one day.

[@lucasgust7720]

What a treasure of a documentary!

[@hehhehdummy]

Gesamtkunstwerk! The Rite of Spring and The Shining are my favorite things in the world.

[@sheilabloom6735]

I saw this ballet at the Kennedy Center with the Joffrey Ballet and the lecture by the couple on how they recreated it.

[@juzek1958]

Thank you so much! I had accidentally recorded over my copy 30 years ago.

[@Elkie]

I first heard the score in Fantasia by Disney (I still see the dinosaurs in my minds eye). Then in high school, I learned about Nijinsky and the Ballet Russes and was amazed. Eventually, I watched this exact recording in a specific arts class and I was smitten with the Nijinsky legend. I still love this performance more than I can explain to friends and family. And the origin story to this reconstruction is included to boot! Thank you for sharing!

[@ingemayodon5128]

Merci infiniment pour ce documentaire. C'est fascinant, et en ce qui me concerne, il n'y a qu'une choréographie avec cette musique merveilleuse, celle de Nijinski de 1913! (J'en ai vu d'autres, mais c'est elle que je préfère de loin). Encore merci et salutations de Montréal, Qc, Canada

[@phantom213]

Thank you for sharing! This is precious material.

[@carlosabril6827]

This performance is a truer depiction than the performance by the Mariinsky production although I enjoy both tremendously. Both thrilling!!!

[@33gamba]

A thousand thanks for putting this on here!! I have a bad VHS of this and have been looking for it to use in my Music History/Appreciation class.

[@shawmk]

+Amy Camus Glad I could help! I'm amazed this has never had a proper commercial release. I recorded it back in 1989, which is why it looks and sounds the way it does. I'm sure the master tape is sitting on the shelf of some distributor, somewhere. I really wish they would release it.

[@gjs9366]

Outstanding! Thanks for posting.

[@hrantbagrazyan5897]

A devoted group of non-Russians recreated the original Russian choreography of a great Russian ballet. They should receive the highest honors from Russian government.

[@fatovamingus]

Millicent Hodson and Kenneth Archer continue to Stage this recovered choreography around the world. Most recently in Portugal. They had the most authentic and devoted people to this amazing event of the Arts. I posted this video in 2007 on my channel. I still have comments every week it is so exciting

[@vincentharry6612]

Thanks a lot for sharing this wonderful studie and reconstruction, inspiring!

[@AskAScreenwriter]

Has anyone else gotten here at the recommendation of Prof. Robert Greeberg? I am SO grateful he guided me here, this is truly an amazing work!

[@fionaohea]

Yes me too! Really enjoying the new course.

[@pttk9491]

Many thanks for this. It's priceless.

[@semperconstansetfidelis668]

The more I listened, the more I heard. The more I watched, the less I could look away. Once discordant, it became imperative, suddenly prescient. The beat, beating, with my own (heart) beat.

[@aglikaivantcheva6093]

Thanks! This video is amusing! It's a history, it's immortal! I'm so lucky to watch it. Thanks!

[@AvgerinouAna99]

Ανεξάρτητα με το αν αυτή είναι η αυθεντική χορογραφία του Nijinsky, αυτοί οι άνθρωποι έχουν κάθε λόγο να είναι περήφανοι για τη δουλειά τους. Υποκλίνομαι μπροστά στη σοβαρότητα, το σεβασμό και την αγάπη με την οποία προσέγγισαν το θέμα και το αποτέλεσμα τους δικαίωσε πλήρως. Γιατί αυτό το μπαλέτο είναι ένα από τα πιο θαυμαστά θεάματα που έχω δει ποτέ. Και η Beatriz Rodriguez είναι το απόλυτο σφάγιο της θυσίας!

[@John_oR.]

I’ve seen more recent choreography with the original music live at the ballet but I would give a lot to experience the “original” choreography as well

[@insanelook]

I saw that at the opera a few years back and it was just "incredible" and I mean it.

[@jppitman1]

I am surprised that trying to reconstruct the Rite`s choreography would be controversial to anyone. As the video relates, there were a number of sources to consult to attempt its reconstruction. I`ve been reading Thomas Forest Kelly`s book First Nights, which recounts the premiere of this work (and 4 others). He includes the complete review from one paper which described the constant stamping of the feet during the ballet; that`s certainly what Ms. Hodson included. I see this somewhat analogous to bringing The Play of Daniel or The Play of Herod back to life. We`ll never know exactly how those plays looked or sounded from the Medieval era, but the rational of us are driven by curiosity as to what it MAY have sounded like. The Rite of Spring is no different..

[@CBMOA]

25:42 the real game begins (The ballet, in case)

[@colly7963]

Fantastic! Never seen anything quite like it before. Thank you for posting :)

[@Amplify_Movement]

wow!!! thank you so much!

[@maestrosdreamcafe3022]

Still shocking and mesmerizing

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

I saw the Joffrey's production at City Center. I also met Irina Nijinska, who complained about the "reconstruction" by Millicent Hodson, as using American-Indian dance as a reference, which was totally different from early Slavic dance and totally inappropriate. I felt the big solo for Beatriz Rodriguez was not at all climactic enough. They made a valiant effort, but should have had dancers from the Ballets Russes do the re-creation.

[@yvettekraft2371]

I guess you could say Stravinsky was pretty 'igor' to write this

[@StephanieM772]

That’s rite!

[@joao-geraldodamasceno1581]

Formidable!!!

[@jcrossi56]

The film Igor and Coco (Coco and Igor?) gives a good portrayal of the actual riot and initial performance...the love affair s*** is of course Hollywood- I enjoy the film anyway.

[@janebeman6259]

That movie, "Igor and Coco" is where I first learned about the dance. The movie was visually beautiful. I, too, enjoyed the depiction of the riot at the Paris debut.

[@BrianJosephMorgan]

Bravo!

[@joedirt2263]

I saw this performed by the Joffrey troupe in New Orleans a few years back. Unfortunately it was canned music and the dancers were not as great as those in the original, but it was still great to see it live.

[@33gamba]

Wow, you are actually the person who recorded this!! I think it may have been released, at least in part, because I have it in a DVD copy that I made from a VHS. I may still have the original VHS around here somewhere in the piles. I'll look. Curious to know myself where it came from to my collection.

[@ShoyuTao]

You don't fool me. I know you are Yma Sumac!

[@christopher4992]

Sooo did you find it???!

[@v_munu]

​@@christopher4992 I would also love to know

[@EmreNurbeyler]

Sucks that Act 2 Introduction is cut..

[@TheOneRaf]

Can somebody explain to me why the introduction of Act II is missing or incomplete? Where has it gone to?

[@jadalaryn]

1:00 Music- Stravinsky 9:05 reaction

[@jenneacoleman-cubero2365]

Why isn't there a movie about this already?

[@shawmk]

There is, actually! The BBC produced a feature-length drama in 2005 called "Riot at the Rite" about Diaghilev and Nijinsky and the events surrounding the premiere.

[@jenneacoleman-cubero2365]

Awesome :) !! Is there also a movie about the making of the 1987 production?

[@christopher4992]

My god why do we not have the original tape online yet? Someone get off your ass and do it if you have access! People need to hear this orchestra the way it was supposed to sound.

[@christopher4992]

Where can I find the original recording? Everyone says the “essa Pekka” recording is the best. I think it’s shit. This recording is the best

[@HenrikBergpianorganist]

What do you mean by 'original recording'?

[@AngelDucattiforever]

Does anyone know is this is available on DVD ? Thanks

[@shawmk]

Not as far as I'm aware. I recorded this off television (on VHS) nearly 30 years ago, and I've been searching for a better copy ever since!

[@AngelDucattiforever]

Thank you for sharing your copy, I have been searching around for a dvd release and I found nothing so far ;.(

[@WeatherMoon]

@@shawmk I am so pleased you recorded this! I used to watch a tiny black and white television decades ago, and I got watch some incredible old Russian films, old avant garde ballets, etc at odd hours of the morning. This is so incredible to watch! (and in color!)

[@WeatherMoon]

The discipline to keep toes in

[@christopher4992]

@@shawmk have you found any more recordings? Not necessarily the documentary even just good recordings would be awesome

[@PanK_designer]

30:08

[@halfprice06]

thumbnail looks like ken bone

[@docbailey3265]

Even to this day this is pretty damn weird.

[@terrinauh1576]

Taron meets Mizore and Kanaya Maryam and Aqua and Will

[@MichaelHirshmanS]

Moore Angela Jackson Amy Thomas Frank

[@normamimosa7295]

Much prefer the Mariinsky's production.

[@lv7118]

How dramatic and marvelous and terrible....

[@jamiepastman5594]

there was a time when human culture was interested in Stravinsky. now it's interested in Kim Kardashian and QAnon. Shoot me

[@christinatweet6580]

really ....🙄

[@devchekhov7512]

So edgy, I just can't even 🙄