The 1909 arrival of Serge de Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in Paris marked the beginning of some two decades of collaboration among littérateurs, painters, musicians, and choreographers. Charles Batson explores several collaborations integral to the formation of modernism and avant-gardist aesthetics, revisioning performances of the celebrated Russians and the lesser-known Ballets Suédois to uncover overlooked connections and implications. This book will be a valuable resource for scholars working in the fields of literature, dance, music, and film, as well as French cultural studies.

Charles R. Batson is Associate Professor of French at the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, Union College, Schenectady, New York, USA.

Contents: Introduction: Dancing France; Saint/s Sebastian; Dancing about architecture; Performing the other; Men in tights; Relâche; Works cited; Index.