George Skibine

George Boris Skibine[1] (Russian: Юрий Борисович Скибин; Yuri Borisovich Skibin; January 30, 1920 – January 14, 1981), also known as Youra Skibine, was a Russian-American ballet dancer and choreographer.

Biography

Skibine was born in Kharkov (now Ukraine)[1] the son of Boris Skibine, a member of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, and Vera Skibina.[2] In 1937, Boris Skibine was arrested by the NKVD and executed, as part of the Great Purge. He was posthumously rehabilitated in 1989.[3]

George began to perform with the Ballets Russes company from the age of five years, as an extra in Petrouchka.

He was studied with various Russian teachers including Olga Preobrajenska, Julia Sedova, Alexandre Volinine and Lyubov Egorova before making his debut on ballet stage in 1937 in Egorova's Ballets de la Jeunesse. In 1938, at age 18, he became to dance with the René Blum's Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. Danced with the company in 1938-1939, then performed with Ballet Russe of W. de Basil (1939-1941), and Ballet Theatre (1941-1942).

Skibine immigrated to the United States in 1942 and became a naturalized U.S. citizen the next year. From 1942–45, he served in the United States military during World War II.[4]

Markova-Dolin Ballet (1946), again with Original Ballet Russe (1947), Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas (1947-1956), Ruth Page Civic Ballet (1956-1957 & 1959, with Marjorie Tallchief), Paris Opera (1957-1961, with Marjorie Tallchief). In 1959 was named danseur étoile.

He was named choreographer in 1950.

He later served as artistic director for Paris Opera Ballet (1958-1961), the Harkness Ballet (1964-1966) and the Dallas Civic Ballet (1969).

He was made Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres in 1967.[5]

Personal life

In 1947, in Vichy (France) Skibine was married to American ballerina Marjorie Tallchief, younger sister of prima ballerina Maria Tallchief. The couple had two children and remained married until his death in 1981 at the age of 60 from pulmonary emboli.[6]

See also

References
  1. George Boris Skibine in South Carolina, Naturalization Records, 1868-1991
  2. Boris Skibine in Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
  3. "Картотека проекта: Скибин Борис Александрович". Русская армия в Великой войне (in Russian). Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  4. U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010
  5. Profile at answers.com
  6. Texas, Death Certificates, 1903-1982 for George Boris Skibine


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