Movies

Ballet’s Cold War Secret? You Won’t Believe What Happened!

BBG News

As a cinema enthusiast captivated by the world of dance, I can’t help but rave about Amy Sherman-Palladino’s latest masterpiece, Étoile, now streaming on Prime Video starting April 24. This eight-episode comedy brilliantly satirizes the ballet scene, focusing on a clever publicity stunt where leading dancers from rival ballet companies in New York City and Paris exchange roles to attract younger audiences to the ballet.

In the series, the Paris artistic director, Geneviève Lavigne (brilliantly played by Charlotte Gainsbourg), devises this audacious plan after a wave of dancers departed during COVID-19. She laments the “dying” interest in ballet and its funding sources. Simultaneously, the Metropolitan Ballet Theater in New York City grapples with its own set of challenges. Throughout the series, we get glimpses into the NYC campus.

Although the film Étoile isn’t directly based on real-life events, there was indeed a dance exchange between competing U.S. and Soviet ballet troupes in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Here’s what we know about this historical event and how it differs from the story portrayed in Étoile.

In this rephrased version, I tried to make it more conversational and informal while still conveying the same information.

Lacing up during the Cold War

During the peak of the Cold War, American ballet dancers were dispatched for tours within the Soviet Union, while Soviet ballet dancers were invited to perform in the United States.

In my perspective, I believed that this situation would foster stronger bonds of peace between us all, as someone who has delved into the topic extensively through my work on Ballet during the Cold War, as detailed in my book titled Ballet in the Cold War: A Soviet-American Exchange, and serving as an associate professor of music history at the University of Washington.

Nikita Khrushchev, the Soviet leader, was more inclined towards fostering amicable ties with capitalist nations compared to his predecessor Joseph Stalin. The Soviet Union employed ballet, a significant part of Russian culture, as a means of diplomacy, aiming to project a favorable image of communism. According to Searcy, the U.S. aimed to reciprocate this strategy.

Not all Soviet dancers moved to the U.S.; approximately 44% (110 out of 250) were selected by their managers. On the other hand, around 53 members of the American Ballet Theatre travelled to the Soviet Union, including ballerina Maria Tallchief who shared an unusual complaint – she felt numbness in her feet due to the extreme cold on stage.

In their performance, the Americans included duets from “Swan Lake” and “Don Quixote”, George Balanchine’s “Theme and Variations”, and Jerome Robbins’ “Fancy Free”. Notably, Khrushchev himself attended the final Moscow performance and extended invitations to Tallchief and other ballerinas for a late-night dinner. Additionally, the Soviets presented “Swan Lake” in the United States, alongside “Giselle”, “Romeo and Juliet”, and “Stone Flower”.

The exchange gets a standing ovation

Overall, the audiences thought the exchange was on pointe.

1959 saw the Bolshoi Ballet greeted with a mix of intrigue and strong breezes of Cold War friendship, as TIME magazine documented.

In more casual language, scalpers had been selling tickets for the Bolshoi Ballet performance at the Metropolitan Opera House back then, priced at approximately $1568 in today’s dollars. People were so eager to attend that they even sent blank checks, asking the ticket sellers to fill in their preferred amount. The magazine labeled this buying frenzy as one of the “toughest ticket rushes in recent history.” Phone operators experienced such stress from handling the phone lines that some resigned, and a box office employee was even swarmed by a crowd at a public library when she mentioned her job.

1962 saw an interaction during the Cuban Missile Crisis, a time when the possibility of nuclear conflict was imminent. Remarkably, performers in both nations continued to receive applause from their audiences. According to TIME magazine’s report at that time, “The Russian music scene would never be the same again. The dancing too, seemed destined for change.

In my opinion, among all the films I’ve seen, there was one particular adaptation that didn’t resonate with the crowd as much – the Soviet rendition of “Spartacus”. Frankly, it was met with quite a bit of disapproval. As TIME magazine eloquently put it, the Metropolitan Opera House echoed with boos when the credits rolled for this one.

Last week at the Metropolitan Opera House during an intermission, a man seeking respite approached an attendant near an exit and inquired, “When does the next event like an orgy start?” His question went unanswered almost instantly. The event he had asked about began straight away, continued endlessly, and left the audience with what might have been one of the most distasteful evenings ever experienced at the Met.

Back in the day, when the Cold War was still a thing, this ballet exchange between our nations didn’t exactly declare a winner or loser. Yet, it played an extraordinary role in reshaping perspectives. As Searcy puts it, “Americans were given a glimpse into the authentic Soviet people, not just the stereotypes we read about. Seeing them create art had a profound impact on our perception that they were humans, much like us. On the flip side, Soviet audiences were captivated by American artists, which softened their views towards America to some degree.” In essence, it wasn’t about who outperformed whom; rather, it was about fostering understanding and empathy between two distinct cultures.

How the swap in Étoile spoofs the state of ballet

In the Cold War era, the exchange of ballets was supported by both the United States and Soviet governments. Conversely, in the story of Étoile, a ballet performance is a humorous jab orchestrated by a donor amidst a public relations dilemma. This individual’s company is grappling with an oil spill incident, and the performance satirizes the strained relationship between artistic directors and those who provide financial support, often referred to as “check-writers.

Similar to Tallchief, members of the American dance company in Étoile encounter a degree of cultural disorientation upon their move to Paris. Notably, the renowned choreographer Tobias Bell (Gideon Glick) becomes agitated when he’s unable to find his usual toiletries.

As a dance enthusiast, I’ve come to find that certain experiences can be profoundly transformative, and this is certainly true for Mishi (Taïs Vinolo), a Parisian dancer in the esteemed American company. Despite hailing from the City of Lights, Mishi feels more at home in New York City, a feeling rooted in her strained relationships with French girls from her past and parents who seemed indifferent to her passion for dance.

In this vibrant city, Mishi’s story takes an extraordinary turn. Cheyenne Toussaint (Lou de Laâge), the illustrious Parisian prima ballerina, graces the stage in The Nutcracker. Yet, her impact extends beyond her captivating performances. Cheyenne takes a young, aspiring dancer under her wing – the daughter of a cleaning lady who secretly practices in the rehearsal studios after-hours.

Cheyenne fiercely advocates for this girl’s enrollment in the ballet school on campus, and when that doesn’t suffice, she crashes the classes herself, offering her guidance and constructive criticism every step of the way. This is a testament to Cheyenne’s unwavering dedication to nurturing talent and passing on the wisdom she’s gathered throughout her illustrious career.

During the Cold War era, the ballet exchange was met with immediate acclaim. However, in the series Étoile, it’s uncertain if the swap manages to hold audience interest throughout most of the storyline. By the end, it’s undoubtedly considered a success—but entirely by happenstance. It remains to be seen if an Amazon show focusing on ballet will attract more viewers to live performances.

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2025-04-24 16:08

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