Jerome Robbins, by Himself

August 12, 2019
Vaill (Somewhere: the Life of Jerome Robbins) gathers a fascinating selection of illustrations, photographs, and writings from the personal archives of dance choreographer Jerome Robbins (1918–1998). Eager to escape Weehawken, N.J., Robbins attended college at New York University. In a journal entry, he writes, “There was no money to allow me to continue college... so then I decided I’d try dancing.” He studied with Senya Gluck Sandor, then worked his way from chorus member to soloist in summer resort and Broadway shows, before discovering a talent for choreography. Vaill expertly weaves Robbins’s insight into his artistic accomplishments: Robbins debuted as a choreographer with Fancy Free in 1944, and shortly after told a reporter, “I was just another dancer. Now I’m supposed to be somebody and I can’t get used to that.” As Vaill notes, Robbins went on to choreograph challenging pieces for the New York City Ballet, reinvent the American musical in such shows as High Button Shoes and On the Town, and jazz up many Broadway and film musicals including Fiddler on the Roof, Gypsy, and West Side Story. Provocative and illuminating, this portrait will delight dance enthusiasts.

September 1, 2019

Choreographer Robbins has been the subject of biographies, television specials, stage revues, and a season-long dance tribute by the New York City Ballet in 2018. West Side Story would not exist without him, though he was fired from the movie production, and he left his mark on Fiddler on the Roof and Gypsy, among other Broadway shows. Vaill (Somewhere: The Life of Jerome Robbins) allows Robbins's words (and, occasionally, drawings) to speak for themselves in this curated collection, selected primarily from Robbins's personal papers, archived at the New York Public Library. His talents spread over dancing, choreography, script editing, directing for opera, television, and more. Vaill's selections depict a man who could be straightforward ("let's have no more of it"; "Tell him to knock off."), controlling, and unsure ("I have felt such a hoax") but willing to look frankly at the successes of his life, loves, and work, as well as where they fell short and what he wished had gone differently. Frequent photos from his social and professional life, along with chapter introductions by the author, add interest. VERDICT Suggested for casual dance readers and Robbins aficionados alike. [See Prepub Alert, 4/8/19.]--Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley Sch., Fort Worth, TX

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2019
Already the subject of a number of biographies, including Vaill's own Somewhere: The Life of Jerome Robbins (2006), Robbins' place in Broadway and ballet history has been well-documented by others. This time we hear from the man himself, and he has a lot to say. Mining the rich lode of his archive, which fills more than 200 linear feet of shelf space in the Jerome Robbins Dance Division at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Vaill offers a different perspective on this contradictory artist than has been possible in any of the biographical works about him. The result is a carefully curated and meticulously footnoted selection of journal entries, correspondence, sketches, photographs, and more, followed by a chronology that highlights a selective list of personal and professional moments. This is a fascinating backstage look at the creation of such iconic Broadway shows as West Side Story and Fiddler on the Roof and such modern ballet classics as Fancy Free and N.Y. Export: Opus Jazz, as well as a glimpse into the mind of a singular artist.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)