{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1430944"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1430944/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017JY4421/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017JY4421/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2017JY4421","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1430944/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1430944","accessionNumber":"S.231-2017","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Le Pas d'acier","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Posed photograph by Sasha of Lubov Tchernichev, Serge Lifar, Alexandra Danilova and Leonide Massine in <i>Le Pas d'acier</i>, performed by Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, 1927.\n\r\n<i>Le Pas d’acier</i>, book by Serge Prokofiev and Georges Iakouloff, music by Serge Prokofiev, choreography by Léonide Massine, was premiered by Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes at the Théâtre Sarah Bernhardt on 7 June 1927. A month later it received its London premiere on 4 July 1927 at the Prince's Theatre. Its final performance by Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes was on 30 May 1929 at Théâtre Sarah Bernhardt.\r\n\r\nAccording to its composer and co-librettist, Prokofiev's <i>Le Pas d’acier</i> (working title <i>Ursin’ol</i>)  was ‘to be a ballet of construction, with hammers big and small being wielded, transmission belts and flywheels revolving, light signals flashing, all leading to a general creative upsurge with dance groups operating machines and at the same time depicting the work of the machines choreographically. The idea was Yakulov’s who had spent some years in the Soviet Union and described it all most vividly.’ However by the time it was staged as a constructivist ballet the West was out of sympathy with the Soviet Union and the choreographer, Léonide Massine was out of step with his collaborators. \n\nThe synopsis in the London programmes reads [London 4 July 1927]:\r\n'The Two Tableaux of this ballet present a series of scenes in which are summarised two aspects of Russian life: the stories and legends of the countryside, and the mechanism of the factories.’ No characters are identified in the first part and in the second only the designation of workgirls and workmen are given.\n\r\n<i>Le Pas d’acier</i> received 24 performances in Paris and London by the Ballets Russes (with its complex set and more challenging score it was not toured widely).","physicalDescription":"Photograph by Sasha of Lubov Tchernichev, Serge Lifar, Alexandra Danilova and Leonide Massine in <i>Le Pas d'acier</i>, for Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, 1927. The dancers are standing in a group, Tchernichev and Lifar, in faux cow-hide jackets and caps, are looking at each other; Danilova, dressed in jacket, cap and a wrap-round tartan skirt, turns her head to look at Massine. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Sasha","id":"AUTH331526"},"association":{"text":"photographer","id":"AAT25687"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"photographic paper","id":"AAT14190"}],"techniques":[{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Photograph","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment and leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Dance","id":"THES252984"},{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2017JY4421"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES356683"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photographs","id":"AAT46300"}],[{"text":"black-and-white photographs","id":"AAT128347"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1927","earliest":"1927-01-01","latest":"1927-12-31"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Gabrielle Enthoven Collection","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"24","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"19","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Photograph by Sasha of Lubov Tchernichev, Serge Lifar, Alexandra Danilova and Leonide Massine in <i>Le Pas d'acier</i>, performed by Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, 1927\r","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.231-2017"],"accessionNumberNum":"231","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2017,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-28","recordCreationDate":"2018-02-06","availableToBook":true}}