Ballet Appreciation Series (2014#4) - Checkmate / Les Noces / Isadora Duncan

In the evening's triple bill, three female choreographers were introduced.

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Ninette de Valois (1898-2011, Irish) choreographed this Checkmate (1937) ballet, in which all dancers are dressed as red or black chess-pieces. The idea and music were by Arthur Bliss (1891-1975).

At the end, red loses and the red king is killed by having his waist-bone bent to break by staffs, according to medieval practice.

 to get a feel

The red horse is killed for being soft-hearted. 

If you insist on a full version: 

 full version

Not a romantic classical at all.

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Bronislava Nijinska (1891-1972, Soviet Russian) choreographed Stravinsky's Les Noces (The Wedding) music, to become a ballet with vocalists (dance cantata).

Soviet collectivism is apparent, because all dancers dressed in similar ethnic clothes, and did line dance (para para); the marrying couple on the contrary has low-profile roles in the background. 

 The Wedding 

Not the romantic and glamorous kind of ballet

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Isadora Duncan (1877-1927, American) was a pioneer in modern dancing, which emphasizes on self-expression, and does not intend to entertain. 

* She danced bare-footed, showing big toes on big feet. 
* She wore loose garment, not staying in ballerina shape. 
* She ran forth and back on stage, telling no stories. 
* Her best audience is ballerinas who have suffered from years of harsh training and practice.

Based on his impressions of her dancing, Frederick Aston (1904-1988, British) choreographed "Five Brahms Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora Duncan" (1975):

Please note that waltz here only means triple metre, and not Vienna waltz or that kind.