A new book traces the history of ballet in Minnesota
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The history of Minnesota ballet starts with a love story.
That’s according to Georgia Finnegan, the founder of Saint Paul City Ballet (now St. Paul Ballet) and author of “Grace & Grit: A History of Ballet in Minnesota.”
She places the start of Minnesota ballet in 1945 when two ballet dancers — Lorand and Anna Adrianova Andaházy — moved to the state and soon after founded their Russian Ballet School above a bicycle shop in St. Paul.
Lorand, a former gymnast from Hungary, gave up his gymnastics pursuits after seeing Anna Adrianova perform in a ballet choreographed by Léonide Massine and performed in New York City. He fell in love with Adrianova and then became a dancer himself. Close to 10 years later they decided to move to Minnesota.
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Their school, which was soon renamed “Andaházy Borealis Ballet School” became “the first classical ballet academy in Minnesota that established an enduring legacy,” Finnegan writes.
Finnegan’s book traces ballet dancers and instructors from Europe and New York who relocated to Minnesota and established schools or companies over the last nearly 80 years. The story of Minnesota ballet, she said, is the story of the state itself and the generations of immigrants who brought their love of the art to the upper Midwest.
“We’re not a flyover country. There’s a lot happening here,” Finnegan told MPR News in an interview. “Maybe it’s the winter months that help us really expand that culture of spirit that we have. We’re not a flyover dance state at all.”
Finnegan said the state now has hundreds of dance schools, many of which go beyond the discipline of ballet into jazz, tap and other forms of dance.
“I think that’s a true statement to say of Minnesota — we’re not just stuck on one part of dance, but there’s a realization and appreciation for dance, and its multi-discipline areas,” Finnegan said.
The last four years post-COVID have been difficult for Minnesota dance companies. With corporate donations shrinking, Finnegan says Minnesota ballet companies are feeling the squeeze.
In February, the Cowles Center closed. The Minnesota Dance Theatre, although its school is still in operation, held its final company productions earlier this year. James Sewell Ballet company recently announced it will cease operations in March of next year.
“Donorship is down, not just donorship from the three (corporate) giants as I call them, but donorship from people,” Finnegan said. “We all have experienced some kind of a setback, I think.”
