Photo from the ballet Jardin aux Lilas 1940. Laing first danced professionally for Marie Rambert’s Ballet Club in 1933. There he met choreographer Antony Tudor, and the two became collaborators in dance and eventually lovers. Tudor created the ballet Jardin aux Lilas for Laing. In 1938 they moved to London and formed the London Ballet, only to move back to NYC in 1940 to work for Ballet Theater. Ballet Theater evolved into the American Ballet Theater. Laing danced for the New York City ballet 1950-52, later Laing became a commercial photographer and helped Tudor restage his ballets. Carl Van Vechten, though married, was part of the sophisticated and vibrant cultural milieu of the private homosexual salons of NYC, as were Laing and Tudor. Van Vechten was well known for his ballet portraits, as were George Platt Lynes and Constantine Hassalevris. Platt Lynes would become renown for his male nudes and Hassalevris for founding the physique photography studio Spartan of Hollywood. Rex in DC
Photo from the ballet Jardin aux Lilas 1940.
ReplyDeleteLaing first danced professionally for Marie Rambert’s Ballet Club in 1933. There he met choreographer Antony Tudor, and the two became collaborators in dance and eventually lovers. Tudor created the ballet Jardin aux Lilas for Laing. In 1938 they moved to London and formed the London Ballet, only to move back to NYC in 1940 to work for Ballet Theater. Ballet Theater evolved into the American Ballet Theater. Laing danced for the New York City ballet 1950-52, later Laing became a commercial photographer and helped Tudor restage his ballets.
Carl Van Vechten, though married, was part of the sophisticated and vibrant cultural milieu of the private homosexual salons of NYC, as were Laing and Tudor. Van Vechten was well known for his ballet portraits, as were George Platt Lynes and Constantine Hassalevris.
Platt Lynes would become renown for his male nudes and Hassalevris for founding the physique photography studio Spartan of Hollywood.
Rex in DC