André Prokovsky

André Prokovsky (b. Paris, January 13,1939, d. Beausoleil, August 22, 2009) was a principal dancer with New York City Ballet from 1963 to 1967 and roles in George Balanchine’s 1965 Pas de Deux and Divertissement and 1966 Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet with Melissa Hayden his partner in both.

Born of Russian parents Mr. Prokovsky made his stage debut in 1954 with the Comédie-Française in a production of Molière’s Amants Magnifiques, then danced in ballet troupes directed by Roland Petit and Janine Charrat joining the London Festival Ballet as a soloist in 1957, where he was promoted to principal dancer in 1958.

Mr. Prokovsky joined the Grand Ballet of the Marquis de Cuevas in 1960, New York City Ballet in 1963 and returned to the London Festival Ballet in 1967, where he danced with his wife Galina Samsova. In 1962 they formed the New London Ballet, which toured Britain, Europe, Asia, South America and the United States with repertory includin his first choreographic works.

After the company disbanded fifteen years later, Prokovsky became ballet director of the Rome Opera House for two years and then devoted himself to choreographry, particularly full-evening productions of familiar stories from literature or opera:

• 1979 Anna Karenina, Australian Ballet
• 1980 The Three Musketeers, Australian Ballet
• 1983 Dr. Zhivago, CAPAB Ballet, South Africa
• 1985 Romeo and Juliet, London City Ballet
• 1989 La Traviata, London City Ballet

He also staged dance sequences for operatic productions by the Paris Opera and the Washington National Opera.

Obituaries

• NY Times by Jack Anderson, August 20, 2009