The Secret Side of Dancers - Drawing

Dancers had a lot of down time between traveling and performing.  Many of them turned to creative outlets to occupy themselves.  Various dancers took up different types of work including drawing.   One of the most prominent of these artists was George Verdak.

George Verdak.  Courtesy of the Bernice Rehner Collection

George Verdak was a member of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo from 1944-1951.  He spend much of the time outside of performances going to museums and movies with other dancers like Bernice Rehner and Shirley Haynes.  He had been a student at Chicago's Art Institute and took to drawing on nearly anything on which he could get his hands.

He would draw on the back sides of the pages of the stories of the ballets.

Courtesy of the Bernice Rehner Collection

He drew on doilies from the restaurants at which the company ate.

Hotels were always stocked with stationary, which led to drawings of costumes and other items.

Bernice Rehner would send home letters decorated by Verdak.

Perhaps his most famous contribution were his collection of "Fat Performers."  They appeared on Christmas cards, invitations, and placemats.

The drawings were so popular with the dancers that company members would fight for them.  

Courtesy of the Shirley Haynes Collection

 The drawings were also a part of the connection between Verdak and his friends.  Even after Bernice Rehner left the company, they kept in touch.  Much of their correspondence contains small drawings specific to her and their friendship.

While we often think of dancers as great artists in the area of dancing, it is exciting to see the other talents that were part of the Ballet Russe dancers.