Nicholas Magallanes (May 31, 1919 – May 2, 1977) was a Mexican-born American principal dancer and charter member of the New York City Ballet. Along with Francisco Moncion, Maria Tallchief, and Tanaquil Le Clercq, Magallanes was among the core group of dancers with which George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein formed Ballet Society, the immediate predecessor of the New York City Ballet.
Magallanes was born in Santa Rosalia de Camargo, now known as Camargo City, in the eastern part of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. He moved with his parents to the United States when he was five years old, first to New Jersey and then to the Lower East Side of New York City. When he was sixteen years old, he was spotted at the New York Boys' Club on East Tenth Street by Pavel Tchelitchev, who recommended him to Lincoln Kirstein as a scholarship student at the fledgling School of American Ballet. A handsome youth, with dark Latin looks and a strong, muscular physique, he auditioned for Balanchine and was accepted into the school in 1938. Under the tutelage of Balanchine and Pierre Vladimiroff, he soon began to show promise as a performer. He first appeared on stage in American Ballet Caravan's production of A Thousand Times Neigh, a tribute to the automobile, at the Ford pavilion at the 1939 New York World's Fair. Thus began his lifelong association with the enterprises of Balanchine and Kirstein.
In 1940, Magallanes danced briefly with the Littlefield Ballet, directed by Catherine Littlefield, and toured South America the following year with American Ballet Caravan. Back in the States, he appeared on Broadway in Balanchine's dances in two musical shows, The Merry Widow (1943) and Song of Norway (1944). On Broadway he also appeared in Ruth Page's dances in Music in My Heart (1947). Earlier in the decade he performed in La Vie Parisienne (1942) to the music of Jacques Offenbach. He then danced with Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo (1943–1946), when Balanchine was ballet master. During this time he collaborated with Balanchine to create several roles including: The Poet in La sonnambula (The Night Shadow), Cleónete in Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme and Jean de Brienne in Raymonda. Subsequently, he danced with Balanchine's Ballet Society (1946–1948). From 1948 until shortly before his death in 1977, he was a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet.
This is a selected list. Choreography is by George Balanchine unless otherwise noted. The primary source of information is The Balanchine Catalogue.
1941. Ballet Imperial, later called Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2.. Role: soloist.
1944. Danses concertantes. Music by Igor Stravinsky. Role: Pas de trois with Maria Tallchief and Mary Ellen Moylan.
1944. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme. Music by Richard Strauss. Role: Cléonte.
1946. The Night Shadow, also called La Sonnambula. Music by Vittorio Rieti, based on themes by Vincenzo Bellini. Role: The Poet.
1946. Raymonda. Ballet in Three Acts. Choreography by Balanchine and Alexandra Danilova, after Marius Petipa. Music by Alexander Glazunov. Role: Jean de Brienne.
1948. Symphony in C. Music by Georges Bizet. Role: First movement, a pas de deux with Maria Tallchief and ensemble.
1948. The Triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne. Ballet-Cantata. Music by Vittorio Rieti. Role: Bacchus.
1948. Orpheus. Ballet in three Scenes. Music by Igor Stravinsky. Role: Orpheus.
1949. Bourrée Fantasque. Music by Emmanuel Chabrier. Role: Prélude, a pas de deux with Maria Tallchief and ensemble.
1950. The Fairy's Kiss, also called Le Baiser de la Fée. Ballet Allegory in four Scenes. Music by Igor Stravinsky. Role: The Bridegroom.
1950. Sylvia: Pas de Deux. Music by Léo Delibes. Role, Cavalier, to Maria Tallchief.
1950. Illuminations. Choreography by Frederick Ashton. Music by Benjamin Britten. Role: The Poet (Arthur Rimbaud).
1951. La Valse. Music by Maurice Ravel. Role: Eighth waltz, with Tanaquil Le Clercq.
1951. The Cage. Choreography by Jerome Robbins. Music by Igor Stravinsky. Role: The Second Intruder.