International Choreographers Day is celebrated annually onJanuary 9. It is dedicated to honouring the creative
visionaries who design and arrange the dance movements seen in theatre, film,
music videos, and sports.
History and
Significance
- Establishment: The day was officially
earmarked in 2018 by the International Association of
Choreographers.
- Date Origin: January 9 was chosen
to honour the birth anniversary of George Balanchine, the
"Father of American Ballet". While his modern birthday is
January 22, the 9th corresponds to his birth date on the "Old
Style" Julian calendar.
- Terminology: The word
"choreography" literally means "dance-writing,"
derived from the Greek words khoros (dance) and grapho (to
write). The term "choreographer" was first used for stage
credits in 1936 to recognize Balanchine's work on Broadway.
Key Figures in
Choreography
- George Balanchine: A pioneer of
neoclassical ballet and co-founder of the New York City Ballet.
- Martha Graham: Known as the
"Picasso of Dance," she revolutionized modern dance with the
Graham technique.
- Alvin Ailey: A major activist for
African American participation in modern dance and founder of
the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre.
- Fred Astaire: Credited with
transforming how choreography is integrated into film plots during his
76-year career.
- Saroj Khan: A legendary Indian
choreographer known as the first woman choreographer in Bollywood.
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