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Creator
Bush, Jeffrey; Ipiotis, Celia
Call number
(S) *MGZMD 180
Physical description
34.5 linear feet (70 boxes)
Preferred Citation

The Eye on Dance Records, (S)*MGZMD 180. Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Repository
Jerome Robbins Dance Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

Eye on Dance was an interview program concerned with all varieties of dance, ranging from ballet to modern, tap dancing to break dancing. The series initially aired on WNYC and WNYE in New York from 1981 to 1992. Produced by Celia Ipiotis and Jeffrey Bush and hosted by Ipiotis, Eye on Dance always featured video excerpts to illustrate discussion topics. The Eye on DanceRecords consist of research material, programs and clippings related to the various subjects addressed on the series. There are also some episode scripts from the series, and office files from the non-profit arts organizations in which Ipiotis and Bush were involved.

Biographical/historical information

Eye on Dance was a television series determined to create an historical record of American dance using a combination of interviews and video illustrations. Each episode consisted of one or more interviews either profiling the subject or addressing a larger issue in the world of dance specifically or the arts in general. Each interview was supported by relevant dance visuals, either filmed previously or performed on the set.

Eye on Dancewas produced by Celia Ipiotis and Jeffrey Bush, and was hosted by Ipiotis. After taping a pilot episode in 1979, the series began in 1981 and produced 324 episodes through its conclusion in 1992. The show aired on public television stations WNYC and WNYE in New York City throughout that time, as well as on local cable channels for part of its run. The series continued to be rerun on public television for several years after the production of its last original episode.

Ipiotis, who had been a dancer, and Bush, who was a filmmaker specializing in the arts, had collaborated earlier on the idea of “Videodance”. The concept was that of creating original dance pieces for television and video, as opposed to trying to translate stage choreography to the small screen. Their idea was to use the camera as a moving component in the choreography itself. Ipiotis and Bush also founded Arts Resources in Collaboration, a non-profit organization which fostered local dancers and dance companies, as well as other artists, in Upper Manhattan with the goal of introducing them to the local community. Eye on Dance combined both these projects by providing a television forum for dance and dancers.

The series had an eclectic mix of dance styles represented, with episodes devoted to ballet, break dancing and everything in between. In addition to dancers and choreographers, guests included doctors, filmmakers, politicians and even New York Mets pitcher Ron Darling. Interviews on the show were professional rather than personal, encouraging guests to discuss their techniques, their philosophies and their views on trends and issues in the arts.

Scope and arrangement

The Eye on Dance Records consist primarily of material collected as background for the many guests interviewed on the series. There is research gathered by the show’s producers and staff, organized by episode and frequently annotated with potential questions or comments for the interview. There are publicity materials sent by the various individuals and organizations profiled, which include press kits, advertisements and reproduced clippings. This material is not annotated. The collection includes a large series of dance performance programs, representing the work of many of the dancers and companies seen on the show. There is a series of clippings, as well, addressing the subject of dance, as well as other arts and media subjects, and even recipes and international news.

Apart from the background material on various dancers and companies, the collection includes scripts for more than half the episodes in the series, consisting of Celia Ipiotis’s introductions and proposed questions for the guests. The office files mostly represent the work of Arts Resources in Collaboration and The Living Arts Summer Dance Company, two non-profit arts organizations Ipiotis and Jeffrey Bush managed. There is very little production material, and what is included is mostly studio time schedules. There is, however, a small amount of personal material, such as art class notes and television viewing journals.

The Eye on Dance records are arranged in six series:

  • Series I: Research Material by Episode
    1981-1992
    7.75 linear feet [16 boxes]

    This series consists of clippings, publicity and other material, often annotated, used as preparatory material for individual episodes of Eye on Dance. Most, but not all, episodes are represented.

  • Series II: Scripts
    1981-1990
    .5 linear feet [1 box]

    This series contains partial scripts for episodes of Eye on Dance. The nature of the show precludes the possibility of complete scripts. Thus, the scripts in this series are limited to Celia Ipiotis’s introductions and proposed questions for her guests. 177 episode scripts are included. There is also a script for an episode of Mork and Mindy, found among the other scripts.

  • Series III: Press Materials
    1977-1995
    13.25 linear feet [27 boxes]

    This series contains press releases, publicity material, advertisements and reproduced press clippings from individuals and organizations that were subjects or potential subjects for Eye on Dance.

  • Series IV: Programs
    1979-1995
    9.5 linear feet [19 boxes]

    This series consists of programs of various dance exhibitions.

  • Series V: Clippings
    1966-1988
    1 linear foot [2 boxes]

    This series consists of clippings on a wide variety of subjects, including not only dance but many other art forms, as well as food and general news.

  • Series VI: Office Files
    1974-1989
    2.5 linear feet [5 boxes]

    The files included in this series represent Arts Resources in Collaborationand The Living Arts Summer Dance Company, two non-profit arts organizations in which Celia IpiotisandJeffrey Bushwere involved before and during their Eye on Dance period. The series also includes some personal material, a set of art slides and a small amount of production material relating to Eye on Dance.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Celia Ipiotis

Processing information

Processed by Lee Spilberg; Machine-readable finding aid created by Lee Spilberg.

Key terms

Names

Using the collection

Location

Jerome Robbins Dance Division
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-7498
Third Floor

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Jerome Robbins Dance Division.