An American Ballet Story takes us into the stages and studios of the Harkness Ballet through the stories of the dancers who were there. On April 20th 2023 A live screening of An American Ballet Storyat the New York Public Library Performing Arts – Bruno Walter Auditorium. O&A NYC Magazine Editor in Chief Walter Rutledge will moderate the post screening Q and A. If you have a stories you would like to share about your Harkness experience please send your articles (250- 500 words recommended) and a photo to walt.harkness@gmail.com.
By Kathryn Sullivan
Dear Walter,
I saw on Facebook that you were going to publish some of our experiences at Harkness!? Here is mine! I went on to have a successful performing career, and have been teaching in NYC for over 30 years! No regrets!!
Best, Kathy S
I was a naive and shy 18 year old when I ventured into NYC on my own to land a summer scholarship at the Harkness House. It was 1969 and the Harkness phenomena was in full swing- the first company, second company, Watch Hill, trainees and summer students (all on scholarship).
Attending classes in the palace-like townhouse on East 75th st, was mind blowing! There were chandeliers in the studios, artwork in the hall, a jeweled encrusted elevator, and of course the Salvador Dali “Chalice of Life”. I saw Rebekah rarely (maybe once?) but her imposing portrait loomed over us in the lobby.
Dance classes were all very unique. Maria Vegh looked like a 60’s housewife to me, Claudia Corday had such a flowing way of moving and beautiful feet! I enjoyed Spanish dance, though there were not enough castanets to go around ,so we used our fingers to snap the rhythms .Vincente Nebrada only had eyes for the talented Mindy Gars and I remember a rather large man teaching pas de deux that reminded me of Jackie Gleason!
And then there was David! Everything was so right about his class! The clarity of material, the tempos, the positive energy he gave us all! Not many folks today have experienced David’s teaching as he was back then! It was magic!
Yes ,we were so spoiled at Harkness! We had a full time PT person and a psychologist on staff and I believe a bit of air conditioning! But we also felt like lab rats; that they were experimenting with us!? We were force fed the Joanna Kneeland principles of Kinesiology as applied to ballet,( which I never did get). We did a strange therapeutic barre- a pre barre warm up to the frenetic Prokofiev waltz (that really woke you up in the morning!) We were weighed in every Friday: it was not expressed but implied that you were to loose weight. I was already thin when I arrived there ,but then dropped down to 109 lbs, really low for my 5’6’’ height. There was also the mysterious punch bowl; we were encouraged to have a cup during the day. I vaguely remember hearing the word “electrolites” for the first time… um.. pre Gatorade?
Then suddenly the summer was over and they were going to weed us out for the year round paid trainee program. I was rejected! Dejected! Lost!! But thank god for my friend Jimmy Reardon who suggested I to go the Boston Ballet. Which I did! Which is another interesting story!!
Though this summer of 69 was a brief moment in my dance life, it certainly did impact the rest of my performing and teaching career!
Kathryn Sullivan, ballet teacher
STEPS on Bway
Peridance
Barnard College at Columbia University