Lewellyn Farr Christensen (May 6, 1909 – October 9, 1984) was a ballet dancer, choreographer and director for many companies. He was largely associated with
George Balanchine
George Balanchine (;
Various sources:
*
*
*
* born Georgiy Melitonovich Balanchivadze;, Romanization of Georgian, : April 30, 1983) was a Georgian-American ballet choreographer, recognized as one of the most influential choreographers ...
and the
San Francisco Ballet
San Francisco Ballet is the oldest ballet company in the United States, founded in 1933 as the San Francisco Opera Ballet under the leadership of ballet master Adolph Bolm. The company is currently based in the War Memorial Opera House, San Fra ...
, which he directed from 1952–1984. Other companies Christensen was a part of include
Ballet Caravan, directed by
Lincoln Kirstein, and Ballet Society, directed by Kirstein and Balanchine.
Early life and training
Christensen was born in
Brigham City, Utah
Brigham City is a city in Box Elder County, Utah, Box Elder County, Utah, United States. The population was 19,650 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, up from the 2010 figure of 17,899. It is the county seat of Box Elder County. It l ...
, to a family with roots in dance and music. His grandfather, Lars Christensen, who emigrated from Denmark, taught folk and social dances.
[Sowell, Debra. "Christensen Brothers." ''International Encyclopedia of Dance.'' Vol. 2. ed. Selma Jeanne Cohen. 1998. 160.] Christensen was raised a
Mormon
Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...
, and this upbringing informed his latter career with of a sense of focusing on propriety.
Christensen began studying dance with his uncles and music with his father when he was ten. He was taught early ballet technique by
Stefano Mascagno, an Italian teacher. His brother
Willam started Lew and their third dancing brother,
Harold, in
vaudeville
Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...
. In addition to small vaudeville shows, the three brothers landed jobs in the
Broadway musical ''
The Great Waltz'', during which time Christensen became a student at Balanchine's new
School of American Ballet
The School of American Ballet (SAB) is the associate school of the New York City Ballet, a ballet company based at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. The school trains students from the age of six, with professional voc ...
. In 1935, he joined the
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...
's
American Ballet Ensemble with Harold.
Dancing with Balanchine
As soon as Christensen began his training, he received special attention from
George Balanchine
George Balanchine (;
Various sources:
*
*
*
* born Georgiy Melitonovich Balanchivadze;, Romanization of Georgian, : April 30, 1983) was a Georgian-American ballet choreographer, recognized as one of the most influential choreographers ...
, who recognized his talent. Among Balanchine’s first lead male dancers, Christensen danced principal roles, receiving much praise for his lead roles in ''
Orpheus and Eurydice'' and ''
Apollon Musagète''.
Christensen, the first American to dance Apollo, set a new standard for that role, and was thereafter considered to be America's first home grown significant male dancer.
At the onset of World War II, Lew Christensen was drafted into the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
. On return to New York in 1946 he joined Balanchine's and Kirstein's latest project, Ballet Society – later to be known as the
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet (NYCB) is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. Léon Barzin was the company's fir ...
– where he became a ballet master. Although considered by many to be the logical heir to Balanchine's company, Christensen was instead enticed to join his brothers at the
San Francisco Ballet
San Francisco Ballet is the oldest ballet company in the United States, founded in 1933 as the San Francisco Opera Ballet under the leadership of ballet master Adolph Bolm. The company is currently based in the War Memorial Opera House, San Fra ...
in 1948.
[Sowell, Debra. "Christensen, Lew." ''International Dictionary of Ballet.'' Vol. 1. ed. Martha Bremser. 1993. 274–277.]
Ballet Caravan
Ballet Caravan, begun in 1936 by Kirstein, was intended to provide American ballet dancers with summer employment during off-seasons. As a member, Christensen was a lead soloist, choreographer, and ballet master until 1940.
Between 1936 and 1941 ballets Christensen choreographed included ''Pocahontas'' (1936), ''Filling Station'' (1938), ''Charade'' (1939), and ''Pastorela'' (1941). ''Filling Station'' incorporated Christensen's vaudeville roots, acrobats, deadpan humor, and tap dancing.
With Ballet Caravan, Christensen and his wife
Gisella Caccialanza toured South America in 1941.
San Francisco Ballet
Christensen served as associate director of the San Francisco Ballet in 1949, and was co-director in 1951 with his brother Willam. He served as director from 1952–1984.
Christensen transformed the San Francisco Ballet to an internationally recognized
neoclassical company. Although he joined the San Francisco Ballet in 1949, Christensen continued to act as ballet master for the
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet (NYCB) is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. Léon Barzin was the company's fir ...
until 1950. After becoming co-director of the San Francisco company in 1951, he kept a good relationship between it and the New York City Ballet. In 1952, on his brother Willam's departure to establish the ballet program at the
University of Utah
The University of Utah (the U, U of U, or simply Utah) is a public university, public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret (Book of Mormon), Deseret by the General A ...
, Lew became the director of the company. He choreographed over 110 works for the San Francisco Ballet. He brought impressive choreography from Balanchine to the company. With Christensen as director, San Francisco Ballet made its first tours nationally and internationally and received much acclaim.
["Christensen Brothers." ''San Francisco Ballet''. 2008. San Francisco Ballet. Mar. 24, 200]
/ref>
References
Bibliography
*
Further reading
NY Times, October 6, 1952
by John Martin (dance critic), John Martin, June 10, 1953
NY Times
by Jennifer Dunning, October 10, 1984
{{DEFAULTSORT:Christensen, Lew
1909 births
1984 deaths
American male ballet dancers
Latter Day Saints from Utah
American ballet choreographers
Ballet masters
People from Brigham City, Utah
American people of Danish descent
Musicians from Utah
20th-century American musicians
20th-century American ballet dancers