George Balanchine

Balanchine, George (George Melitonovich Balanchivadze; 1904–83), Russian-born choreographer, founder of the School of American Ballet (1934). He worked with Sergei Diaghilev in France in the 1920s and came to the United States in 1934. In 1948 he became artistic director of the New York City Ballet.

See also: Ballet.