The Ballet Russe Scenery Collection
Of the Butler Ballet
A pictorial exhibit of famous ballet drops
gathered by Stephan Laurent
About the Collection
The Butler Ballet in Indianapolis, IN, owns a very valuable collection of scenery and costumes coming from the famed
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo . This collection was accumulated over the span of several years during the mid-sixties through the diligence of the late
George Verdak , himself a former dancer with the Ballet Russe, who for many years was a most influential member of the dance faculty at Butler University . "Mr. V"., as he was fondly called by those who knew him, later left Butler to found the Indianapolis Ballet Theatre.
In the Summer of
1997, through the support of the Dean of the Jordan College
of Fine Arts , a major three-week effort involving the management and staff
of Clowes Memorial Hall ,
Stephan Laurent, and
some wonderful volunteers from IATSE local 30 members and from the student body at JCFA,
resulted in sorting through the collection drop by drop, hanging each piece on stage,
identifying and photographing them, re-tagging as necessary, and finally transporting them
into a brand new, air-conditioned storage facility recently allocated by the university to
the Butler Ballet.
After that came the long travail of scanning each photograph, and in some cases
reconstructing different shots into one composite image - for often one piece belonging
to a set would appear and be hung one day, while the corresponding backdrop would only
emerge from the huge pile of sets a week later. Then came the research work - identifying
choreographer, composer, and designer for each ballet, as well as a synopsis of the libretto
if applicable.
Many of the sets are still in excellent condition and continue to be used on a regular
basis in Butler Ballet productions. Others, unfortunately, have greatly suffered from
the vicissitudes of poor storage conditions or have simply faded to nothingness. In
rare occasions, the sets are complete; in many other instances, they are only partial.
In all cases, only the soft scenery (backdrops, cut drops, legs and borders) are in our
possession; any hard scenery accompanying the soft goods have been lost.
This site provides access to many photographs of the scenery collection, with brief historical references about each piece. This pictorial exhibit of famous ballet drops is provided courtesy
of Stephan Laurent, Professor, Butler University Department of Dance.
