Balanchine’s First Ballerina by Suzanne Morris

By the age of 95, she was long lost to
	adoring critics and admirers,

her death ... largely unnoticed
	in the dance world...

according to her obituary,

which appeared not until
	a year after her death

as though it, too, had been overlooked, in the
	attic of the New York Times.

Leading roles glittering throughout
	like fairy dust– 

in Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake
	to name a few

and, of course, Balanchine’s signature Apollo,

from the Ballet Russe to
	New York City Ballet– 

the write-up lit up nearly a page

with photographs chronicling
	her time on the stage

more than half a century ago:

Her dark head encircled with flowers, shoulders
	rising from a cloud of gossamer tulle

she tilts her chin coquettishly,
	 Now, didn’t I know you would forget me someday?

Elsewhere she heads up a line of
	ballerinas at the studio barre,

all wearing informal practice garb,
	shoulder-length locks hanging free

feet in fifth position,
	right arms extended toward

Balanchine, his hair swept back dramatically,
	sleeves rolled up:  Demi plié!

She could easily be mistaken
	for Vivien Leigh

her natural proportions the envy of
	today’s anorexic ballerina.

Last stop in her career was the
	Metropolitan Opera Ballet
	
Balanchine her choreographer,
	then suddenly:

Changement!

She married her longtime suitor
	who was, let us say,

less serious about ballet,
	and moved to California– 

her fame, prestige, all thrown away
	for Love.

Voicing no regrets, she nonetheless
	stayed in touch with the master

until his death in '83, and
	for years

before becoming lost
	even to herself

deep in the enchanted forest
	of dementia

she told the story how Balanchine
	loved to introduce her and say:

“This is Mary Ellen.  She was 
	my first ballerina.”
	                                              
–after the obituary of Mary Ellen Moylan
‘The first Great Balanchine Dancer’