No, all the violence in West Side Story is done as strictly choreographed dance and there were no real gangs with those names when the musical, West Side Story, was written.
The Sharks is the name of the street gang.
Riff Lorton is a key character in "West Side Story," a musical inspired by Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." He is the leader of the Jets, a white teenage gang in New York City, and serves as a close friend to Tony, one of the story's protagonists. Riff is characterized by his loyalty and determination to assert his gang's dominance over rival groups, particularly the Sharks, a Puerto Rican gang. His actions and decisions drive much of the conflict in the story.
In West Side Story, the scene with the Jets immediately after the fight serves to highlight the themes of loyalty and camaraderie among the gang members. It showcases their emotional responses to the violence, revealing both their bravado and vulnerability. This moment emphasizes the consequences of their rivalry, setting the stage for the broader conflict and the personal stakes involved in their lives. Additionally, it deepens the audience's understanding of the characters and their motivations, making the narrative more poignant.
a fair fight means only fists no weapons, by time and common sense is how the rules were established
Two Rival Gangs, the Jets and the Sharks in l950"s New York. Some have argued ( it is going into warp drive as the plot does NOT mercifully involve double suicide,) That the plot is an updated Romeo and Juliet. a book running the two plays and having comparative not4es was a paperback campus classic for years and may still be in print. It's about the Puerto Rican immigrants arriving in NY, and how they fight, until the leader of the Jetts (The American) falls in love with a Peurto Rican girl.
The emeralds or the hawks!
There are two gangs: The Sharks and The Jets.
The rival gang was the Sharks.
emeralds and the hawks
Riff leads the Jets, Bernardo leads the Sharks.
According to wikipedia Tony the co-founder of the Jets street gang kills Bernardo leader of the Sharks in a fit of rage at the fight at the end of Act I after Bernardo stabs Riff (the Jets leader) with a switchblade.
The Jets and The SharksThe Jets (the white street gang, all teenage boys except one tomboy who is allowed to join partway through the plot) based on the Montagues in Romeo and Juliet; Tony's gangThe Sharks (the Puerto Rican immigrants, teenage boys and girls, related by siblings or romantic relationships) based on the Capulets in Romeo and Juliet; Maria is part of the Sharks
Bernardo Anita Tiger Chino Pepe Indio Luis Rocco Loco Juano Chile Toro Del Champo Rosalia Consuelo Francisca
Alright, you just want the names of the gangs. Tony's had been the Jets, a gang that could be considered racist. They had a rivalry with the Puerto Rican gang, the Sharks. These rivalries made it highly difficult for Tony and Maria to be together.
In the opening fight, Baby John is "Bloodied" by Bernardo from the Sharks gang.....
In "West Side Story," the Sharks, a Puerto Rican gang, have a complex relationship with the Jets, a white gang. The Sharks view the Jets as their primary rivals and often engage in violent confrontations over territory and cultural differences. However, the rivalry is also fueled by deep-seated social tensions and prejudices, reflecting the broader themes of racism and inequality in the story. Ultimately, the conflict between the two groups highlights the tragic consequences of hate and misunderstanding.
A gang of young Portorican immigrants in America whose enemies are the Jets which come from new York. This is based on what was really happening in America at the time