Picture: Gerome Robins

The choreographer, Jerome Robbins, at a rehearsal for the Broadway musical, West Side Story. Robbins, who began his career as a dancer in New York’s Yiddish theaters, is best known for the musicals he worked on together with the composer, Leonard Bernstein.

Must Know

American dancer and choreographer, one of the 20th century’s most influential choreographers. Born in New York, he began his career as a ballet dancer and a dancer in musicals. His first choreography, Fancy Free, was done to music which was made by Leonard Bernstein and was a huge success. The two continued to collaborate on many successful musicals, including West Side Story, which was adapted into film and won an Oscar for the choreography and direction. Robbins created dozens of choreographies for New York’s ballet companies. In the 1970s collaborated with the Israeli Batsheva Dance Company. Among his choreographies: The King and I, Peter Pan and Fiddler on the Roof.