Scope and arrangement
The Benjamin Harkarvy Papers consists of correspondence, notebooks and appointment books, teaching materials and notes, dance programs, photographs and clippings from newspapers relating to Benjamin Harkarvy, his personal experience and interest in the dance teaching, and his professional career. The correspondence includes letters from George Balanchine and Lar Lebovitz as well as the letters from the School’s staff and students. There are some of Harkarvy’s biographical information such as his Curriculum Vitae, choreographic compositions and career information, Last will and testament, professional writings and speeches, mostly undated, like Dance, February Dance Concert Series, Forward to G. Warren Book, Looking To the Future, The Paris Opera Ballet School - Unparalleled Excellence and others. Most of the notes, bound and loose, and notes cards are untitled. Among titled notes are 5 Madrigals, Continuum, Dancing Together - The Art of the Pas de Deu, December Workshop Notes, The Making of the Dancer - The Body as an Instrument and the lecture notes. The collection contains photographs of Harkarvy, with students, colleagues and family and productions photographs like Adagio Hammerklavier, Concerto Grossp, Continuum, Dance workshop, Four Men Waiting, The Four Temperaments, Maria and the Buddha of the Dance, Anna Pavlova, Time Passed Summer and others.
The Benjamin Harkarvy papers are arranged in four series:
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1958-2003, undated
This Series includes appointment books (1994-2002), clippings (1958-2002), and programs (1951-1996). Correspondence covers 1974-1999, but the bulk of it belongs to the Harkarvy’s time at the Juilliard School of Music's Dance division. The correspondence includes letters from George Balanchine and Lar Lebovitz as well as the letters from the School’s staff and students. There are also Harkarvy’s biographical information such as Curriculum Vitae, choreographic compositions and career information, Last will and testament, his passports and professional writings and speeches, mostly undated, like Dance, February Dance Concert Series, Forward to G. Warren Book, Looking To the Future, The Paris Opera Ballet School - Unparalleled Excellence and others. Among writings by other people are Dancers and Nutrition: Misconception, Misconnection (2001) by E. Disharoon, The Expressive Art of Hans Van Manen (undated) by D. L. Horwitz, Six Questions Acting Technique for Dance Performance (1995-1996) by Daniel Nagrin and others.
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undated
This Series includes Notebooks and notes, all handwritten and undated. Among titled notes are 5 Madrigals, Continuum, Dancing Together - The Art of the Pas de Deu, December Workshop Notes, The Making of the Dancer - The Body as an Instrument and the lecture notes, though mostly notes are untitled. There are also two card files with the notes.
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1910-2000, undated
This Series contains photographs, contact sheets and negatives of Harkarvy from 1940s to the 1990s. Among photographs are Adagio Hammerklavier, Concerto Grossp, Continuum, Dance workshop, Four Men Waiting, The Four Temperaments, Maria and the Buddha of the Dance, Anna Pavlova, Time Passed Summer and others. There are professional and amateur photographs of Harkarvy with colleagues, friends and the family, at rehearsals and with students. Included also is an autographed photograph of Nina Stroganova. The untitled productions photographs are arranged alphabetically by the photographers. In the same Series is a Scrapbook with the photographs arranged and signed by Harkarvy.
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1958, undated
This Series includes three posters from the time of Harkarvy’s work in Europe.