Mr B.

Mr B. by Jennifer Homans is an exquisite cultural history that chronicles the life of George Balanchine, a trailblazer in the world of dance. Much like Picasso in painting, Balanchine transformed the art of dance and altered our perception of the human form.

Homans takes us on a journey through Balanchine's life, beginning in his childhood amidst the opulence of Tsarist St Petersburg, through the upheavals of the Russian Revolution, the tumult of two World Wars, and the cultural dynamics of the Cold War. This narrative leads to New York, where Balanchine co-founded and directed the New York City Ballet.

His influences were diverse and profound. Although he identified as Georgian, he didn't visit his ancestral homeland until his fifties. The grandeur and beauty of the Orthodox Church left a deep impression on him, yet he was equally captivated by the vibrant new rhythms emerging from Harlem in the 1930s.

Balanchine was an integral part of the Russian avant-garde, influenced by surrealism and other artistic movements, and collaborated with luminaries like Matisse, Diaghilev, and Stravinsky. His ultimate inspiration came from the young dancers with whom he worked. He sculpted their bodies and they, in turn, reshaped his imagination, sometimes leading to romantic infatuation.

Balanchine surrounded himself with generations of people who shared his fervent belief in his artistic vision. The passions that fuelled him, along with personal losses, health struggles, and spiritual crises, echo in his dances, which profoundly express themes of love, loss, and mortality.

With unparalleled access to Balanchine's personal papers and insights from those who knew him, Homans crafts a narrative that is both a story of love and exile as well as a testament to the colossal talent and relentless energy required to revolutionise dance. Mr B. is a sprawling portrait of one of the most captivating figures of the twentieth century.