Benjamin Harkarvy papers

Description data
Resources (attachments and links)
Repository assets
Living At
Child components

id: 661
origination: Harkarvy, Benjamin
date statement: 1910-2003
key date: 1910
identifier (local_mss): 19835
org unit: Jerome Robbins Dance Division
call number: *MGZMD 199
b-number: b16579277
total components: 207
total series: 4
max depth: 4
boost queries: (none)
component layout: Default Layout
Extended MARC Fields: false
Extended Navigation: false
created: 2013-04-01 14:58:58 UTC
updated: 2026-06-25 15:07:55 UTC
status note: (missing)
Display Aeon link: true

Description data TOP

physdesc: {"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"13 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"19 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}], "supress_display"=>true}
unitid: {"value"=>"*MGZMD 199", "type"=>"local_call"}

{"value"=>"19835", "type"=>"local_mss"}
unitdate: {"value"=>"1910-2003", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1910/2003"}
date_inclusive_start: 1910
date_inclusive_end: 2003
keydate: 1910
unittitle: {"value"=>"Benjamin Harkarvy papers"}
repository: {"value"=>"The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Jerome Robbins Dance Division. <div class=\"address\">New York, New York</div>"}
abstract: {"value"=>"The Benjamin Harkarvy Papers from the 1940s to 2003 cover the academic and professional career of the distinguished dancer and teacher. It contains notes and notebooks, teaching materials, photographs, clippings and publicity material."}
prefercite: {"value"=>"Benjamin Harkarvy papers, *MGZMD 199. Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts"}
origination: {"value"=>"Harkarvy, Benjamin", "type"=>"persname"}
bioghist: {"value"=>" American dance teacher, choreographer, and artistic director Benjamin Harkarvy (December16, 1930, New York City – March 30, 2002, New York City) had an international reputation for his eclectic approach to dance education and for his leadership of a number of renowned dance companies. Born in New York City, Harkarvy began to study at the age of 13, orienting himself toward the goal of teaching. His principal teachers were two highly regarded Russian expatriates: Edward Caton, whose classes, he remembered, imparted energy and a feel for rhythm and dynamics of movement; and Yelizaveta Anderson-Ivantzova, who built strength in the back and taught large parts of The Sleeping Beauty, the touchstone of classicism. Harkarvy studied dance in New York City, primarily at the George Balanchine's School of American Ballet, and had a brief performing career with the Brooklyn Lyric Opera and in summer stock before embarking on a life of teaching and directing. From 1951 to 1955 he taught at Michel Fokine's school in New York City, and in 1955 he opened his own school. Harkarvy's guidance of dance companies began in 1957 with the Royal Winnipeg (Man.) Ballet, and the following year he was named ballet master of the Dutch National Ballet. Unhappy with problems in the latter company, he and a number of the dancers broke away and formed (1959) Nederlands Dans Theater, which he and Hans van Manen co-directed for a decade and whose image he formed not only by his own choreography but also by the notable modern dancers, including Anna Sokolow, Glen Tetley, and John Butler, that he engaged to create works. In 1969 Harkarvy became co-director, with Lawrence Rhodes, of another troubled company, the Harkness Ballet, which was disbanded the following year. Harkarvy returned to the Dutch National Ballet for a year, and from 1973 to 1982 he was affiliated with the Pennsylvania Ballet, serving first as associate director and then as director, guiding it to increased regard and prominence. At the Juilliard School of Music's Dance division, whose faculty he joined in 1990 and headed from 1992, he expanded the already existing emphasis on both ballet and modern technique and created new programs that provided students with increased choreographic and performing opportunities. As director of the Dance Division, Harkarvy created a program for high school-age dancers, and increased options for Juilliard dancers interested in choreography. Juilliard's Summer Dance Intensive, begun in 1996, is a three-week program for dancers ages 15 to 17 who seek intensive training in both ballet and modern dance. During the 2001-02 season, Juilliard celebrated the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Dance Division. In February, to mark the occasion, a Juilliard Theater program featured works by several prominent Juilliard dance alumni: Base Line, a world premiere by Robert Battle; the New York premiere of Minus 7 by Ohad Naharin; and Thus Is All, a new work by Lar Lubovitch. As a master teacher and coach, he worked with some of the world's leading dancers and with organizations such as the Royal Danish Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, National Ballet of Spain, and the Nederlands Dans Theater. For six years he acted as director of the ballet project at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, conducting workshops in technique, choreography, and the art of the performer. Harkarvy was advisor to the Royal Conservatory of The Hague and to long-term collaborative projects with the Czech and Dutch ministries of culture. He also had participated in a number of Dutch Dance Days festivals as a teacher and panelist, and in 1999 took part in the satellite-linked conference titled Not Just Any Body, which was held at the National Ballet School of Canada in Toronto and connected with more than 10 European and North American cities. An occasional guest instructor for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Harkarvy also was a consultant to the educational program of the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival. Harkarvy choreographed extensively for European, Canadian, and American television, and was the subject of a program in the WNET-TV series, The Creative Person. He received several National Endowment for the Arts and Rockefeller choreographic grants. As guest choreographer for the Juilliard Dance Ensemble in 1987, he created Prom Story, followed by Cinque Madrigali (1991) and Three Debussy Duets (1992). After becoming director of the Juilliard Dance Division, he restaged his ballets, Time Passed Summer, Recital for Cello and Eight Dancers, and Mozart K. 458. The Juilliard School. Press Release. March 30, 2002."}
scopecontent: {"value"=>" 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."}

{"value"=>"The Benjamin Harkarvy papers are arranged in four series:\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/19835#c411550'>Series I: Professional Papers</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1958-2003, undated</div>\n<div class='series-description'>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.</div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/19835#c411655'>Series II: Notes</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>undated</div>\n<div class='series-description'>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.</div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/19835#c411684'>Series III: Photographs</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1910-2000, undated</div>\n<div class='series-description'>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.</div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/19835#c411755'>Series IV: Oversized Materials</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1958, undated</div>\n<div class='series-description'>This Series includes three posters from the time of Harkarvy’s work in Europe.</div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
arrangement: {"value"=>"The collection is organized into 4 series. They are: <ul> <li>Series I: Professional Papers, 1958-2003, undated</li> <li>Series II: Notes, undated</li> <li>Series III: Photographs, 1910-2000, undated</li> <li>Series IV: Oversized Materials, 1958, undated</li></ul>", "supress_display"=>true}
acqinfo: {"value"=>" The Benjamin Harkarvy Papers were donated to the Jerome Robbins Dance Division in 2003 by the Estate of Benjamin Harkarvy."}
userestrict: {"value"=>"For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Jerome Robbins Dance Division."}
processinfo: {"value"=>"Processed by Liavon Yurevich; Machine-readable finding aid created by Liavon Yurevich."}
extent_statement: 13 linear feet (19 boxes)
date_start: 1910
date_end: 2003

Update Collection TOP

Update from EAD XML File

Resources TOP

PDF finding aid

Current PDF finding aid: https://nyplorg-data-archives.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/collection/pdf_finding_aid/DanHarka.pdf

Benjamin Harkarvy papers

Description data TOP

Update Collection TOP

Update from EAD XML File

Resources TOP

PDF finding aid

File attachments

Links to external resources

Repository Assets

Living at NYPL Archives

Export Collection to ArchivesSpace

Child components TOP