Background
Slonimskii, Iurii was born on March 13, 1902 in Petersburg.
Slonimskii, Iurii was born on March 13, 1902 in Petersburg.
Trained at the School of Russian Drama, Petrograd, 1918. Private lessons from 1918 from A. Sakselin, V. Vainonen and G. Balanchine, pupil at the Petersburg Ballet School. First ballet reviews published under the pseudonym Iu.
Mamontov, while a student at the Faculty of Law at Petrograd University. Lectured on ballet from 1920. Collaborated with D. Shostakovich on the first scenario for the ballet The Little Mermaid, 1922-1923.
Researcher with the Leningrad Institute of Art History, 1922-1924 and 1932-1961. Taught at the Leningrad Choreographic School, 1932, Prepared in collaboration with others, the manual Osnovy Kharakternogo Tantsa, 1934. In collaboration with F. Lopukhov organized, for the first time in ballet history, a department for the training of choreographers.
Lectured there on the analysis of ballet performance. Honorary Doctor of the Paris Dance Academy, 1959. Professor at the Choreographic Department of the Leningrad Conservatory from 1962.
Consultant for productions of the Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet, and productions of the experimental company Molodoi Ballet. Influenced many young choreographers.