George Skibine

Who is George Skibine?

George Skibine was a ballet dancer with the Ballets Russes from the age of five years old, as an extra in Petrouchka.

Born as Yuril Borisovich Skibin, the son of Boris Skibine, a member of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, he studied with various teachers including Preobrajenska, Sedova, and Volininewas, before making his debut in 1938, at age 18, with the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo. He was named choreographer in 1950. He later served as artistic director for the Harkness Ballet and the Dallas Civic Ballet. He was made Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres in 1967.