Jerome Robbins: A Life in Dance
Rebecca Keys
Watch a 1-hour exploration of the life and legacy of dance world legend Jerome Robbins.
Jerome Robbins, born in New Jersey to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents, declined to join the family business and instead pursued a life in the theater, where he went on to become a renowned dancer, choreographer, writer, producer, and director. His work in ballet, Broadway, and film on such projects such as West Side Story, Peter Pan, and Fiddler on the Roof leave a legacy of artistry for generations to come.
This event took place on March 14, 2022 at Park Avenue Synagogue as part of the Reading Jewish Lives series and was co-sponsored by the Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning.
By Wendy Lesser
Published October, 9, 2018
216 pages
“A compact and incisive portrait” —Kirkus Reviews
A lively and inspired biography celebrating the centennial of this master choreographer, dancer, and stage director
Jerome Robbins (1918–1998) was born Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz and grew up in Weehawken, New Jersey, where his Russian-Jewish immigrant parents owned the Comfort Corset Company. Robbins, who was drawn to dance at a young age, resisted the idea of joining the family business. In 1936 he began working with Gluck Sandor, who ran a dance group and convinced him to change his name to Jerome Robbins. He went on to become a choreographer and director who worked in ballet, on Broadway, and in film. His stage productions include West Side Story, Peter Pan, and Fiddler on the Roof. In this deft biography, Wendy Lesser presents Jerome Robbins’s life through his major dances, providing a sympathetic, detailed portrait of her subject.