{"product_id":"the-joffrey-ballet-robert-joffrey-and-the-making-of-an-american-dance-company","title":"The JOFFREY BALLET: Robert Joffrey and the Making of An American Dance Company","description":"\u003cp\u003eRobert Joffrey was born and raised in Seattle  the son of immigrants who had arrived on the West Coast in pursuit of the American Dream. From an early age he was a natural performer  inventing tap dance routines in the manner of his idol  Fred Astaire  and playing the tambourine in his parents restaurant. He came to ballet as an eleven year old  learning basic techniques from a Russian. It was in the hands of idiosyncratic teacher Mary Ann Wells that Joffrey flourished. As a young adult  he moved to New York city with his partner  Gerald Arpino  with the clear purpose of founding his own dance company  one that drew inspiration equally from Nijinsky and Martha Graham. Joffrey quickly built a thriving company and a distinguished dance school. Early on  though  the Joffrey was better known in the heartland  where the companys nucleus traveled from town to town  performing in old movie houses and high school auditoriums. In the 1960s the company grew to prominence nationally  dancing for President Kennedy and touring the world. Joffrey was profoundly influenced by that decades counterculture  and the company became famous for us \"rock\" ballets such as Astarte. Although Joffrey died of AIDS in 1988 the company continues to produce some of our most imaginative and memorable dance.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44977035771957,"sku":"ByrdShop_0684197243","price":31.22,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780684197241.jpg?v=1770809454","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-joffrey-ballet-robert-joffrey-and-the-making-of-an-american-dance-company","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}