ABSTRACT
Ricki Starr, whose birth name was Bernard Hermann, was a character of mythic proportion, a symbol of hope who became a hero (or “babyface”) by using grace, style, and humor to defeat bigger, stronger, meaner opponents despite seemingly unbeatable odds. The spectacular choreographies of ballet-dancing wrestler Ricki Starr point to the diverse locations of dance, as they were located within the space of the wrestling ring, not the opera house. Starr’s wrestling matches entertained large groups of spectators and celebrated a fluid masculinity, one that incorporated and embraced a multifaceted theorization of gender wherein masculinity included physical strength and violence as well as style, finesse, intelligence, beauty, and power. Starr’s use of parody and camp allowed him to fuse ballet and wrestling, exposing the spectacular and hyperbolic nature of the characters in both worlds. Under the watchful eye of promoter Jack Pfeffer, in 1953, Hermann changed his name to Ricki Starr, turned pro-wrestler, and combined mat sport with ballet performance.
