Antony Tudor revolutionized ballet through his innate ability to reveal authentic human emotions with extraordinary subtlety, according to one critic.
But, a writer at the Village Voice noted that Tudor's work is often overlooked, today.
"Tudor is neglected because he doesn't suit the dominant taste of our time, for grand-scale extravaganza, which degenerates all too easily into flash and trash. Having wrested a uniquely expressive language from ballet's traditional abstract vocabulary, he offers instead a piercing view of human psychology and a profound sympathy for the workings of the more-often-than-not defeated heart."
For many - the gifted visionary managed to skillfully toss out all the decorative excess without any dramatic value - and turn out stellar pieces that were frightfully honest for their day.
The genius of Tudor is still relevant today, some assail.
The American Ballet Theatre is celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Tudor’s birth with a season-long retrospective of his ballets in honor of what would be his 100th birthday.
At the Civic Center, through Nov. 2, the ABT performs Continuo, Jardin aux Lilas (Lilac Garden), Pillar of Fire, Judgment of Paris, The Leaves Are Fading, and the bedroom pas de deux from the rarely performed Romeo and Juliet.
"The Leaves Are Fading", was crafted for ABT in 1975, and is considered to be one of Tudor's greatest masterpieces.
In sum, it is a captivating romantic series of reflections on aspects of love.
"Judgment of Paris" - on the other hand - reveals Tudor’s delightfully wicked wit.
A vital all-Tudor program on October 31, includes the aforementioned pieces in tandem with another captivating Ballet favorite, Continuo.
McKenzie, Artistic Director for the ABT, underscored the significance of the work.
"Until Jardin aux Lilas, his breakthrough piece, ballets were all about fairies and Wilis and swans. Ballets weren’t about real people—but anyone can identify with the people in Jardin. Pillar of Fire, with its themes of redemption and unrequited love, is so poignant and relevant today. It’s what half the population carries around inside but won’t talk about. The universality of his works keeps them relevant. Anyone walking around on the earth can relate.”
Although known for his dry humor - which often flared up during rehearsals - the dancers were not led into a false sense of security, because of it.
After all, the choreographer was a relentless taskmaster.
For example, gesture and character details were not only of the utmost importance to the man, but a "character's" internal motivations, as well.
One dancer was inclined to reflect, "his priorities seemed rooted above all in physical approach and energy, in the dancers' complete physical immersion in the movement, in their attention to every nuance of his kinetic expression."
Striving for an internalization of the texts and subtexts, Tudor’s methods - likewise - encouraged dancers to gain a perspective that would apply across the entire ballet floor.
“He taught me to go deeper into a ballet,” Amanda McKerrow said.
“Even when you make progress, you still aren’t as far as you ultimately can go. I applied that to everything I did. That’s definitely a challenge, but the end result is so much more gratifying, certainly to a performer and, I hope, to the audience.”
In its very first season in 1940, the American Ballet Theatre brought Antony Tudor over from Great Britain to stage the U.S. premieres of three of his ballets: Dark Elegies, Jardin aux Lilas, and Judgment of Paris.
Later, Tudor basically ended up the Ballet Theatre’s choreographer-in-residence during its early years. As a result, his ballets - at once subtly understated and vividly theatrical - helped shape the company’s profile as a serious cultural enterprise.
Tudor went on to become a major player as a faculty member at the Metropolitan Opera Ballet School and also taught up-and-coming dancers at the Juilliard School.
Although he created acclaimed works for several distinguished troupes, his relationship with American Ballet Theatre won out - at which point - he was appointed the company’s associate director in 1974 and its choreographer emeritus in 1980.
Every program during the ABT's fall season at City Center includes at least one Tudor work.
Therefore, it appears appropriate that the Tudor Centennial Celebration, has chosen to showcase ballets created and performed throughout the choreographer’s career.
The retrospective features appearances by special guests, as well as film excerpts of Tudor at work with the dancers in the rehearsal hall and on stage.
Since a ballet is a living piece of art on stage - the essence of it's spirit passed down from person to person - the company rustled up two former dancers who worked with Tudor to assist with the Centennial Celebration.
Amanda McKerrow (aforementioned) and John Gardner, for instance, are two celebrated dancers who racked up strong credits at the ABT.
McKerrow has run the repertoire as a Principal Dancer while Gardner (her husband) danced a broad range of roles as a versatile Soloist.
McKerrow and Gardner are both highly-respected teachers and coaches in the field of Ballet, as well.
“Antony Tudor got me into American Ballet Theatre,” Gardner recalled.
“He saw me in an open class when I was a teenager, and he took me to meet Lucia Chase [ABT’s co-founder and director for many years]. I signed a contract to join the company right that day, and I worked with Mr. Tudor as soon as I joined the company in 1978. I had seen The Leaves Are Fading when I was about 15 years old, and thought it was a beautiful ballet even as a youngster. So it was a thrill to dance for him in one of his last ballets, Tiller in the Fields.”
“Over the years,” Gardner reflected, “I’ve realized that these ballets get to the guts of what’s really timeless. They are about the truth that we all share as human beings. Those are deep truths, and not always the good things about people."
All agree that Tudor’s work poses substantial challenges for dancers.
“There was a real learning process,” Gardner recalls, “because he had a much more thoughtful way of working than any of us had encountered before. He taught you to go a lot deeper into the work— and into yourself. I had never been challenged that way. But from the very first day of rehearsal with him, I became much more of a thinking person.”
Tudor was notorious for being meticulous - and subsequently - didn’t let social graces get in the way of achieving the choreographic and dramatic results he strove for, either.
“I’ll be honest,” says Amanda McKerrow, “I was really scared before my first rehearsal with him, which was during my first week with ABT. I tried to hide in the back, but he wouldn’t let you do that. He expected more than 100 percent commitment because that’s what he was bringing. There was a purpose behind his methods: that you understand yourself a little better.”
ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie sang Tudor's praises as well - noting for instance - that his ballets impacted his own work greatly.
"The lesson I carried away from him as an artist, and later as a director, is very important: that the audience believes you.”
Tudor ballet dancers were defined by a unique movement language.
Throughout the next year, dance audiences will enjoy expanded opportunities to interpret this language as part of Tudor's centennial celebration festivities, in New York City.
Born William Cook, Tudor was a commoner who started studying ballet as a young adult.
In 1940, Tudor sets his sights on New York, where he promptly joined the newly created Ballet Theatre after arriving enthusiastically on these shores.
Almost immediately, his distinctive style was recognized by his peers, and his career was launched.
He continued to work at what became American Ballet Theatre until his death in 1987.
