Vaslav Nijinsky

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/vaslav-nijinsky

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Vaslav Nijinsky born?March 12, 1889 or 1890
2. When did Vaslav Nijinsky die?April 8, 1950 (age 60 or 61)
3. Where was Vaslav Nijinsky born?Warsaw, Poland
4. What made Vaslav Nijinsky a special dancer?Vaslav Nijinsky could jump higher than a playground slide and hold tricky poses that made him look like he was floating. He also made his characters feel real by showing deep feelings with his dance.
5. Why was the ballet "The Rite of Spring" so famous?The Rite of Spring had loud, strange music and strong, earthy moves that were very different from normal ballet. When it first danced, people were shocked and some even started a fight.

Avant-garde: New and experimental ideas and methods in art, music, or literature.
Choreographer: An artist who designs and arranges the sequence of movements in a dance.
Virtuosity: Outstanding technical skill and mastery in the performance of a complex art form.
Ballets Russes: A highly influential and innovative ballet company that revolutionized dance in the early 20th century.