The Legat Legacy

Mindy Aloff (Edited by)

9780813068121

Paperback / softback, published 28 April 2020

210 pages, 39 figures
25.4 x 17.8 x 1.1 cm, 0.52 kg

The Legat Legacy brings back into print two classic works that offer rare insights into the golden age of Russian ballet. The first, Ballet Russe: Memoirs of Nicolas Legat, takes readers into the last three decades of the Imperial Ballet before the 1917 Russian Revolution. Written by Nicolas Legat (1869–1937), one of the great creative geniuses of classical ballet, these memoirs recount Legat's experiences as principal dancer before he fled to Europe to escape the Russian Civil War. The book is filled with memorable character descriptions and includes some of Legat's unique, celebrated caricatures.The second, Heritage of a Ballet Master: Nicolas Legat, is a valuable testament to Legat's classroom pedagogy. Assembled by Legat student, professional dancer, and prolific author John Gregory (1914–1996) to showcase the four complete classes that Legat wrote out by hand for his student the ballet star André Eglevsky (1917–1977), this book also features several Legat classes remembered by other students. In addition, it contains music for the classes, Legat's drawings, photographs of him in performance, and other archival material. It includes a brief biography of Legat and fascinating remembrances from his former students, among them Alicia Markova and Léonide Massine, and a forward by Alexandra Danilova. Marked by their variety and musicality, Legat's teachings are preserved here for future generations of dancers to discover.

• Foreword
• Preface
• Introduction
• Ballet Russe: Memoirs of Nicolas LegatForeword
• 1. Whence Came the '
  Russian School'
  ?
• 2. The Men Who Made the Russian School
• 3. The Making of a Dancer and Ballet Master
• 4. Theatrical Memoirs
• 5. The Class of Perfection
• Appendix 1. Anna Pavlova: A Tribute
• Appendix 2. List of Ballets in Which Nicolas Legat Appeared
• Appendix 3. List of Ballets Produced by Nicolas Legat
• Heritage of a Ballet Master: Nicolas Legat
• Foreword
• Part I. Nicolas Legat: 1869–
  1937
• A Remembrance of Nicolas Legat
• A Biographical Sketch
• A Sentimental Poem
• Legat'
  s Genius: Tributes from Leading Dancers and Pupils
• Part II. Seven Classes by Nicolas Legat
• Introduction to the Classes
• Four Classes Written by Nicolas Legat for André
  Eglevsky
• Class Remembered by Alan Carter
• Class Remembered by Barbara Gregory
• Class Remembered by Cleo Nordi
• Part III. Appendixes
• Appendix 1. The Secret of the Pirouette
• Appendix 2. Class Music