MUDDY WATERS AND GEORGES BALANCHINE
Years ago I saw a colorful, painted wooden sculpture that struck and delighted me. The vision and memory of the sculpture have become indelible over the years. It was a sculpture of two great figures: Muddy Waters and Georges Balanchine.
It so happens that these two greats died on the very same day - April 30th, 1983. George Balanchine was the most famous and influential ballet choreographer of the 20th century and Muddy Waters, was world-wide, the most influential early blues singer, electric guitarist, and band leader.
This sculpture had a brightly painted half life-sized figure of Muddy Waters on the left side, then a little shelf with a small mirror over it, then an equal half life-sized figure of George Balanchine on the right. These two greats displayed in color and side-by-side were a wonderful reminder of – what Ram Dass called - “the only dance there is” - the dance of life and music, the dance of Shiva.
Music and movement took hold of Muddy and Georges early on. They embodied the spirit of dance and music so much so that one can barely imagine ballet or blues (not to mention rock and roll) without them.
Muddy was distinguished by his loping self-assured vocals, economical and precise guitar playing. His leadership of a series of groups included such esteemed blues legends as Little Water, James Cotton and Otis Spann. Muddy brought a compelling magic to the blues.
Two years after his death, the city of Chicago paid tribute to him by designating the one-block section between 900 and 1000 East 43rd Street near his former home on the south side "Honorary Muddy Waters Drive"
George, with similar attention to detail, willingness to re-invent himself, ballet and his performing groups, over and over infused ballet with creativity and enlivenment. He directed and began at least seven different ballet companies over the course of his life - including such dancers as Allegra Kent, Gloria Govrin, Kay Mazzo, Maria Tallchief, and Merrill Ashley.
George Balanchine Way is a segment of West 63rd Street (located between Columbus Avenue and Broadway) in New York City that was renamed in his honor in June 1990.
These two incredible people are indeed as depicted in the sculpture - like two pillars at either side of a suspension bridge. We continue to live between these two sentinels - between the towering raw genius of Afro-American folk music and inspired Russian-American choreography. Like the two sculpted tablets of the ten commandments – they convey a message of how to live - with creativity, with heartfelt song, and with graceful, inspired movement throughout our lives.
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