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.
George began to perform with the Ballets Russes company at the age of five, as an extra in Petrouchka. He 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. He danced with the company in 1938–1939, then performed with the Ballet Russe of W. de Basil (1939–1941), and the Ballet Theatre (1941–1942).
Skibine immigrated to the United States in 1942 and became a naturalized U.S. citizen the next year. From 1942 to 1945, he served in the United States military during World War II.[4] His enrollment as a student at Camp Ritchie makes him one of around 20,000 Ritchie Boys, a group of military intelligence officers who used their language skills to obtain intel from the Axis powers during the War.
After the war, Skibine performed with the Markova-Dolin Ballet (1946), again with Original Ballet Russe (1947), Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas (1947–1956), Ruth Page Civic Ballet (1956–1957 and 1959, with Marjorie Tallchief), and the Paris Opera (1957–1961, with Marjorie Tallchief). In 1959 he was named danseur étoile. He was named choreographer in 1950.
In 1947, in Vichy (France), Skibine married 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 a pulmonary embolism.[6]
george, skibine, this, name, that, follows, eastern, slavic, naming, conventions, patronymic, borisovich, family, name, skibin, george, boris, skibine, russian, Юрий, Борисович, Скибин, yuri, borisovich, skibin, january, 1920, january, 1981, also, known, youra. In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming conventions the patronymic is Borisovich and the family name is Skibin George Boris Skibine 1 Russian Yurij Borisovich Skibin Yuri Borisovich Skibin January 30 1920 January 14 1981 also known as Youra Skibine was a Russian American ballet dancer and choreographer George SkibineYurij Borisovich SkibinBornYuri Borisovich Skibin 1920 01 30 January 30 1920Kharkov Russia formerly now Ukraine DiedJanuary 14 1981 1981 01 14 aged 60 Dallas Texas U S NationalityRussianOther namesYoura SkibineGeorge Boris SkibineCitizenshipUnited StatesOccupation s ballerino choreographerSpouseMarjorie Tallchief m 1947 wbr Children2ParentBoris Skibine father Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Personal life 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksBiography EditSkibine 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 at the age of five as an extra in Petrouchka He 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 Rene Blum s Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo He danced with the company in 1938 1939 then performed with the Ballet Russe of W de Basil 1939 1941 and the Ballet Theatre 1941 1942 Skibine immigrated to the United States in 1942 and became a naturalized U S citizen the next year From 1942 to 1945 he served in the United States military during World War II 4 His enrollment as a student at Camp Ritchie makes him one of around 20 000 Ritchie Boys a group of military intelligence officers who used their language skills to obtain intel from the Axis powers during the War After the war Skibine performed with the Markova Dolin Ballet 1946 again with Original Ballet Russe 1947 Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas 1947 1956 Ruth Page Civic Ballet 1956 1957 and 1959 with Marjorie Tallchief and the Paris Opera 1957 1961 with Marjorie Tallchief In 1959 he was named danseur etoile He was named choreographer in 1950 Skibine 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 Edit In 1947 in Vichy France Skibine married 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 a pulmonary embolism 6 See also EditList of Russian ballet dancersReferences Edit a b George Boris Skibine in South Carolina Naturalization Records 1868 1991 Boris Skibine in Social Security Applications and Claims Index 1936 2007 Kartoteka proekta Skibin Boris Aleksandrovich Russkaya armiya v Velikoj vojne in Russian Retrieved 11 July 2017 U S Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File 1850 2010 Profile at answers com Texas Death Certificates 1903 1982 for George Boris SkibineExternal links EditNew York Times obituary by Jack Anderson Friday January 16 1981 Late City Final Edition Section D page 17 This article about someone associated with the art of ballet is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte This Russian biographical article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George Skibine amp oldid 1111078412, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
