3 replies to this topic

[atm711]

It is with great sadness that I learned of the death of Ben Harkarvy today.  Ben was the Director of the Dance Division at Juilliard.  Ben and I were inseparable during our teen years and early twenties.  We studied together with George Chaffee and Mme. Anderson-Ivantsova and we stayed in touch through his years with Pennsylvania Ballet.  I have always taken pride in the fact that I was Ben's first student.  It was Ben I always looked to for guidance, no matter who we studied with.  Ben has certainly deserved all the a ccolades he received in his remarkable career.  It has always amazed me that he was a ble to do this when one considers all the pitfalls he had to overcome.  He had nothing of a dancer's body and would never be a professional--and the route to Choreographer, Director, etc. was  through a company.  It was his keen mind and articulate speech that saw him through.  God bless you, Ben.

[Leigh Witchel]

Atm - I'm so sorry to hear this.  The entire dance department in Juilliard (to say nothing of a great deal of the dance world) must be in shock and mourning.  I only took a few classes with him (which were quite good) - I know many who think of him with great fondness.  It is indeed a loss.

[vrsfanatic]

I am deeply saddened to hear the news of the passing of Ben. He encouraged me to study teaching as a profession, something up until that point in my life I just thought one did through osmosis. He was a wonderful man and teacher as well as a great lover of ballet.

May he rest in peace!

[catlady]

What a tremendous loss for the dance world.
I had the privledge of studying with him for a short while and found him to be everything I was looking for in a teacher. He will be missed.