José Greco graphic materials

Description data TOP

physdesc

{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"6.25 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"13 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}], "supress_display"=>true}

unitid

{"value"=>"*MGZEB 04-3673", "type"=>"local_call"}

{"value"=>"19785", "type"=>"local_mss"}

unitdate

{"value"=>"1900-1985", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1900/1985"}

date_inclusive_start

1900

date_inclusive_end

1985

keydate

1900

unittitle

{"value"=>"José Greco graphic materials"}

repository

{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. <span class=\"subarea\">Jerome Robbins Dance Division.</span></span> <div class=\"address\"> <span class=\"addressline\">New York, New York</span></div>"}

abstract

{"value"=>"José Greco (1918-2000) created a unique hybrid of Spanish dance from the regional, flamenco and gypsy forms. This photographic collection not only visualizes the distinct style of the José Greco Dance Company, but it also contains some personal imagery of the famed dancer and teacher."}

prefercite

{"value"=>"José Greco graphic materials, *MGZEB 04-3673. Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts"}

origination

{"value"=>"Greco, José", "type"=>"persname"}

bioghist

{"value"=>"<p>José Greco, christened Constanzo Greco, was born 23 December 1918 in the mountains overlooking the Adriatic Sea. He remained in his birthplace Montori nei Frentani, Italy until June 1928 when his father, already living in the United States, achieved naturalized U.S. citizen status whereupon he made arrangements for the family to join him. By August 1928 Greco and his mother and sister moved to Hopkinson Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. In the early years, during which he learned English, José moved frequently between Manhattan and Brooklyn residences. It was through his sister Norina that he began to dance. He often accompanied Norina to her dance lessons at Madame Veola’s studio on 59th Street between 5th and Madison Avenues. In time Greco was able to pick up on the dances himself, which won him the interest of the instructor Helene Veola (ca. 1897-1963). As he began his own dance lessons in 1933, the Leonardo da Vinci Art School, where Greco was in attendance closed. In the absence of school, he worked for the Atlas Ticket Agency, which enabled him to continue dancing.</p> <p>By his twentieth birthday, Greco not only debuted in Traviata but also won the praises of the famed dancer Escudero Vicente whom he met in Madame Veola’s studio. He, however, credits his dancing success to Argentinita (given name: Encarnación Lopez, 1900-1945), his renown-dancing partner from 1941-1945. Her death marked a series of different partners from the Argentinita’s sister Pilar Lopez to Nana Lorca (given name: Djenana Modrego Vigarary). Her passing also inspired Greco to have his own company, so in 1948 he terminated his already deteriorating partnership with Pilar Lopez and formed The José Greco Spanish Ballet. That same year he also appeared in and choreographed dances for the film Manolete, the first of many later screen involvements including: <span class=\"title\">Sombrero</span> (1953), <span class=\"title\">Around the World in 80 Days</span> (1956), <span class=\"title\">Holiday is For Lovers</span> (1959), <span class=\"title\">Ship of Fools</span> (1965) and <span class=\"title\">The Proud and the Damned</span> (1972).</p> <p>Over the course of the years, the dance company continued to tour North America and Europe. Greco married three times: Sarita Rivera, Nila Amparo and Nana Lorca. In addition, he had one common-law wife Lola de Ronda (given name: Aurelia Arroyo Garrido). By the late 1960s two of his five children, José-Luis and Alessandra, were dancing with the company. At about the same time as the birth of his sixth child Paolo (ca. 1973), Greco and Nana, his wife and dance partner, founded the José Greco Foundation for the Hispanic Dance. The National Endowment for the Arts also funded the pair’s tour of the United States, which was organized in order to proliferate the Spanish dance culture. In 1974 they opened a dance studio The Centro de Arte Español in Marbella, Spain. During the 1980s José appeared either on TV (he was a guest of the <span class=\"title\">Ed Sullivan Show</span> in 1962) or on tour featuring his sons and daughters. Up until his death in December 2000, José remained active in the dance community from publishing his autobiography entitled <span class=\"title\">The Gypsy in My Soul</span> in 1977 to teaching at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania where he was an adjunct professor of dance until the late 1990s.</p>"}

scopecontent

{"value"=>"<p>This collection is not a personal account of José Greco’s life. It is a visual framework for Spanish dance as conceived by José Greco. The photographs not only identify the company members, but also their performances, from the company’s inception in 1948 through the 1980s. Particular highlights include performance images of <span class=\"title\">El Cortijo</span>, Greco’s original and probably best-known choreography in a dance of the Spanish horsemen, and the <span class=\"title\">Bolero</span>, originally choreographed by Greco’s famous partner Argentinita. Another favorite performance is <span class=\"title\">La Castellana</span>, a dance that symbolizes a boy’s flirtation with the Castilian maidens. The opposite tension is suggested in the images of <span class=\"title\">Andalucia Flamenca</span>, a dance where the women seduces the male. In terms of company performers, the materials also include a large name index; the range of which includes all of Greco’s wives: Sarita Rivera, Nila Amparo, Lola de Ronda (common-law) and Nana Lorca and dancers, including Paco Alonso, Pepita Nunes, Lupe del Rio, Luis Rivera, Teo Santelmo, Maria Soto and Juan Vallejo. The company member also includes musicians such as Roger Machado (composer) and Ricardo Modrego (guitarist).</p> <p>The last section of materials contains original artwork, most of which is from set and costume designs of ballets like <span class=\"title\">Don Quijote</span>, <span class=\"title\">Barcelona Suite</span> and <span class=\"title\">Goyescas</span>. However, there is some original work by Greco from his art school days in addition to some of his set designs. Of particular interest here is his scrapbook, which contains the layout for his performance programs. In it are brief statements explaining the significance of his dances.</p>"}

{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The José Greco graphic materials are arranged in three series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/19785#c385065'>Series I: Photographs</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1900 - 1989</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>6 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series contain a variety of images of the José Greco Company, which covers not only the company's dancers but also Greco's personal photographs.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/19785#c385175'>Series II: Originals</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1930 - 1983</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>4 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series contains original artwork. It includes pieces by both Greco and by the company's set and costume designers.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/19785#c385199'>Series III: Oversized</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1920 - 1979</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>3 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series contains oversized original artwork created by both Greco and his company's set and costume designers.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}

arrangement

{"value"=>"<p>The collection is organized into 3 series and 8 sub-series. They are: <ul> <li>Series I: Photographs <ul> <li>Sub-series 1 - José Greco</li> <li>Sub-series 2 - José Greco Company</li> <li>Sub-series 3 - Performance</li></ul></li> <li>Series II: Originals <ul> <li>Sub-series 1 - José Greco</li> <li>Sub-series 2 - José Greco Company</li> <li>Sub-series 3 - Ephemera</li></ul></li> <li>Series III: Oversized <ul> <li>Sub-series 1 -Photographs</li> <li>Sub-series 2 -Originals</li></ul></li></ul></p>", "supress_display"=>true}

acqinfo

{"value"=>"<p>The José Greco Graphic Materials donated to the Jerome Robbins Dance Division in 1992 by José Greco.</p>"}

accessrestrict

{"value"=>"<p>Photocopying prohibited.</p>"}

userestrict

{"value"=>"<p>For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Jerome Robbins Dance Division.</p>"}

note

{"value"=>"<p>The Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts holds related material, the Jose Greco professional and personal papers, 1942-1984 (*MGZMD 112)</p>", "encodinganalog"=>"500"}

langmaterial

{"value"=>"English"}

processinfo

{"value"=>"<p>Processed by Camille Reilly Meyer; Machine-readable finding aid created by Camille Reilly Meyer.</p>"}

extent_statement

6.25 linear feet (13 boxes)

date_start

1900

date_end

1985

Update Collection TOP

Update from EAD XML File

Child components TOP

1. Series I: Photographs [3/1]
2. Series II: Originals [3/1]
3. Series III: Oversized [2/1]