Nijinsky — "God of Dance" app for iPhone and iPad

Nijinsky – "God of Dance"



An interactive illustrated experience designed for those who love dance.

“One of the most remarkable collections in the world”
(Dance Magazine, June 1950)


This unique eBook/App presents 242 photographs of Vaslav Nijinsky, the legendary ballet dancer of the twentieth century and star of the Ballets Russes. Photography is the only available means to experience Nijinsky’s greatness as no films of him dancing were ever produced. Viewers will discover Nijinsky in twenty-one ballets from 1906 to 1916 and in his every-day life from 1902 to 1928. The photos are accompanied by groundbreaking articles that provide new insights into Nijinsky’s art and complement the viewing experience. Evocative commentaries by those who witnessed Nijinsky in performance offer a first-hand impression of his genius. Users are encouraged to submit their observations and commentary, subject to review, to be uploaded in The Forum, a section intended to stimulate discussion through fresh critical insight.

This App includes a link to the film, "Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes, 1909–1929: When Art Danced with Music." Narrated by Tilda Swinton, this 28 minute film was produced by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., and introduces Serge Diaghilev, events leading to his creation of the Ballets Russes, and his gift for assembling the avant-garde composers, dancers, painters, choreographers and designers that formed the 20th century’s most innovative dance company. The film includes excerpts of revivals performed by Les Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo, the Paris Opera Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet, and the New York City Ballet.


Users Guide
 
This app offers two identical sets of photographs for a varied and interactive experience. One set is divided between the sections Ballets, Student Life, and Civil Life, with supporting information on the majority of photographs. In the second set, located in the Photo Album, they are thumbnails that allow for zooming and swiping. Considering the large number of photographs in the collection, this section facilitates immediate access to all the images, thus providing viewers, especially dancers, the possibility to quickly skip between photos to compare poses, gestures, expressions, and costumes. The Photo Album is presented without supporting information to offer a more contemplative experience without textual diversion.
 
Photographers:
Auguste Bert, Baron Adolph de Meyer, Eugène Druet, Elliot and Fry, Charles Gerschel, Clarence H. White, Karl A. Fisher, E.O. Hoppé, Ernst Sandau, Rudolf Balogh, Count Jean de Strelecki
 
Photographs of dancers:
Anna Pavlova, Tamara Karsavina, Bronislava Nijinska, Lydia Nelidova, Lydia Lopukhova,
Lubov Tchernicheva, Ludmilla Schollar, Janina Boniecka, Enrico Cecchetti, Adolph Bolm, Serge Lifar, Alexander Orlov, Anatole Bourman, Alexander Gavrilov, George Rosaï, Josefina Kovalevska, Ivan Tarasoff...
  
Photographs of family, colleagues and friends:
Romola Nijinsky, Kyra Nijinsky,Charlie Chaplin, Maurice Ravel, Igor Stravinsky, Sergei Diaghilev, Pierre Monteux, Sergei Grigoriev, Edna Purviance, Alexandre Benois, Nicolas Kremnev, Pavel Ivanovich Goncharov...
 
Articles and commentary:
Bronislava Nijinska, Tamara Karsavina, Edwin Denby, Carl Van Vechten, Cyril W. Beaumont, Roger Pryor Dodge, Daniel Gesmer