Jerome Robbins: His Life, His Theater, His Dance

by Deborah Jowitt

In this authoritative biography, Deborah Jowitt explores the life, works, and creative processes of the complex Jerome Robbins (1918-1998), who redefined the role of dance in musical theater and is also considered, by many, America's greatest native-born ballet choreographer.
This meticulously researched story of a life's work is illuminated by photographs, enlivened by anecdotes, and grounded in insights into ballets and musical comedies that have been seen and loved all over the world.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

640 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Sketchbook · Rating 1 out of 5]

An exhausting catalogue of names, credits, dates and assorted drygoods. Written with the slurps of the Robbins Estate, Jowett lacks perceptions and refuses to burp a critical word. His Broadway work was far superior to his ballets, some of which are pretty awful, and "Jerry," the Commie, was a detestable jackanapes. He was labeled a "master," and the idea took flight with the media. This American "master," (a psychological mess), was an outsider-insider whose life, at times, was the current of blazing neon. But the lights don't go on here.

[Rachel]

DNF... cuz no.

[Laura Montes · Rating 2 out of 5]

started and then quit. interesting life, but got bogged down with so many dates and historical references that I lost interest.

[Claire · Rating 1 out of 5]

I normally love dance biographies but there is no depth in this book. Only glimpses of his character, it’s a book of facts and quite frankly I can’t finish it.

[Ari Stamat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. This is a tough one to get through, and you’ll probably put it down 3 or 4 times before you do. It laboriously covers every single choreographed step of his career, which quickly grows tiresome and redundant. Do we really need to know the back and forth rehearsal process and parties involved for every piece he created? If you are a dance historian, scholar, or choreographer dying to wade through such meticulous details, then this is the book for you. But if you’re looking for a more engaging and swift moving story of Robbins (let alone, a less dense one), seek elsewhere.

[Marybeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

As described in the blurb, this is a "meticulously researched biography of a life's work...." Jowitt is a respected dance critic, primarily of ballet and modern dance, and that's where her focus lies in writing about Robbins. She is meticulous in her telling of his theater and his dance, but one has to glean information about his life through his work, which in Jowitt's telling is sketchy.

But what work Robbins produced! One is struck by the impact he had on the evolution of musical theater and ballet. Besides the musicals one doesn't hear much about anymore, there are the juggernauts of "The King and I," "West Side Story," "Gypsy," and "Fiddler on the Roof," all of which continue to be presented somewhere in the world. Most of his ballets remain in the repertories of American Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet and many are set on other companies around the world. Though slight in stature, he was a giant while alive and remains so today.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very dense and full of information.

[Scott Fuchs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detailed, finely written and descriptions of many of Robbins' individual sections of choreography.
Absolutely excellent!