Tag Archives: Dance History

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4/13/23 O&A NYC MORE HARKNESS STORIES: Cheryl Clark- A Few 1966 and Beyond Harkness Memories for Walter Rutledge

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A Few 1966 and Beyond Harkness Memories for Walter Rutledge
By Cheryl Clark

Dear Walter,

I am sending you the above attached Playbill Legacy Bio when I received the 2019 Legacy Award (that is housed now in the Jerome Robbins collection at Lincoln Center for Performing Arts Library…). It mentions my great appreciation for Mrs. Harkness and Patricia Wilde, 1st Director of Harkness House who recommended me to Mrs. H. Both gave me my full scholarship at age 15 at Harkness House for Ballet Arts, and it mentions many of the great teachers, etc.  In another article I will try to send you, I mention the great pianists that Mrs. Harkness hired to play class for us training- hugely inspiring, particularly John Anderson and John Childs. Continue reading

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4/10/23 O&A NYC MORE HARKNESS STORIES: Lawrence Leritz- I’ve Been Around

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I’ve Been Around (Excerpt from upcoming book of the same name)
By Lawrence Leritz

I arrived in NYC on a Sunday afternoon during the intense summer heat of early July, 1974.  David Howard, co-director of Harkness House, recommended that I stay at The East End Hotel, a rundown boarding hotel on the East River near Harkness House, which was located on East 75th off Fifth Avenue.  Most of the dancers were there for the six-week intensive summer session.  

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4/7/23 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Ballet For Life: Harkness Ballet- Finis Jhung

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In the dance film autobiography Ballet For Life: Harkness Ballet former dance and acclaimed teacher  Finis Jhung reminisces about his years with the Harkness Ballet where he reached the pinnacle in his career and discovered Buddhism, which dramatically changed the course of his life. Continue reading

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4/3/23 O&A NYC MORE HARKNESS STORIES: Claudia Folts- Beauty Is Never Easy, But Always Worth Striving Toward

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Beauty Is Never Easy, But Always Worth Striving Toward

By Claudia Folts

I was late to the party.  By the time I walked through those beautiful doors at 4 East 75th St. in 1975/76 the decline had already begun.  Of course, I did not yet know this.  To me, it was a magical place – beautiful studios, art, elegant marble staircase, and everyone there was beautiful. As with all art, there is often darkness underneath, supporting the beauty. That was Harkness. Continue reading

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3/27/23 O&A NYC MORE HARKNESS STORIES: Luc Louis de Lairesse- I Cherish Those Days      

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I Cherish Those Days      

By Luc Louis de Lairesse                                             

Now 44 years ago, Nikita Talin (director) and Rebekah Harkness invited me teach and choreograph for what grew into the Harkness Dance Theatre. The next spring of 1980, Mrs. Harkness, in a private meeting, arranged for my working permit as her administrator, Mr. Bartwink, called the White House. I was impressed to say the least! Continue reading

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3/10/23 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: They Called Her Moses

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They Called Her Moses is Donald McKayle‘s story of freedom fighter Harriet Tubman. The cast includes Jacqueline Walcott, Robert Powell, Sylvia Waters, Arthur Mitchell, Kathleen Stanford, Donald McKayle and Carmen DeLavallade. Continue reading

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11/10/23 O&A SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Paul Taylor’s Esplanade (1975)

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An esplanade is an outdoor place to walk; in 1975 Paul Taylor, inspired by the sight of a girl running to catch a bus, created a masterwork based on pedestrian movement. Continue reading

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3/21/22 O&A NYC DANCE: Francesca Harper Sets New Direction For Ailey II

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By Walter Rutledge

The Ailey II season begins March 23 and run thru April 3 at the Ailey Citigroup Theater 405 west 55th Street at the corner of Ninth Avenue This is not only the company’s return to the theater since the pandemic, but also the debut season for the company’s new Artistic Director Francesca Harper. During the two-week season the company will offer 10 performances and present works by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) Artistic Director Robert Battle, internationally renowned choreographer William Forsythe, AAADT principal dancer Yannick Lebrun, Andrea Miller, and Harper. Continue reading

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1/17/21 O&A NYC DANCE THEATRE: Only In The Darkness- Dance Of The Village Elders- Dance Of The Village Elders

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By Walter Rutledge

The senior performing ensemble Dance Of The Village Elders performs Only In The Darkness You Can See The Stars. Based on their experiences during the turbulent Civil Rights Era. 

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12/21/21 O&A NYC MILESTONES: Happy Birthday George Faison

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By Walter Rutledge

There is only one George Faison! Dancer, choreographer, teacher, director, playwright, social activist, entrepreneur and friend. George has been one of my inspirations and artistic standard bearers for most of my career. In 2017 the Ailey American Dance Theater presented an excerpt of Suite Otis, his iconic tribute to Otis Redding. Faison sat down to talk about this masterwork,  experiences in the Ailey Company and his arts aesthetic. Happy Birthday George.

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will present an excerpt of George Faison’s masterwork Suite Otis at their New York City Center season opening night gala, Wednesday, November 29 2017. Choreographed in 1971 for the George Faison Universal Dance Experience the work joined the Ailey repertoire in 1977. 40 years after it’s Ailey debut Suite Otis continues to excite and entertain audiences with verve, aplomb, fleet footed technique and imaginative Euclidean storytelling.

The company will perform the finale section set to Otis Redding’s Tenderness. The full cast section reintroduces the dancers creating a visually exciting yet compelling epilog. Throughout the work Faison (the imperial storyteller) does what every choreographer should do- invites us into his vision and delivers with clarity, focus and impeccable choreographic timing.

Balletomanes still long for the return of old fashion honest storytelling- the hallmark of Ailey’s original company. In Suite Otis Faison’s articulate use of the dance narrative genre captures the majesty and universal humanity of both Otis Redding’s music and the black dance experience. This gave him a voice in an era when Black American dance and culture had started to becoming a global  force.

Suite Otis- George Faison

What Faison did (and continues to do) is to keep the dance/theatre aesthetic in the forefront of the arts conversation. Tenderness will be performed for one performance only on Wednesday, November 29 for tickets and a complete schedule of the five-week New York City season visit ailey.org.