Danses concertantes

Igor Stravinsky originally composed Danses concertantes for an entertainment orchestra based in California. The five movements are, however, more than mere orchestral dances, and the work is reminiscent of a ballet suite. The opening and closing marches highlight the entry (Prologue) and exit (Epilogue) of the dancers and two of the central movements appear to play on the theme of ballet: ‘Pas d’action’ and ‘Pas de deux’. It is therefore no surprise that George Balanchine created a corresponding choreography for this work two years after its first Performance.