Rolf de Maré at the Théâtre de Champs Elysées, Paris
Michel Fokine (1880-1942)
Serge de Diaghilew
(1872-1929), founder of Ballets Russes (the model on which Les Ballets
Suédois was created)
|
|
Paris
- Les Ballets Suédois
After being
persuaded by Fokine, the wealthy art collector Rolf de Maré, decided
to follow the example of the magnificent ballet director Diaghilew (Ballets
Russes) and earn a reputation in the snobbish Paris circles that rarely
admitted foreigners. Carina was an obvious choice when the best and the
youngest from the Stockholm Opera were engaged on three-year contracts
in 1920 to tour Europe, with Paris as their base.
The Swedish ballet ensemble, Les Ballets Suédois (1920-25), was
the world’s second major private touring ballet, second in size only to
Ballets Russes. This is worth bearing in mind, because fifty years later
the world was full of similar dance ensembles. The dramatic theatres stay
where they are and perform there. Dancers are constantly on the move.
There is a natural explanation for this: Theatre can only be understood
within the domain of its own language, whereas dance speaks a universal
language without borders. In ballet, a major artist can change nationality
without problem. It all happened so fast. She became famous immediately, perhaps more
generally and more unconditionally than any other dancer in Ballets Suédois.
The choreographer Jean Börlin, a considerably greater artist, was
more subject to debate. His radically innovative genius was hard to swallow,
and his greatness was not obvious to everyone.
For Carina, the danseuse, Börlin’s works were platforms from which she could show the multiple facets of an interpreting artist. Carina’s range was far wider than that of most ballerinas. Initially trained in a pure, classical style, she had been coloured by Fokine’s neo-romanticism (as in Sylphides or Jean Börlin’s Chopiniana). She could also be grotesquely expressionist (as in Maison de Fous), unpretentiously folksy (Midsummer Wake), exquisitely elegant (Tombeau de Couperin), hilarious (Mariés de la tour Eiffel), and ever beautiful and sensual, with a twinkle in her eye.
That is what Carina Ari did. The girl from Old Town Stockholm transformed
into a Frenchwoman and a pan-European star.
|
|
A contract
Rolf de Maré had taken on all the dancers on three-year contracts,
with full wages even in between seasons, when they had no audiences. Only
a handful of state theatres offered such secure contracts. Coming from
a private theatre director this was a generous deal. Up until modern days,
the most common system has been to employ dancers for the limited number
of performances procured by the management. In between engagements artists
are left to fend for themselves – by finding another ensemble, living
on savings or earning a living by some other means (waitressing in bars
is common in the USA, for instance).
Annual periods of unemployment are a problem that affects the lives of most dancers. But the members of Ballets Suédois could go off independently on vacation each summer, with full pay.
|
|
Carina Ari, however, had received an offer to take the leading part in a German film and had signed the contract, since it was to be shot during the first summer holiday of the Ballet. When she innocently mentioned this to Maré, he was furious. She was employed by him all the year and was not entitled to take other employment without first asking his permission. When he felt slighted he was implacable. The situation almost ended up in court, but Carina’s solicitor advised her against it. She was forced to cancel the attractive film contract, which went to another unknown candidate by the name of Pola Negri. Her world fame dates from this film, which was a success. That fame could have been Carina Ari’s. Her talent was at least as great. But a film star is always incomparably greater than a dancer, no matter how formidable, especially in financial terms.
Carina
hated Maré for the damage he had caused her. Many years later,
when she had become a grand lady and was much richer than he, she more
or less forgave him. But whenever she had the opportunity she could not
resist having a dig at him.
As soon as she could, Carina Ari left Ballets Suédois. Prior to that, she called in sick periodically, claiming to suffer from gout. There may have been some truth in this, but the attacks appear always to have occurred at convenient times. In general, she seems to have enjoyed excellent health and vitality throughout her life.