The "Oklahoma!" Ballet

For your enjoyment, this is the ballet I spoke of in this week's class, that is part of the 1955 film production of the 1943 Rogers and Hammerstein stage play "Oklahoma!"  The ballet was choreographed by Agnes De Mille, an American dancer and choreographer of the mid 1900s.  It is a wonderful fusion of dance styles, showing classical ballet overlaid with modern lyrical dance.

I love how the choreography makes you envision things that aren't there, like the girls calling out their excitement over Laurie's pending nuptials, and the men riding horses. 

Hammerstein had originally proposed that this be a circus ballet, because the first act is dark and he wanted a light ending.  But Agnes envisioned things differently.  She understood that the "Laurie" character was scared and anxious about her future, and likely having dreams of anxiety full of horror and doom.  So she created a ballet to portray the mental angst of the character.

Here is a video, commissioned and compiled by The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization to explore Agnes de Mille’s groundbreaking choreography created for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s OKLAHOMA!  It's fascinating to hear her talk about the origins of the ballet and her creative process.