Introduction: a Genealogy

Abstract

My first encounter with Vaslav Nijinsky (Вацлавъ Ѳомичъ Нижинскій, 1889–1950) was one of instant and troubling familiarity a feeling of déjà lu when reading an account of his life. Frankly the man’s life sounded too much like a movie script to be plausible.¹ All the elements of other narratives of great men seemed present, even if these contradicted each other. Seeking an alternative, I read other accounts and encountered denigration of Nijinsky’s off-stage person combined with laudatory accounts of his wonderful dancing. Again, the same feeling bothered me: why did this sound so familiar, so self-evident?