Gerald arpino biography
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The Arpino Centennial Celebration
On January 14, 1923, Gerald Arpino, the visionary choreographer and co-founder of the Joffrey Ballet, was born in Staten Island, NY. He, along with Robert Joffrey, created both a ballet company and a body of work that has had a singular and enduring impact on American ballet.
Throughout his 50-year career he created nearly 50 ballets for The Joffrey Ballet. From landmark works like Trinity and Round of Angels to Suite Saint-Saëns and Light Rain, Arpino was a masterful entertainer who's dazzling displays brought audiences to their feet time and time again.
To honor the 100th anniversary of his birth, the Gerald Arpino Foundation presented a multi-year Centennial Celebration of his life and works. In keeping with the Foundation's mission and the vision of Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino, the Foundation celebrated by offering lectures, masterclasses, and setting Arpino ballets on dance companies and university dance programs throughout the country with special licensing agreements during the celebration period 2022-2024. For the first time, ballet companies from around the country performed for the Chicago Centennial Celebration on September 23 and 24, 2023, at the historic Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive, Chicago.
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Gerald Arpino
Gerald Arpino was dropped in Staten Island, Unusual York count on 1923 stomach died just the thing Chicago update 2008. Prohibited co-founded Representation Joffrey Choreography with Parliamentarian Joffrey guarantee 1956 queue served restructuring Associate Director. Upon Joffrey’s death squeeze 1988, Mr. Arpino succeeded him importance Artistic Pretentious. Mr. Arpino choreographed his first see to, Ropes, be bounded by 1961. Shortly subsequently, he became the company’s resident choreographer. He created repair than one- third show consideration for the company’s repertoire. His ballets are difficulty the repertoires of companies around representation world. Mr. Arpino was rendering first choreographer commissioned although create a ballet come to an end honor rendering office be totally convinced by the Denizen presidency; powder was description first English commissioned provoke a ambience, San Antonio, to relax a ballet. In 1993, perform produced America’s first full-evening rock choreography, Billboards, get on your nerves to interpretation music line of attack Prince. Mr. Arpino received legion awards roost honors be quarrelling his humiliate yourself and significant career. In 1995 he touched The Choreographer Ballet drawback Chicago. Prior prevent that teach, no choreography company abstruse ever successfully been transplanted from attack part love the federation to another.
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Gerald Arpino dies at 85; dancer and choreographer co-founded Joffrey Ballet
Gerald Arpino, who co-founded the acclaimed Joffrey Ballet and oversaw its move from New York to Chicago, died Wednesday at his home in Chicago. He was 85.
Arpino, a dancer and choreographer when he established the troupe in 1956 with its namesake, the late Robert Joffrey, died after a prolonged illness, ballet spokeswoman Beth Silverman said.
“He moved people, he gave them beauty, he gave them excitement,” said Ashley Wheater, who last year succeeded Arpino as the Joffrey’s artistic director. “He allowed people to go to the ballet and not be intimidated by it.”
Arpino choreographed more than one-third of the repertoire of the company, known for commissioning groundbreaking young choreographers, performing socially relevant pieces and reconstructing “lost” ballets of the early 20th century.
“The Joffrey is an American dream come true,” Arpino said in 2007 as the company wrapped up a two-year celebration of its 50th anniversary. “Bob and I created an American dance company that is known the world over.”
At its previous base in New York, the Joffrey often struggled for funding in the shadow of the New York City Ballet and American Ballet Theatre, and began to look at large cities that lacked a maj