April 26 - Mikhail Fokine; Ma Rainey (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for April 26 may be found here: Conrad Susa (2019) and Ma Rainey (2020)

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Mikhail [Michael] Fokine [Fokin]  (23 April [O.S. 11 April] 1880 – 22 August 1942) was an innovative Russian choreographer, long active in Paris and New York.

 

Diaghilev & Cie.

The dances conceived by Fokine

Disrupted balletic routine,

And all Paris flocked

To be startled and shocked

By this new terpsichorean scene.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫ 

 

 

Ma Rainey (26 April 1886 – 22 December 1939) was an important early Blues singer. 

A.K.A.

Gertrude Pridgett, singing blues?

   Sounds unlikely, maybe zany,

But she paid her show biz dues --

   You may know her as Ma Rainey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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