Dance with Demons

April 30, 2001
Choreographic and theatrical genius Jerome Robbins was born in 1918 in New York City into a materially comfortable but emotionally bleak Jewish immigrant family in New York City. Lawrence (who coauthored Gelsey Kirkland's Dancing on My Grave) points to this emotionally bereft childhood and paternal disapproval ("My son's a fag—how can I talk to him?" was reportedly his father's attitude), as well as Robbins's struggles with his Jewish heritage, his sexuality and, most famously, his decision to name names before the House Committee on Un-American Activities in the 1950s, as the definitive aspects of Robbins's life and creative legacy. The sum total of Robbins's work as reported here is staggering; his decades at the heart of the golden ages of American ballet, musical theater, theater and film, as director or choreographer, often in collaboration with such giants as Leonard Bernstein and George Balanchine, left the American public a cultural gold mine. Lawrence interviewed hundreds of dancers, actors, directors, family members and other contemporaries—all, whether they loved or hated him, recognized both Robbins's genius and his clearly tortured soul. Most of the remarks herein tell us far more about the speaker than about the subject, but as such, they form an indelible picture of the various eras during which Robbins worked (he was active almost until his death in 1998). Robbins himself made numerous attempts over the years to write his own autobiography, only to abandon them repeatedly when the emotional cost became too great. In the end, Lawrence's account, though comprehensive and lively, can only give us a solid picture of Robbins's times and contemporaries—the man himself remains a mystery. Illus. not seen by PW.(May)Forecast:Readers in New York, the center of the ballet and theater worlds, will grab this much-touted book. First serial in
Vanity Fair; forthcoming reviews in the
New York Times by Janet Maslin, the
New Republic, the
Washington Post Book Review and Variety; an interview in New York Blade; and a May 1 spot on NPR's new show, Studio 360, will bring lots of attention.

December 20, 2000
Choreographer Robbins had his demons, and he could be a demon. Here's his story from the coauthor of Gelsey Kirkland's Dancing on My Grave.

Copyright 2000 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2001
American choreographer and director Jerome Robbins was cruel, controlling, given to sudden, childish temper tantrums, willing to do anything to get what he wanted out of his dancers and actors. But what he got was often brilliant. The list of Broadway shows he had a hand in is a roster of classics--" The King and "I, " West Side Story," " Gypsy," " Fiddler on the Roof"--and he was also a respected ballet master for the American Ballet Theatre and the New York City Ballet. Lawrence's thick yet graceful biography shows us Robbins the difficult boss and the sensitive artist, the inspired director and the not always very good friend. As the title implies, part of the book discusses Robbins' paranoia, his ambivalent relationship with his father, and his fruitless attempts to psychoanalyze away homosexual feelings. Especially fascinating is the coverage of Robbins' tepid involvement in left-wing causes in the '30s and '40s and his subsequent, all-but-forgotten testimony before HUAC, in which he named names and destroyed careers, perhaps, Lawrence argues, to save his own.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)

Starred review from May 1, 2001
Lawrence (coauthor with Gelsey Kirkland of Dancing on My Grave) tells the life story of legendary American choreographer Jerome Robbins from many different perspectives. Robbins is known for choreographing major Broadway musicals like West Side Story and The King and I and also many ballets. This biography is dominated by quotes from a variety of sources, including critics, dancers, family, and Robbins himself. Rita Moreno of West Side Story is quoted as saying, "What he did that was so unusual [was] that he choreographed for character. He choreographed the way a writer writes." Robbins's demons of the title include problems with his family, his sexual orientation, and his testimony to the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC). The most interesting sections of this hefty tome concern his choreography and its creation, his collaboration with Leonard Bernstein and George Balanchine, and the artistic process. This first full-length biography of this important choreographer is recommended for all libraries. (Photos and index not seen.) Conrad's photographic biography is a good companion to Lawrence's work. Conrad, a screenwriter and longtime friend of Robbins, has combined photographs of Robbins's childhood, insider looks at rehearsals, and lovely photos of performances of his choreography with excerpts from his journals and brief biographical narrative. The result is a heartfelt tribute to a man she clearly loved who contributed much to his art. Recommended for public libraries with broad interest in dance. Barbara Kundanis, Batavia P.L., IL

Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.