Research Catalog

Details

Additional authors

1. Danilova, Alexandra, 1903-1997
2. De Mille, Agnes
3. O'Donnell, May
4. Dunham, Katherine
5. Green, Ray, 1908-1997.
6. Limón, José
7. Jackson, Lisa F.
8. Dalva, Nancy Vreeland
9. Massine, Leonide, 1896-1979.
10. De Mille, Agnes
11. Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
12. Katherine Dunham Company
13. Joffrey Ballet
14. Eugene O'Neill Theater Center
15. Robert Kanter Productions, Inc
16. Connecticut Public Television
17. DHCA.

Description

1. 1 videocassette (57 min.) : sd., col. with b&w sequences NTSC; 1/2 in. (VHS)

Summary

1. Profiles of four eminent dancers who toured the United States in the 1930s and 40s, familiarizing the American public with different types of dance and popularizing the art form. Each dancer traces her career from its beginnings, describing her dance training, major roles or works, colleagues and collaborators, and important associations. Alexandra Danilova recalls her work with George Balanchine, Serge Diaghilev, and the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. May O'Donnell discusses dancing with Martha Graham, and her partnership and tours with José Limón. Katherine Dunham talks about her first company, the Ballet Negre; her anthropological research in Haiti; and her company's encounters with racism while on tour. Agnes de Mille describes her career as a solo recitalist, her creation of Rodeo for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, and her choreography for Oklahoma! and other musicals. Topics also include observations of audience responses on tour, and the impresario Sol Hurok, who produced many tours. Still photographs and performance excerpts illustrate the dancers' reminiscences. Bringing the record up to date, each dancer is seen in the process of transmitting her art to the next generation through teaching or choreography.

Donor/Sponsor

1. Gift of Nancy Savin.

Uniform title

1. Curtain raiser (Choreographic work : Limón and O'Donnell)
2. Three inventories on Casey Jones (Choreographic work : Limón and O'Donnell)
3. Suspension (Choreographic work : O'Donnell)

Subject

1. Dance
2. Danilova, Alexandra, 1903-1997
3. Video
4. Katherine Dunham Museum (East St. Louis, Ill.)
5. Motion pictures > Oklahoma
6. Dance audiences
7. Musical comedies > Oklahoma
8. Documentaries and factual films and programs
9. Motion pictures > Stormy weather
10. Graham, Martha
11. Dunham, Katherine
12. Diaghilev, Serge, 1872-1929
13. Dance > United States > History
14. Hurok, Sol, 1888-1974
15. O'Donnell, May
16. Tune, Tommy
17. Balanchine, George
18. Biographies
19. De Mille, Agnes

Genre/Form

1. Dance.
2. Biographies.
3. Documentaries and factual films and programs.
4. Video.

Contents

1. Dance excerpts: Three virgins and a devil (b&w) / choreography, Agnes de Mille ; danced by de Mille, Lucia Chase, Janet Reed, and Yurek Lazowski -- Gaité parisienne (b&w) / danced by Alexandra Danilova, Frederic Franklin, and members of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo -- Stormy weather (b&w) / motion picture ; danced by Katherine Dunham and others -- Curtain raiser / choreography and performance, May O'Donnell and José Limón -- Hymn tunes / choreography and performance, O'Donnell -- [Three inventories on] Casey Jones / choreography and performance, O'Donnell and Limón -- Rodeo / studio rehearsal and performance footage ; choreography, Agnes de Mille ; danced by the Joffrey Ballet: Russell Sultzbach and others -- Suspension / choreography, O'Donnell -- Oklahoma / motion picture ; choreography, de Mille. Some excerpts are not identified.

Call number

1. *MGZIA 4-2544

Credits (note)

1. Narration written by Nancy Vreeland Dalva ; associate producer, Michael Sousa ; executive producers, Del Tenney, Ian Calderon.

Performer (note)

1. Host: Tommy Tune.
2. Interviewees: Alexandra Danilova, Agnes de Mille, May O'Donnell, Katherine Dunham, with Ray Green.

Title

1. Making dance American [videorecording] / produced by the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, in association with Robert Kanter Productions, Inc. ; directed and edited by Lisa Jackson ; produced by Robert Kanter and Joseph Krakora.

Imprint

1. U.S. : Connecticut Public Television, c1986.

Country of producing entity

1. U.S.

Performer

1. Host: Tommy Tune.
2. Interviewees: Alexandra Danilova, Agnes de Mille, May O'Donnell, Katherine Dunham, with Ray Green.

Credits

1. Narration written by Nancy Vreeland Dalva ; associate producer, Michael Sousa ; executive producers, Del Tenney, Ian Calderon.

Local subject

1. Motion pictures. Stormy weather.
2. Musical comedies. Oklahoma.
3. Motion pictures. Oklahoma.

Added author

1. Danilova, Alexandra, 1903-1997, interviewee, dancer.
2. De Mille, Agnes, interviewee.
3. De Mille, Agnes, choreographer.
4. De Mille, Agnes, dancer.
5. O'Donnell, May. ive, choreographer, dancer.
6. Dunham, Katherine. ive, choreographer, dancer.
7. Green, Ray, 1908-1997. Interviewer
8. Limón, José, dancer.
9. Jackson, Lisa F. Director
10. Dalva, Nancy Vreeland. Author
11. Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.
12. Katherine Dunham Company.
13. Joffrey Ballet.
14. Eugene O'Neill Theater Center.
15. Robert Kanter Productions, Inc.
16. Connecticut Public Television.
17. DHCA.
18. Massine, Leonide, 1896-1979. Gaîté parisienne.
19. De Mille, Agnes. Rodeo.
20. De Mille, Agnes. Three virgins and a devil.

Added title

1. Curtain raiser (Choreographic work : Limón and O'Donnell)
2. Three inventories on Casey Jones (Choreographic work : Limón and O'Donnell)
3. Suspension (Choreographic work : O'Donnell)

Research call number

1. *MGZIA 4-2544