Alan Bergman (dancer)

Alan Bergman is an American ballet dancer and photographer.

He is the product of two generations of Russian/Polish Yiddish actors: Glicka and Morris Balavsky, co founders of Nordska Films, the Actors Studio and his mother, Miriam, a child star in the Yiddish theater.

Alan's dance career was shaped from the early age of 8 years old when he was spotted jumping about playing the part of a horse in a school play. Andre Eglevsky took Alan on as his protégé and taught him privately for two years. When Alan was 10 years old Eglevsky took him to George Balanchine’s School of American Ballet. After seeing Alan in the audition, Melissa Haydn said, “Alan possessed an extraordinary talent.” He was given a full scholarship. Alan’s teacher’s were Anatole Oboukoff, Pierre Vladimirov, (the partner of Anna Pavlova and contemporary of Vaslav Nijinsky), and Felia Doubrovska. Alan also was coached by the legendary Olga Preobrajenska and studied with Alexandra Danilova.

By age 15, Alan was dancing soloist roles and shortly after became a Principal dancer with a number of major companies such as San Francisco Ballet and a Guest Artist with companies such as The National Ballet of Venezuela.

After seeing Alan in the Bluebird for the Eglevsky Ballet Company, the great dance critic Walter Terry said, “I had the unexpected pleasure of seeing a most talented and exciting young male dancer from George Balanchine’s School of American Ballet. His elegant arms and extraordinary clean beats, entrechat-six and brise, are a homage to Andre Eglevsky whose protégé he is. The height of his explosive leaps and soft landings can not help but conjure up images of the legendary Vaslav Nijinsky. His name, Alan Bergman, is one to remember. He will undoubtedly have a great career.”

Alan also danced as a principal in numerous revivals of Broadway shows including ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ where he partnered Ginger Rogers.

Unfortunately a severe injury brought Alan Bergman’s dancing career to an early abrupt halt.

Photography

After his injury, Alan went on to become a very successful dance/theatrical photographer. His work has been widely exhibited nationally and internationally in solo and traveling exhibitions. Alan’s images are currently displayed in six museums including the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, DC, the National Portrait Gallery, London, where a number are currently on show as part of the Royal Ballet’s 75th Anniversary and the Theatre Museum, London.

Dans-ez

While touring Spain in 1973 with the Harkness Ballet Alan wondered why leotards could not be made of cotton and something that would make the cotton stretch and not wrinkle. One year later in his NYC photo studio during a shoot of a dancer wearing a Nylon/Lycra leotard the solution to his question from Spain was found. Shortly thereafter, Alan immigrated to London. After working with Dupont, Alan created the world’s first Cotton/Lycra leotard. In 1976 [http://www.dans-ez.com Dans-ez International Limited] was founded.

Full page adverts for Dans-ez have been a regular feature of The Dancing Times since day one and a number of famous faces have given their seal of approval for Dans-ez through the adverts.

Today, Dans-ez remains at the forefront of its game and clothes designed by Alan are worn by thousands of dancers the world over.

External links

* [http://www.dans-ez.com Dans-ez International]
* [http://www.arenapal.com/activ/spotlightab.html Arenapal - 'In the spotlight' Nov '05]
* [http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/person.asp?search=sa&sText=alan+bergman&LinkID=mp62543&role=art Alan's work at the National Portrait Gallery, London]