Research Catalog

Title

Interview with Ted Kivitt. January 26, 1973, 1973.

Author

Kivitt, Ted

Publication

1973

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

Gruen, John

Description

2 sound discs (approximately one hour and 17 minutes): digital; 4 3/4 in.

Summary

• Disc 1, approximately 48 minutes. John Gruen speaks with Ted Kivitt about Kivitt's career with American Ballet Theatre beginning with Kivitt's family's background in the arts; his ballet training in Florida; his performing in local night clubs while attending high school; the strong support from his family for his career; training with Alexandre Gavrilov and dancing with the Miami Ballet; the circumstances of his joining American Ballet Theatre; the challenges of his first year there; his wife, Karena [Brock], whom he met while on tour in South America [Gruen recounts the story of Nijinsky's sudden marriage; Kivitt recounts Gavrilov's telling him about his frequent, uncredited substituting for Nijinsky]; homosexuality and male ballet dancers; some of his roles at American Ballet Theatre; American Ballet Theatre's less than ideal rehearsal facilities including an anecdote about the rehearsal space in Washington, D.C.; the grueling one-night stands on tour; more on his wife and his marriage; his promotion to principal dancer; his roles including his first full-length Swan lake, in Japan.
• Disc 2, approximately 29 minutes. John Gruen and Ted Kivitt continue to speak about Kivitt's career; Kivitt speaks about his feelings when he is dancing, in particular the excitement and sense of freedom; performance anxiety; partnering and (very briefly) some of his partners: Eleanor [D'Antuono]; Lupe [Serrano], and Carla [Fracci]; Natasha [Natalia Makarova] as a partner; briefly, Cynthia Gregory as a partner; the favored status of guest artists; his roles this season including his preference to dance less frequently on tour and more in New York City; his advice to aspiring dancers including having a good teacher; Fernando Bujones as a very promising young dancer.

Donor/Sponsor

Gift of John Gruen, April 1974

Subjects

• Gregory, Cynthia
• Kivitt, Ted
• American Ballet Theatre
• Audiotapes > Kivitt, T
• Makarova, Natalia, 1940-
• Brock, Karena
• Fracci, Carla

Note

• Interview with Ted Kivitt conducted by John Gruen at Kivitt's home on January 26, 1973 in New York City. This interview was used as a basis for a chapter in John Gruen's book, The private world of ballet (New York, Viking Press).
• For transcript, see: *MGZMT 3-166.
• Sound quality is good. There are some extraneous noise and occasional short gaps.

Funding (note)

• The conservation and cataloging of this recording was made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. The support of the National Endowment for the Arts is also gratefully acknowledged.

Call Number

*MGZTL 4-166

OCLC

78439868

Author

Kivitt, Ted, interviewee.

Title

Interview with Ted Kivitt. January 26, 1973, 1973.

Production

1973

Type of Content

spoken word

Type of Medium

audio

Type of Carrier

audio disc

Event

Recorded by John Gruen 1973, January 26 New York (New York)

Funding

The conservation and cataloging of this recording was made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. The support of the National Endowment for the Arts is also gratefully acknowledged.

Original Version

Original format: one sound cassette (approximately one hour and 17 minutes); 1 7/8 ips. originally recorded on January 26, 1973; transferred to wav file and compact disc formats in 2013.

Local Note

Former classmark: *MGZTC 3-166

Added Author

Gruen, John, interviewer.

Gruen, John, donor

Research Call Number

*MGZTL 4-166