Stars and Stripes

Music Corcoran Cadets, Thunder and Gladiator, Rifle Regiment, Liberty Bell, El Capitan and The Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa Orchestrated by Hershy Kay

Choreography by George Balanchine (1958)

Stars and Stripes is dedicated to the memory of Fiorello H. LaGuardia, who served as the mayor of New York from 1934-1946. In 1993 he was ranked first among the ten best mayors in American History, but it is his founding of the City Center of Music and Drama that likely inspired the dedication.

In 1948, NYCB was to find its home as a resident company in City Center. NYCB moved to the New York State Theatre at Lincoln Center in 1964. While this ballet’s overarching theme is the fanfare of patriotism, it is still grounded in being a full-length dance production in the classical ballet genre.

The purple velvet, pink tulle, and orange ribbon waistband are a genius departure from the more obvious red, white, and blue story. That departure allows some visual space in an otherwise confining theme.