Jerome Robbins, a ballet choreographer and director, was born on October 11, 1918, in New York, USA. He passed away on July 29, 1998. He grew up in a Jewish family of Russian immigrants. He aspired to become a dancer, inspired by Fred Astaire, but as the eldest son, his father discouraged him from pursuing his dream. Robbins ultimately followed a mediocre path, but in 1929, the Great Depression caused his family's corset factory to fail, forcing him to drop out of New York University. Freed from the shackles of his family, Robbins resolved to pursue a career as a dancer. He was hired as a choreographer at a theater run by the New Deal's Federal Drama Project, and in 1940 joined Ballet Theatre (later known as American Ballet Theatre). He gained the opportunity to dance as a soloist, and in 1944, he choreographed "Fancy Free," which became a huge success. The work was also shown on Broadway under the title "On the Town" and later adapted into a film titled "Dancing in the City," marking Robbins' breakthrough.
In 1949, Robbins became associate artistic director of the New York City Ballet and thereafter devoted himself to his work as a choreographer. He also expanded his base of operations to Broadway, choreographing "West Side Story" in 1957. He directed the film adaptation, winning an Academy Award for Best Director. In 1964, he won a Tony Award for "Fiddler on the Roof." In 1983, he became ballet master of the New York City Ballet.
However, behind this success, his past membership in the American Communist Party cast a shadow over his life. Robbins was summoned to appear before the Un-American Activities Committee in 1953, where he confessed the names of his former Communist comrades during the hearings. This allowed him to escape the committee's clutches, but he would continue to grapple with the matter until his death in 1998.