description Stars and Stripes Overview
“Stars and Stripes,” choreographed by Twyla Tharp, is a large-scale ballet exploring American history through the lens of pivotal moments and figures from the Revolutionary War to the Civil Rights Movement, utilizing a score by Michael Jolley.
help Stars and Stripes FAQ
Who choreographed the ballet Stars and Stripes?
Stars and Stripes was choreographed by George Balanchine, not Twyla Tharp. It premiered with New York City Ballet on January 17, 1958.
What music is used in Balanchine's Stars and Stripes?
The score uses marches by John Philip Sousa, arranged and orchestrated for ballet by Hershy Kay. The five campaigns include music such as "Liberty Bell," "El Capitan," and "The Stars and Stripes Forever."
How long is Stars and Stripes?
The Balanchine Trust lists the ballet at about 29 minutes. It uses 41 dancers and includes a central pas de deux, variations, and coda.
Is Stars and Stripes a narrative ballet about American history?
It is better understood as a patriotic neoclassical ballet built around Sousa marches than as a chronological history lesson. Balanchine dedicated it to Fiorello La Guardia and structured it in five campaign-like sections.
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