Violette Verdy in 3 roles

The great Balanchine ballerina in variations from LA SOURCE and EMERALDS (which he choreographed for her) and with Conrad Ludlow in BALLET IMPERIAL (he later changed the name to TCHAIKOVSKY PIANO CONCERTO #2).

[@photographedemode]

I was lucky enough to see Villela and Verdy dance La Source in 1972. Incredible performance I remember to this day.

[@AudreeAdam]

Wow, this is incredible!

[@brendaannedufaur6244]

People dont understand how important filming ballet is. Even if you have to pirate it in the audience! We need a record. A visual record to see for ourselves. And the dancers need to be documented in the context of ballet history. Dances should be as vain as possible - no matter how wonderfully humble you may be - to get as much of themselves filmed as possible. Think of it. Like Toni Bentley said in her book, a performance happens a few moments or an hour or 2 in time. Then it vanquishes. Nothing left except an infinitesimally small audience to remember. Think of the millions who lose out, who are deprived. Look at the gem this pirated video is of the wonderful Vioeltte Verdy. Otherwise we would have almost nothing. People will still go to the theater in person. But please have your mother or best friend filming rehearsal and performance as much as possible.

[@laughgoddess]

Wow. I just discovered this wonderful film. Thank you so much for posting this. I was in class with her when I was a very young student, studying with George Milenoff in Miami. He brought me to tears, as he often did, and she consoled me, whispering in my ear he was 'just an old meanie'. She was my favorite ballerina.

[@dianeswanson8206]

This is mesmerizing! What an exquisite ballerina - so compelling to watch.

[@tkoran]

I love watching Violette dancing Emeralds sans costume; you can really see the elegance of the steps & her beautiful technique, wonderful port de bras & those lovely delicate "talking" feet.

[@brendaannedufaur6244]

I think the emerald costumes look like green waltz of the flowers so i am in heaven seeing sans costume.

[@karennorris5305]

I saw her dance many times in my youth- one of the greatest dancers of that generation of Balanchine ballerinas.

[@lozanogomez]

Absolutely gorgeous!!

[@Marta44339]

Beautiful and thrilling. "They don't make 'em like that any more."

[@jerrypolon2033]

Wow! There'll never be another like Violette, though several have been inspired to capture the essence of her breeze-blown freedom. Tiler Peck is the current bearer of the scroll. She's wonderful, and always make me think of her Gallic forbear. Thank you!

[@barbaralemere5183]

Nobody dances that solo from Emeralds the way violette did it. Gorgeous musicality and interpretation.

[@philipcondenzio1035]

Nobody dances anything the way she did.

[@FinisJhungballet]

thank you John! Thrilling musicality and dancing all the way through the body all the time.......SUPERB!

[@simaraft7373]

A feast for the eyes and the spirit. Thank you so much.

[@milesmontemore5060]

She was like watching an exquisite dream. You hope you remember it when you awake.

[@giuliorenzobighin8165]

Ottimi i tourbillon di giravolte da capogiro della ballerina .Incisiva l'enfatizzazione commediale dei momenti più salienti. Ottima l'impressione di leggerezza quasi eterea.Ottima la pur breve comparsa accorrente del corollario danzante. MOLTO BRAVI TUTTI.BIGHON GIULIO RENZO

[@susannevollmer2347]

I enjoy always seeing her dance: for me she is a brilliant Ballerina, perfect Balanchine stile.

[@speteydog2260]

Saw violette in person one time. She was spectacularly wonderful.

[@philipkuttner7945]

I know it's of relative unimportance, but one thing I love about Violette Verdy is (what I assume to be) her stage name: Verdy from the composer Verdi, and Violette from Violetta, the heroine of his opera La Traviata--who is French! Absolutely lovely dancing.

[@LaLaJonesG]

She came to the University of Oklahoma School of Dance in 2008 - I was a junior ballet faculty member there. She taught our dancers for a week. I picked her up at her hotel everyday and took her to the studios. Little did she know in Corpus Christi in the 1960’s my Grandmother had picked her up at the airport and had driven her to her dance studio in her new white Mustang, which my Grandmother said Violette loved and commented on. Ms. Verdy was in Corpus Christi assessing the ballet studios there as they were applying for “civic ballet status.” My Grandmother said the area was denied the status a civic ballet at the time. I was too embarrassed in 2008 to even bring it up. I thought she wouldn’t remember and I didn’t want her too feel bad that they had been denied. Anyways, I just thought it was funny that my Grandmother and I had both driven Violette in our cars with a 50 year gap. History sure does have a way of cycling back again! Her ballet classes were PERFECTION, she was one of the most ATTENTIVE and UPLIFTING teachers I’ve ever had the pleasure of taking from. Even though I was on faculty I took her class as I felt if I didn’t, I would seriously regret it. I knew there was a genius dancer in front of me and I must experience her class firsthand. NO regrets!!! The sparkle in her eyes, her wit, her quickness, her humor, and her perfected dancing was a wonder to behold, and I’ll always treasure and remember her!!!!!🩷🩰🩷 Thank you Violette! Also after watching this video, now at 45 years old, I’m able to execute a gorglliade correctly!!!! Watching her somehow unlocked something within me with that step!🩰🤗

[@avesraggiana]

Ballet Imperial. Dame Margot Fonteyn was cast in this very difficult Balanchine ballet, and she fell twice. Just wasn't her thing. Verdy, on the other hand, took to Balanchine's choreography as naturally as any "foreigner" ever could, and she acquits herself magnificently in this.

[@cassieg5217]

This is incredible. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@madeinmd89]

4:17-4:24 The musicality in her upper body is so beautiful it almost moved me to tears.

[@kaiajabell6719]

Would you happen to know the name of the work she’s dancing to?

[@tkoran]

Oh boy! Thank you!!!

[@Ceeelllo358]

#exquisite! Thank you!!

[@giuliorenzobighin8165]

Errata corrige Bighin

[@bettycoltrane85]

I appreciate the comments but I wonder if people didn't go into watching this knowing it was a legendary Balanchine ballerina, whether they'd be nearly as generous with praise. In fact I'm not sure people would even tolerate it since she doesn't have any of the extension or bend of what's been considered professional since the 80s. The coordination and dynamic and musicality are perfect, but I wonder if those by itself are enough

[@AudreeAdam]

I'm certain she would've been a ballerina in this day and age, but maybe not as special as she was. We'll never know. But her footwork remains breathtaking. When you see her, you understand why Balanchine said her feet "spoke".

[@jeannevacca1328]

It is

[@philipcondenzio5987]

Yes, we know just how legendary she was, and I for one don’t take issue with extensions. I’d gladly watch her everyday, over the artistically vacant, acrobats that pass as classical dancers now.

[@noblesetsentimentales]

bettycoltrane85 Yes, they are more than enough because all those things you mention are what dancing is all about, not extensions and "bend" (?). Also, "I wonder if people didn't go into watching this knowing it was a legendary Balanchine ballerina, whether they'd be nearly as generous with praise" - you're joking, right?

[@tulip5677]

Personally, I've already seen enough extreme extensions to last a lifetime and enjoy watching Verdy because of her different and unique set of special qualities; it's refreshing

[@exaudi33]

I saw her in '72 with frequent partner Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux. Divine.