Magallanes was often paired with Maria Tallchief.
In one instance, he saved the opening night performance of Balanchine's elaborate production of The Nutcracker on February 2, 1954.
Balanchine had choreographed the grand pas de deux for Tallchief and André Eglevsky, but at the eleventh hour Eglevsky injured his ankle and was unable to perform.
With no understudy on standby, Magallanes learned the technically challenging part in one day's rehearsal and danced the Cavalier of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Magallanes  embodied the Balanchinian archetype with the melancholy heroes of Serenade,La Valse, and La Sonnambula.
He performed Orpheus, opposite Francisco Moncion as the Dark Angel and Tallchief as Eurydice.
A set of photographs of the trio by George Platt Lynes suggests the drama of their interrelationsips.
Magallanes was often paired with Maria Tallchief. In one instance, he saved the opening night performance of Balanchine's elaborate production of The Nutcracker on February 2, 1954. Balanchine had choreographed the grand pas de deux for Tallchief and André Eglevsky, but at the eleventh hour Eglevsky injured his ankle and was unable to perform. With no understudy on standby, Magallanes learned the technically challenging part in one day's rehearsal and danced the Cavalier of the Sugar Plum Fairy.
Magallanes  embodied the Balanchinian archetype with the melancholy heroes of Serenade,La Valse, and La Sonnambula. He performed Orpheus, opposite Francisco Moncion as the Dark Angel and Tallchief as Eurydice. A set of photographs of the trio by George Platt Lynes suggests the drama of their interrelationsips.
Nicholas Magallanes