Ballet
Fancy Free
Picture three sailors on shore leave in wartime New York, out to have a good time and maybe meet some girls. That's the whole setup, and Robbins and Bernstein turned it into one of the most purely likeable ballets ever made. It was both of their big breaks, and it later grew into the musical On the Town.
Fast facts
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Choreographer
- Jerome Robbins
- Premiere
- 1944, New York
- Structure
- One act
- Running time
- About 25 minutes
The story
Three sailors on 24-hour shore leave spill into a Manhattan bar on a hot summer night, looking for fun and female company. They meet a couple of young women, show off with competitive solo dances, and jostle over who gets the girls. The flirting tips into a friendly brawl, the women slip away, and the sailors shrug it off just as a new woman strolls by, ready to start the chase all over again.
What Fancy Free is famous for
- Launching both Robbins and Bernstein
- The three sailors' competitive solo variations
- Its jazzy, all-American energy
- Growing into the musical On the Town
Companies that perform Fancy Free
Fancy Free is in the repertoire of companies including New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre.
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Fancy Free become a musical?
Yes. Its premise and creative team led directly to the 1944 Broadway musical On the Town, though the musical has a different score and expanded story.
Who are the main characters?
Three sailors on shore leave in New York City, plus the women they meet and compete over. Each sailor gets a solo that shows off his own personality.
When and where did it premiere?
It premiered in 1944 in New York with Ballet Theatre, choreographed by Jerome Robbins to a score by Leonard Bernstein.
Who composed Fancy Free?
Fancy Free was composed by Leonard Bernstein.
How long is Fancy Free?
Fancy Free runs about 25 minutes.