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ABT male dancers, early 70's


ajsnyc

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Ward left ballet dance on Broadway when he was still a fairly new ABT principal. Tippet was in and out of the company for a few years, and his Bruch Violin Concerto is occasionally revived, affording him a lasting presence in the company.

As with so many others taken by this ugly disease, these deaths were much too early, so tragic.

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Yes, I remember both Charles Ward and Clark Tippet. I remember Ward's height, blondeness (at first rare but then with addition of Radojvic (sp?), Renvall, La Fosse, and Mischa of course, that changed), and technique; a long lean and so pulled up carriage and a memorably intricate swirl of his cape in Don Q. I also remember Tippet partnering Martine Van Hamel and still like his Bruch Concerto. And finally, I remember one other victim of AIDs then (though not a "tall strapping fellow" as originally in this thread), Peter Fonseca with his so precise technique. When The AIDS Quilt came to my university, I specifically went to see it to find their squares, and shed some tears when I did. I do so hope medical improvements, knowledge, and acceptance of different orientation has made it a safer (if certainly not safe) world now.

Thanks to all for recalling those earlier days, and not letting them dim in our aging memories now.

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his Bruch Violin Concerto is occasionally revived, affording him a lasting presence in the company

A charming ballet, and available on the “American Ballet Theatre Now” DVD/video, although I can’t recall offhand if it is presented complete or not.

In the past on this board we have had discussions of traditional "emploi" -- and of how dancers in the nineteenth-century and earlier twentieth-century were often cast very much according to body type and temperament as well as talent. (No one ever said talent does not matter.)

Yes, thank you, Drew. We should probably make a mental ‘stickie’ of that.

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Thanks to all for recalling those earlier days, and not letting them dim in our aging memories now.

Well said...

I agree, I can barely remember what I had for breakfast. All kidding aside, in the 60's and 70's my first love of the ballet was NYCB. It took me well into the 90's to begin to appreciate the classical romantic ballets. I am constantly amazed by the members of this site with the recall and knowledge that they posses.

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One of Eleanor d'Antuono's partners, a guest, was Cuba's Jorge Esquivel. They danced Giselle.

Jorge Esquivel .What a wonderful underestimated dancer! :wink: . He was mostly known for being everyone's partner during the 60's, 70's and 80's at NBC, including all those Varna winners and particulary Mme. Alonso's :bow: until his defection. Now he is a demi-character dancer at SFB.

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I have memories of both Ward and Tippet. I saw them mostly in demi-soloist or solo roles. But I do remember Ward in two principal appearances. In addition to the Coppelia w. Kirkland (mentioned in a post above) I saw him dance the lead in the ABT premier of Neumeier's Baiser de La Fee. The ballet was not kept in repetory, and I think I found the choreography pretty but thin. I did enjoy seeing Ward in the lead. He was tall, and had a slender, refined body type with elegant lines (rather different from, say, Kivitt). He also has a very brief speaking bit in The Turning Point.

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