Eliot Feld places all his work in the public domain

[California]

Eliot Feld has placed his ballets in the public domain and donated his archives to the NYPL. Feld choreographed several ballets for Mikhail Baryshnikov.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Eliot-Feld-Places-His-Ballets-In-The-Public-Domain-Feld-And-Ballet-Tech-Donate-Archive-To-NYPL-20240528

Edited May 29 by California

[vipa]

I've always wished ABT would do some of the Feld ballets that were once in their rep, particularly Intermezzo. I have no idea if it  would. hold up, but I loved it back in the day! Do any American companies do Feld ballets? 

[California]

10 hours ago, vipa said:

I've always wished ABT would do some of the Feld ballets that were once in their rep, particularly Intermezzo. I have no idea if it  would. hold up, but I loved it back in the day! Do any American companies do Feld ballets? 

We are familiar with the Trusts established to preserve, license, and stage works of major choreographers -- Robbins, Balanchine, MacMillan, Tudor, Ashton. They probably license enough performances to bring in sufficient revenue to sustain the trust expenses, stagers, etc. But what happens to work by people not regularly in demand, such as Feld. I'm thinking that putting everything into the public domain is a great way to ensure some kind of legacy for these works. I hope students and smaller companies take advantage and restage some of these works by Feld. Of course, they won't have Feld specialists to oversee fidelity to the work, but that's the "price" to be paid for this mode of transmission. Still, this seems a great gift to dance history and I hope other choreographers are thinking about this approach.

[dirac]

I agree, California. Of course, everything will go into public domain, but thanks to Disney that can be a long time, and this way Feld and people who work(ed) with him are still around to advise and oversee if requested.