Research Catalog

Title

Interview with John Kriza [sound recording].

Author

Kriza, John

Publication

1975.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

Kramer, Joan

Description

2 sound discs (ca. 76 min.) : digital; (4 3/4 in.)

Alternative Title

• Dance Oral History Project
• Dance Audio Archive

Subject

• American Ballet Theatre
• Kriza, John
• Stone, Bentley
• Robbins, Jerome. Fancy free
• Audiotapes > Kriza, J

Note

• Interview with John Kriza conducted by Joan Kramer at the Library and Museum for the Performing Arts [now the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts] at Lincoln Center, in New York City on Jan. 9, 1975, as part of the Library's Oral history project.
• Sound quality is good overall.

Funding (note)

• The assistance of the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts is gratefully acknowledged.

System Details (note)

• Transferred from 1 sound reel (ca. 76 min.; 5 in.; 3 1 7/8 in. per sec.; polyester; 1 channel; half-track; originally recorded in 1975) to wav file and compact disc formats in 2012.

Local note

• For transcript of audio recording, see: *MGZMT 5-227.
• Former call number: *MGZT 5-227
• Archive original: *MGZTO 5-227

Call Number

*MGZTL 4-227

OCLC

77956907

Author

Kriza, John. Interviewee

Title

Interview with John Kriza [sound recording].

Imprint

1975.

Summary

Disc 1 (ca. 38 min.). John Kriza speaks with Joan Kramer about his early dance training, with Bentley Stone; his first job, with Ruth Page; his family's view of his dancing as a career; auditioning for and joining Ballet Theatre [now American Ballet Theatre]; touring in South America with Ruth Page; performing in musical comedies for economic reasons while a member of Ballet Theatre; Jerome Robbins as a choreographer; the ballet Fancy free; the American style of dancing; more on Fancy free; his relationship with his fans; preparing for performance; dancers and acting; his feelings about having retired from performing; his luck in having had good partners; Bentley Stone as a teacher; differences between teachers in Chicago and New York City; dancing as a guest artist; factors in his decision to retire; his current lack of a formal relationship with American Ballet Theatre or much contact with dancers he knew there; teaching dance at the University of Indiana at Bloomington [ends abruptly but continues directly on disc 2].

Disc 2 (ca. 38 min.). John Kriza continues to speak to Joan Kramer about the students at University of Indiana at Bloomington; more on his student days and his career; reasons he never wanted his own company; more on teaching dance and the students; performing with Ballet Theatre in London, in 1946 including the critical reception; the power of critics; the effect the dancers from the [former] U.S.S.R. who joined American Ballet Theatre had on the company; American Ballet Theatre's style; his thoughts on Rudolf Nureyev; Margot Fonteyn; dancers' bodies; his current interests and activities; dance on television; the reliance on guest artists at American Ballet Theatre.

Funding

The assistance of the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts is gratefully acknowledged.

System Details

Transferred from 1 sound reel (ca. 76 min.; 5 in.; 3 1 7/8 in. per sec.; polyester; 1 channel; half-track; originally recorded in 1975) to wav file and compact disc formats in 2012.

Local Note

For transcript of audio recording, see: *MGZMT 5-227.

Former call number: *MGZT 5-227

Archive original: *MGZTO 5-227

Added Author

Kramer, Joan. Interviewer

Research Call Number

*MGZTL 4-227