Harkness Ballet
Encyclopedia
The Harkness Ballet was a major New York ballet company named after its founder Rebekah Harkness. Harkness inherited her husband's fortune in Standard Oil
holdings and was a dance lover. Established in 1964, giving its debut performance in Cannes in 1965, with George Skibine
as director, Marjorie Tallchief
as ballerina and a repertory featuring work by Alvin Ailey
, Skibine, Eric Bruhn, Brian Macdonald
and Stuart Hodes, the company mostly toured abroad, in the major theaters of Europe, to great acclaim, giving its dancers and choreographers a cosmopolitan experience unknown to most of their American colleagues. Its New York debut was in 1967 and Macdonald was also appointed director, succeeded by Lawrence Rhodes (1968) and joined by Benjamin Harkarvy
in 1969. In 1970, Harkness combined it with the Harkness Youth Ballet (founded 1969), directed by Ben Stevenson
, succeeded by Vicente Nebrada. In 1972, she purchased an historic theatre (Colonial Theatre, built in 1905) across from Lincoln Center and renamed it The Harkness Theater. The theatre was completely remodeled with state-of-the-art dance stage flooring and Spanish artist Enrique Senis-Oliver painted ceiling murals, opening with a season by the company in 1974. The company disbanded within the next year. The vitality of the dancers was widely admired and many of the ballets were very erotic, including the homoerotic "Sebastian" (1963) to music of Gian-Carlo Menotti, "Monument for a Dead Boy" (1966) by Rudi Van Dantzig (b. 1933) and "Gemini" (1972) by Vincente Nebrada
(b. 1930).
The Harkness House for Ballet Arts, housed in a four story mansion on Manhattan's Upper East Side, served as the company's headquarters and official school, which continued for many years after the company closed and became the home to the American Dance Machine
. Notable Harkness Ballet Trainee scholarship dancers attending the school included Lawrence Leritz
and Patrick Swayze
.
Standard Oil
Standard Oil was a predominant American integrated oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. Established in 1870 as a corporation in Ohio, it was the largest oil refiner in the world and operated as a major company trust and was one of the world's first and largest multinational...
holdings and was a dance lover. Established in 1964, giving its debut performance in Cannes in 1965, with George Skibine
George Skibine
George Skibine , was a ballet dancer with the Ballets Russes from age 5, son of Boris Skibine, also of the Ballets Russes, choreographer and balletmaster of the Harkness and Dallas Ballets.- Obituaries :* , January 16th, 1981...
as director, Marjorie Tallchief
Marjorie Tallchief
Marjorie Louise Tallchief was a ballerina of the Osage Nation.-Career:Tallchief was the first American Indian to be "première danseuse étoile" of the Paris Opera Ballet and performed with the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas. During her career she also performed for politicians such as John F....
as ballerina and a repertory featuring work by Alvin Ailey
Alvin Ailey
Alvin Ailey, Jr. was an American choreographer and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York. Ailey is credited with popularizing modern dance and revolutionizing African-American participation in 20th century concert dance...
, Skibine, Eric Bruhn, Brian Macdonald
Brian Macdonald
Brian Macdonald, CC is a Canadian dancer, choreographer, director of opera, theatre and musical theatre.Born in Montreal, Macdonald was an original member of the National Ballet of Canada...
and Stuart Hodes, the company mostly toured abroad, in the major theaters of Europe, to great acclaim, giving its dancers and choreographers a cosmopolitan experience unknown to most of their American colleagues. Its New York debut was in 1967 and Macdonald was also appointed director, succeeded by Lawrence Rhodes (1968) and joined by Benjamin Harkarvy
Benjamin Harkarvy
Benjamin Harkarvy was an American dance teacher, choreographer, and artistic director...
in 1969. In 1970, Harkness combined it with the Harkness Youth Ballet (founded 1969), directed by Ben Stevenson
Ben Stevenson
Ben Stevenson, OBE , is a former ballet dancer with Britain's Royal Ballet and English National Ballet, co-director of National Ballet in Washington, D.C...
, succeeded by Vicente Nebrada. In 1972, she purchased an historic theatre (Colonial Theatre, built in 1905) across from Lincoln Center and renamed it The Harkness Theater. The theatre was completely remodeled with state-of-the-art dance stage flooring and Spanish artist Enrique Senis-Oliver painted ceiling murals, opening with a season by the company in 1974. The company disbanded within the next year. The vitality of the dancers was widely admired and many of the ballets were very erotic, including the homoerotic "Sebastian" (1963) to music of Gian-Carlo Menotti, "Monument for a Dead Boy" (1966) by Rudi Van Dantzig (b. 1933) and "Gemini" (1972) by Vincente Nebrada
Vincente Nebrada
Vicente Nebrada was a Venezuelan dancer and choreographer. Born in Caracas, Nebrada began his career as a dancer with the National Ballet of Venezuela, Alicia Alonso's National Ballet of Cuba, with Roland Petit in Paris and with the Joffrey Ballet...
(b. 1930).
The Harkness House for Ballet Arts, housed in a four story mansion on Manhattan's Upper East Side, served as the company's headquarters and official school, which continued for many years after the company closed and became the home to the American Dance Machine
American Dance Machine
The American Dance Machine was a theatrical dance company created by Lee Theodore, which played at the Century Theatre, opening Jun 14, 1978, running 199 performances. The show was a "Living Archive" of Broadway theatre dance; great theatre dances saved from oblivion...
. Notable Harkness Ballet Trainee scholarship dancers attending the school included Lawrence Leritz
Lawrence Leritz
Lawrence Leritz is an American dancer, singer, actor, producer, fitness expert and choreographer.-Life and career:...
and Patrick Swayze
Patrick Swayze
Patrick Wayne Swayze was an American actor, dancer and singer-songwriter. He was best known for his tough-guy roles, as romantic leading men in the hit films Dirty Dancing and Ghost, and as Orry Main in the North and South television miniseries. He was named by People magazine as its "Sexiest...
.
Notable company dancers
- Helgi Tomasson
- Judith JamisonJudith JamisonJudith Anna Jamison is an American dancer and choreographer, best known as the Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater....
- Christopher AponteChristopher AponteChristopher Aponte is an American classical ballet dancer. Aponte was born in the borough of Manhattan, then moved, at the age of three, to live in the Bronx....
- Maria EglevskyMaria EglevskyMarina Eglevsky ia an American ballet dancer, was born in New York City. She is the daughter of ballet star Andre Eglevsky. Marina studied at the School of American Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre School. Marina performed professionally in New York City Ballet's production of The...
- Claudia Corday