RIP Maggie Black

[abatt]

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/22/arts/dance/maggie-black-esteemed-ballet-and-modern-dance-teacher-dies-at-85.html?ref=arts

[Dale]

Very influential. I loved this story, from the NY Times obit:

Ms. Olsen recalled that George Balanchine, the artistic director of New York City Ballet, begrudgingly bestowed the epithet Black Magic on Ms. Black when some of his dancers defected to her classes.

“One particular N.Y.C.B. corps girl with a noodley back, a wayward center and haphazard turns studied with Black for a concentrated period,” Ms. Olsen wrote. “When she returned to Mr. B’s class, across the floor she sped in a moving allegro combination, executing triple pirouettes. ‘Black Magic,’ sniffed Mr. B. And from then on, that was his nickname for the sorceress on West 46th Street.”

I remember reading a Ballet Review interview with Stephanie Saland and Balanchine made the same comment to her. Kirkland wrote quite a bit about working with Maggie Black.

[sandik]

Damn

[Cygnet]

It seems that all the greats are being rapidly called to rest... May Miss Black RIP.

[Stage Right]

Wow, I'm sorry to hear that! She was such a legend in NYC in the eighties, when I was studying there. I don't know why I never made it to her class......now I wish I had.

[diane]

Sorry to read this.

She will be missed, I am sure.

-d-

[balletgirl22sk]

I took a couple of classes from her in the 70's. There were so many stars in class like Gelsey,that it was hard to not watch them. Maggie paid attention to them and not new ones like me. I never went back.

[sandik]

As I understand it, she was looking for students who would make a long-term commitment -- that's where she thought the possibility for learning really began.

[balletgirl22sk]

If I thought she was interested in me, I would have tried more classes but I already had wonderful teachers- Madame Darvash, Nadine Revene, etc.

[sandik]

Both excellent teachers.