Prices
Show / Event
Venue
Experience
No result. Clear filters or select a larger calendar range.
No show today.
John Taras Choreographer
Biography
Born in New York to Ukrainian parents, John Taras studied with Michel Fokine at the School of American Ballet, as well as with Anatole Vilzak and Ludmila Schollar. Between 1939 and 1946, he danced with the Philadelphia Ballet, Ballet Caravan and Ballet Theatre (later known as American Ballet Theatre). He made his choreographic debut with the latter company, before pursuing his career as a choreographer with several American companies. In 1948, he created Designs with Strings for London’s Metropolitan Ballet.
In France, he worked with the Ballets des Champs-Élysées and the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas, then known as the Grand Ballet de Monte-Carlo. Taras reorganised the company and recruited administrative staff to help it overcome its financial difficulties. Gradually, the repertoire expanded and the company settled in Paris. In 1952, the Marquis commissioned Taras to create Piège de lumière, which premiered at the Théâtre de l’Empire, featuring leading dancers Rosella Hightower, Vladimir Skouratoff and Serge Golovine.
John Taras remained ballet master and choreographer with the Marquis de Cuevas company until 1958. From 1959 to 1984, he worked with George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins at New York City Ballet, choreographing his own ballets and staging Balanchine’s works around the world. He was appointed ballet master at the Paris Opera Ballet from 1968 to 1970, during which time he promoted Wilfride Piollet and Georges Piletta to the rank of Étoile. He completed his career as deputy director of American Ballet Theatre in 1984.
Currently in
- Palais Garnier
- from 03 to 06 April 2027
