I was still half-asleep this morning, listening to "Morning Edition" on NPR (it was too early to be drinking white wine) when I heard a woman with a cultured accent pay tribute to George Balanchine on his birthday. The segment included sound bites of Kyra Nichols, Merrill Ashley, Arthur Mitchell, John Gruen, and Balanchine. At one point someone said that Mr. B had seen a man limping on the street and incorporated the step into "Agon." The narrator also said "Agon" was one of the few Balanchine ballets in which the male predominates. Did I imagine the whole thing?

I'm guessing the story of the limp was told by Arthur Mitchell, because he told the same story while coaching Tai Jimenez in Agon for the Balanchine Foundation - you can read the whole article here.

I think he is talking about the opening walks for the four men. I would evaluate stories that Mr. Mitchell tells carefully. He's a natural raconteur, but at least one he told during the session (that Stravinsky was writing the music for Agon as Balanchine was choroegraphing it) was impossible. The ballet had its musical premiere in Los Angeles before Balanchine started to choreograph.

I just ran a fine-toothed search of the NPR site looking for the story you mentioned, FF, because I really want to hear it. Niente. Squat. Bupkes.

Sorry.

I just saw Mitchell last night at hte SF perfroming Library an Museum, and he told the same stories.

The limping one he relates to hte opening steps of hte men's quartet, which are kind of pg-legged; Mr B had hurt his knee, was limping,and put those moves int othe ballet right at he beginning, Mitchell said, and he showed it, VERY convincingly.( It was a recurring motif of his talk, how Balanchine would use what was right there and get it to fit into place. It was ALSO a recuring motif that he demonstrated - it was particularly wonderful to see him do hte finale from Agon, the steps from hte triple pas de quatre, the rhythms were so exciting.)

Leigh, that's a VERY fine and valuable piece of writing; I enjoyed reading it and recommend it to all y'all.

I'd also agree that Mr Mitchell's accuracy is sometimes dubious; as if his imagination may outrun his memory. He told us hat Agon was choreographed before LeClerc got polio, but I am certain he is mistaken there.

I remember a famous quote by Balanchine re: Agon that he knew everything about the score except the notes, so I questioned this. Went to look it up and found it (Leigh's version) to be accurate, at least according to NYCB's site.

Didn't Taper (I know it was someone) describe a particular rehearsal in which the girls were learning a new ballet and doing the steps Mr. B demonstrated in a slightly off-kilter way? They were, it turned out, aping the effects of his arthritic knee and had to be corrected.

editing to add
And I see the quote about Agon's "sound" in Leigh's (yes) very informative, highly readable article.