This afternoon I hit the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts’s exhibit “New York Story: Jerome Robbins and His World” and attended a lecture by the exhibit curator, Lynn Garafola. The exhibit is amazing–lots of awesome handwritten correspondence between Robbins and many high-profile artists like Sondheim, and Tanquil LeClerq. Costumes, photographs from Robbins own collection (my favorite is one from an old issue of Vogue magazine), drawings and self-portraits by Robbins and video are also all part of the exhibit.

My favorite part is the projected images on the back wall of the gallery with pictures of both the current company and past NYCB members dancing in Robbins ballets. 6 videos show simultaneously that you can listen to with headphones, and at the beginning of the exhibit, a flat-screen runs a snippet from “N.Y. Export Opus Jazz” featuring Rachel Rutherford and Craig Hall.

The lecture was at 3 p.m. A mid-sized gray haired audience was in attendance. As I took my seat, an elderly woman sitting in front of me looked at me and turned to her friend.

“I don’t see why more young dancers don’t go to these things,” she said.

The lecture was great, and I liked that Mrs. Garafola read many of Robbins letters aloud. The question and answer portion was by far the most comical. One of the gutsy audience members dared to pose the question: Why was Peter Martin’s chosen and not Jerome Robbins?

The audience snickered.

Mrs. Garafola provided a smooth, diplomatic answer. For the exhibit she scoured 70 boxes of materials from Robbins that he left to the library, and she simply replied that she “hadn’t gone through all the boxes.” Her guess? Robbins didn’t have a day-to-day involvement with the company like Balanchine. And the rest? We’ll never know.

I definitely suggest that dance fans hit the exhibit. It’s free, and at the Library for the Performing Arts, located at Lincoln Center. It’s the perfect little place to pop in if you’re at Lincoln Center and need to pass time before curtain, or perhaps when you’re bored and want something new to do that’s free!