Culture of New York City work. In these works each element is in and of itself expressive, and the observer determines what it communicates. George Balanchine, one of the 20th century's foremost choreographers and the first pioneer of contemporary ballet, formed a bridge between classical and modern ballet. Balanchine used flexed hands (and occasionally feet), turned-in legs, off-centered positions and non-classical costumes to distance himself from the classical and romantic ballet traditions. Balanchine also brought modern dancers in to dance with his company, the New York City Ballet; one such dancer was Paul Taylor, who in 1959 performed in Balanchine's piece "Episodes". Another significant modern
In the Wings: Behind the Scenes at the New York City Ballet In the Wings: Behind the Scenes at the New York City Ballet In the Wings: Behind the Scenes at the New York City Ballet is a book by Kyle Froman. It was released in September 2007 in hardcover. In this book Kyle Froman explores the physically demanding life of New York City Ballet dancers. Froman takes his camera behind the scenes and offers a glimpse into the ballet world that outsiders rarely see: the daily training, the injuries, the last-minute cast changes, and ultimately, the transcendent moments onstage at the end of the day. The book is told as Kyle's