George Verdak
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{{short description|American ballet dancer and director}}
George C. Verdak (1923 – September 15, 1993) was an American ballet dancer, teacher, and director. He is best known for dancing with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and for his work as a faculty member at Butler University. Verdak was born in Chicago, Illinois, and danced with the Chicago Repertory Ballet after attending the Art Institute in Chicago. He danced with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo for nine years before its disbandment in 1952. He spent time in Minneapolis, Minnesota, teaching dance, performing, and choreographing for the St. Paul Civic Opera Company. Verdak began work at Butler University in 1959 where he was the chairman of the dance department and directed the Butler Ballet Company. He was also awarded an honorary doctorate by the university. Verdak founded the Indianapolis Ballet Theater where he created more than 100 ballets. His choreography and set work are still used today, and the George Verdak Trust provides sets and scenery for ballets around the United States.
Career
Verdak attended the Art Institute in Chicago before joining the Chicago Repertory Ballet. After that, his career took him to Hollywood where he danced in films. He was a dancer for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo from 1943 until it disbanded in 1952 and danced with dancers such as Alexandra Danilova, Mia Slavenska, Yvette Chauviré, and Alicia Markova.{{Cite news |date=July 9, 1970 |title=Verdak seminar |pages=15 |work=Playground Daily News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105540852/verdak-seminar/ |access-date=July 13, 2022}} He spent time in Minneapolis teaching dance and performing with the Minneapolis Symphony.{{Cite news |date=September 16, 1993 |title=George Verdak obituary |pages=12 |work=The Indianapolis News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105586747/george-verdak-obituary/ |access-date=July 14, 2022}}{{Cite web |last=Verdak |first=George |title=George Verdak papers |url=http://archives.lib.byu.edu/repositories/ltpsc/resources/upb_mss7890 |website=BYU Library- Special Collections}} He choreographed for the St. Paul Civic Opera Company before joining the faculty at Butler University in 1959. He became the chairman of the dance department at Butler University and the director of the Butler Ballet Company.{{Cite news |title=24 Jan 1968, Page 9 - Traverse City Record-Eagle at Newspapers.com |url=https://newspapers.com/clip/105419261/george-verdak/ |access-date=July 11, 2022 |newspaper=Traverse City Record-Eagle |date=January 24, 1968 |page=9 |language=en}} During Verdak's 25 years at Butler Ballet, he directed student performances and taught dance history and choreography. Butler University awarded him an honorary doctorate. Before retiring in 1988, he founded the Indianapolis Ballet Theatre (IBT) (later renamed Ballet Internationale) and worked as its artistic director.{{Cite news |last=O'Neill |first=Kate |date=November 11, 2004 |title=Verdak legacy |pages=65 |work=Lansing State Journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105588723/verdak-legacy/ |access-date=July 14, 2022}} During his time at IBT, he applied his 50 years of dance experience to create more than 100 ballets.
= Verdak's productions =
Verdak's productions included the first performances in America of Offenbach's Le Papillion, Adam's Le Diable a Quatre and La Jolie Fille du Gand. He choreographed a version of Cinderella that has been performed in America as recently as 2017.{{Cite news |date=December 17, 2005 |title=Verdak Cinderella |pages=205 |work=The Kansas City Star |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105589635/verdak-cinderella/ |access-date=July 14, 2022}}
In the 1960s, he choreographed performances at Butler University, including a performance of Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet.{{Cite news |date=February 3, 1960 |title=Verdak "Romeo and Juliet" |pages=30 |work=The Indianapolis News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105592612/verdak-romeo-and-juliet/ |access-date=July 14, 2022}} He directed the university ballet's performance at Malabar High School in Mansfield, Ohio, in 1968. The program included an excerpt from Igor Stravinsky's Pulcinella known as "Pergolesiana", an original dance called Three Todays, and the third act from the ballet Raymonda.{{Cite news |last=McClarran |first=Ellen |date=December 16, 1968 |title=George Verdak quote |pages=15 |work=News-Journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105419572/george-verdak-quote/ |access-date=July 14, 2022}}
In the 1970s he choreographed and designed productions for the annual Romantic Music Festival at Butler University, including three ballet productions in 1970 and a performance of Raymonda in 1973.{{Cite news |last=Staff |first=Charles |date=May 8, 1970 |title=Verdak at Butler |pages=22 |work=The Indianapolis News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105593641/verdak-at-butler/ |access-date=July 14, 2022}}{{Cite news |last=Lennis |first=Susan |date=April 29, 1973 |title=Verdak details |pages=297 |work=The Indianapolis Star |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105591557/verdak-details/ |access-date=July 14, 2022}} In 1977, he directed a performance for the Indianapolis Ballet Theatre of selections from The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty at McHale Auditorium in Logansport, Indiana.{{Cite news |date=November 20, 1977 |title=A Verdak production |pages=2 |work=Logansport Pharos-Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105539597/a-verdak-production/ |access-date=July 13, 2022}}
Death and legacy
Verdak died on September 15, 1993, at the age of age 70.
The George Verdak Trust provides sets and scenery for ballets around the country.{{Cite news |last=Wilding |first=Patrice |date=April 28, 2011 |title=Verdak trust |pages=C1 |work=The Times-Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105589242/verdak-trust/ |access-date=July 14, 2022}}{{Cite news |last=Weathers |first=Judith |date=November 11, 2005 |title=Verdak trust 2 |pages=33 |work=The Montgomery Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105589291/verdak-trust-2/ |access-date=July 14, 2022}}{{Cite news |last=Brouk |first=Tim |date=May 11, 2001 |title=Verdak trust 3 |pages=45 |work=Journal and Courier |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105589338/verdak-trust-3/ |access-date=July 14, 2022}} Verdak's own set work has been used as recently as 2018, and his choreography as recently as 2017.{{Cite news |last1=Bennett |first1=Linda |last2=Darling |first2=Marc |date=December 13, 2018 |title=Verdak set |pages=D2 |work=The Journal Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105588408/verdak-set/ |access-date=July 14, 2022}}
Verdak's collection of ballet research and photographs, including about 900 pictures, has been displayed in art galleries and is now found in the L. Tom Perry Special Collections at Brigham Young University.{{Cite news |date=March 18, 2007 |title=Verdak collection |pages=140 |work=The Palm Beach Post |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105588313/verdak-collection/ |access-date=July 14, 2022}} His collection of costumes, sets, and other pieces from the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo have been the source of a legal dispute between Verdak's heir and Butler University.{{Cite news |last=Walton |first=Richard D. |date=March 3, 2005 |title=Verdak dispute |pages=1 |work=The Indianapolis Star |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105590099/verdak-dispute/ |access-date=July 14, 2022}}
References
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External links
- [http://archives.lib.byu.edu/repositories/ltpsc/resources/upb_mss7890 George Verdak papers, MSS 7890], L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University
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Category:American male ballet dancers