Youskevitch, Igor, 1912-1994

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Igor Youskevitch was born on March 13, 1912 near Kiev, Ukraine. In 1920, his family fled the Bolshevik Revolution and resettled in the former Yugoslavia. After graduating from high school in 1930, he studied engineering at Belgrade University. There he became involved in Sokol, the Slavic sports and gymnastics organization. At age 20, ballerina Xenia Grunt spotted Youskevitch at a gymnastics competition and urged him to consider a future in ballet. Youskevitch became Grunt's student shortly thereafter and debuted as her partner on stage in 1932.

Youskevitch went on to dance with Les Ballets de Paris, Woizikowski Ballet, and Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. He married Anna Scarpova, a fellow dancer at Ballet Russe, in 1938. After many years of touring in the United States, he volunteered for the U.S. Navy and became an American citizen in 1944. He was discharged from military service two years later and returned to the stage as a member of the American Ballet Theater. In 1952, Gene Kelly recruited Youskevitch to co-star in his film Invitation to the Dance .

Youskevitch retired from the stage in 1962, but he continued to serve the dance community as a teacher and lecturer until the mid-1980s. He taught as a faculty member at the University of Texas in Austin and was a co-founder of the New York International Ballet Competition. Igor Youskevitch died in New York City on June 13, 1994.

Sources: Anderson, Jack. "Igor Youskevitch, Master of Classical Ballet Style, Dies at 82." The New York Times, June 14, 1994.

"Igor Youskevitch." Andros on Ballet, 1999. Accessed September 16, 2012. http://michaelminn.net/andros/biographies/youskevitch_igor.

"Igor Youskevitch." International Dictionary of Ballet. Gale, 1993. Gale Biography In Context. Accessed September 16, 2012. http://ic.galegroup.com.

From the guide to the Igor Youskevitch papers, 1944-1988, 1950-1966, (The New York Public Library. Jerome Robbins Dance Division.)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Youskevitch, Igor, 1912-1994. Miscellaneous manuscripts. New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
referencedIn Ambassador Auditorium Collection, 1974-1995 Archive of Recorded Sound, Stanford University Libraries
creatorOf Karnilova, Maria. Alicia's Cuba. New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
referencedIn Alonso, Alicia, 1921-. Interview with Alicia Alonso. New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
referencedIn Walter Terry papers, 1913-1982 The New York Public Library. Jerome Robbins Dance Division.
creatorOf Igor Youskevitch papers, 1944-1988, 1950-1966 The New York Public Library. Jerome Robbins Dance Division.
referencedIn David Libidins papers, circa 1936-1958 The New York Public Library. Jerome Robbins Dance Division.
referencedIn Goldsmith, Ellen, 1926-2007. Ellen Goldsmith papers, 1933-2007. Newberry Library
referencedIn Ballet Alicia Alonso. [Programs] New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
referencedIn Franklin, Frederic, 1914-. Interview with Frederic Franklin. New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
referencedIn Youskevitch, Anna Scarpova,. Interview with Anna Youskevitch. New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
referencedIn Eglevsky, André,. Scrapbook: Clippings and publicity releases. New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
referencedIn Danilova, Alexandra, 1907-1997. Scrapbooks: Clippings, programs, and photographs. New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
creatorOf Youskevitch, Igor, 1912-1994,. Interview with Igor Youskevitch. New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
referencedIn George Balanchine archive, 1924-1989 (inclusive), 1961-1983 (bulk). Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
referencedIn Nault, Fernand,. Interview with Fernand Nault. New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
referencedIn Libidins, David, ca. 1899-1958. Papers, New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
creatorOf Youskevitch, Igor, 1912-1994. Correspondence and contracts. New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
creatorOf Youskevitch, Igor, 1912-1994. Correspondence and contracts, 1938-1976? New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
referencedIn Stravinsky-Diaghilev Foundation research files, 1920-1989. Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
referencedIn American Ballet Theatre records, 1936-ca. 1967 The New York Public Library. Jerome Robbins Dance Division.
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Alonso, Alicia, 1921- person
associatedWith American Ballet Theatre. corporateBody
correspondedWith Balanchine, George. person
associatedWith Ballet Alicia Alonso. corporateBody
associatedWith Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. corporateBody
associatedWith Danilova, Alexandra, 1907-1997. person
associatedWith Eglevsky, André, person
associatedWith Franklin, Frederic, 1914- person
associatedWith Goldsmith, Ellen, 1926-2007. person
associatedWith Gruen, John, person
associatedWith Libidins, David, ca. 1899-1958. person
associatedWith Markova, Alicia, 1910- person
associatedWith Massine, Leonide, 1896-1979. person
associatedWith Nault, Fernand, person
associatedWith Stravinsky-Diaghilev Foundation. corporateBody
associatedWith Terry, Walter person
associatedWith Youskevitch, Anna Scarpova, person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Subject
Ballet
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1912-03-13

Death 1994-06-13

Information

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