Abstract

In this article, I use Frederick W. Taylor's principles of scientific management to analyze the artistic innovations and contributions of Russian choreographer George Balanchine to the development of Modern Classical Ballet. Taylorism is briefly defined here as the systematic analysis of skills, gestures and tasks in order to plan scientifically the best way of performing any tas". Just as Taylor strove to modernize, and thereby improve, the structure of American capitalism and production processes, so too did Balanchine strive to modernize classical ballet by adopting similar principles to eliminate its excesses. The ever increasing technical demands of Balanchine's choreography mirror Taylor's rational, methodical principles, with much the same results on ballet as on the pace and nature of work in the industrial factory.