The De Mille Working Group Announces 80th Anniversary Celebration Of Agnes De Mille's RODEO

Bringing the Western frontier to the ballet stage, Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo premiered Agnes De Mille's groundbreaking work, Rodeo (The Courting at Burnt Ranch), at New York City's Metropolitan Opera House on October 16, 1942.

Performing the ballet's leading role, de Mille recalled the evening: "If it is possible for a life to change at one given moment, if it is possible for all movement, growth and accumulated power to become apparent at one single point, then my hour struck at 9:40 (PM)." Rodeo's evocation of the American West, created through de Mille's inventive use of traditional ballet steps and animated gesture, Aaron Copland's rousing, folksy score, and Oliver Smith's sweeping designs, left an indelible mark on dance and musical theater. The ballet's portrayal of determination, pluck, and spirit of the American character struck a chord with audiences and continues to resonate today.

The De Mille Working Group will celebrate the 80th Anniversary of Rodeo in a series of performances and discussions to take place over the next 12 months. Dancers, historians, and notable interpreters of de Mille's work will offer insight into the choreographer's extensive body of work, with special emphasis on the charming Cowgirl comedy and the additional complex characters which catapulted de Mille into dance and musical theater history.

To honor Rodeo's 80th Anniversary, Ballet West will give its company premiere of the landmark work November 4-12, 2022 at the Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City, Utah. Incorporating elements of ballet, tap, and square dance, the one-act ballet tells the touching story of a spirited tomboy in search of love. Commenting on the anniversary performances, Ballet West Artistic Director Adam Sklute said, "Rodeo is part of the history of ballet, in particular the development of American ballet. Agnes De Mille redefined how we approach dance in the 20th century, and it still colors the American approach - theatrically, artistically, and technically - to ballet in the 21st century."

New York Public Library for The Performing Arts Programs on Agnes De Mille

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts will commemorate Rodeo's milestone year and the 30th Anniversary of de Mille's passing in two public programs exploring the forward-thinking choreographer's body of work and the strong-willed American female roles she created.

"The Female Narrative and Agency," scheduled for April 3, 2023, will focus on de Mille's multifaceted female characters, starting with her concert solos in the late 1920s through to a selection of her ballets and musical theatre works. Moderated by Linda Murray, Curator of the Jerome Robbins Dance Division at the Library for the Performing Arts, the program will feature a panel of special guests including dance historians, stagers, and notable interpreters of some of de Mille's most searing female roles to explore the meaning and intent behind the choreographer's vision and what her work can express within the context of today. Using archival film extracts, live performance excerpts, and de Mille's writing, the panel will examine many of de Mille's most memorable female characters, The Cowgirl from (1942), Lizzie Borden from Fall River Legend (1948), Louise from Carousel (1950), and Mary Hamilton from The Four Marys (1965).

"The Intrinsic American/Search for an American Identity," planned for the Fall 2023, will examine de Mille's attempt to search for the "Intrinsic American" through her characters' portrayal of American optimism and their stories which tell some of the darker truths of the nation's history. Moderated by Norton Owen, Director of Preservation at Jacob's Pillow, a program of film and live performance will animate a discussion of de Mille's characters by a panel of dancers and repetiteurs of her work.

For more information on the 80th Anniversary performances of Rodeo, please visit Ballet West's website: https://balletwest.org/events/rodeo.

For more information on Agnes De Mille programs at New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, please visit: https://www.nypl.org/lpa

Agnes De Mille was a renowned dancer, choreographer, writer, lecturer and director whose concert and choreographic career spanned almost 70 years of the 20th century. She forever changed the course of American dance for both ballet and musical theater. De Mille celebrated the American spirit through narrative ballets, which were driven, most often, through strong women characters. Her long illustrious career produced over 21 ballets and 17 musical theater productions. A pioneer for women in the arts throughout the 20th century, she was one of the first women to both direct and choreograph a Broadway musical and was a founding member for the union of stage directors and choreographers (SDC) for which she was the only female president of a trade union at the time. A great stateswoman for the arts, she was appointed by President John F. Kennedy to the National Advisory Committee for the Arts and the later National Council of the newly formed National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) by President Lyndon Johnson. Throughout her long and illustrious career, de Mille was a tremendous artistic and intellectual force who helped shape the identity and history of the American performing arts through her artistry, engagement, and search for the "intrinsic American."

De Mille Productions was established in 1993 by Jonathan Prude, an heir to Agnes De Mille, to promote the performance and licensing of Agnes De Mille's choreographic works. The ballets are owned by Jonathan Prude and the licensing and stagings are administered and overseen by The De Mille Working Group, under the executive directorship of Anderson Ferrell.

Photo Credit: Jenna Rae Herrera of Ballet West in Rodeo by Beau Pearson