3 - In Anticipation of West Side Story

Summary

This chapter traces Robbins’s formative training years, early career, and then focuses on several foundational shows that set-in motion his choreographic career along with lesser-known creations that helped shaped his mode of expression building up to West Side Story. I consider the tensions that continued to mount for Robbins between his personal life and his professional career and how they colour his way of working. This chapter draws out a collection of primary threads that weave together to create the dance-driven storytelling that comes to full fruition in West Side Story. Enroute, the chapter explores Robbins’s choreographic strategies, and ingenuities that began in his early career, helped along by key mentorships and collaborations with fellow artists both in ballet and musical theatre.