Glen Tetley
Glen Tetley (February 3, 1926 – January 26, 2007) was an American ballet and modern dancer as well as a
Biography
Glenford Andrew Tetley, Jr. was born on February 3, 1926, in
He began his career as a dancer, dancing in Hanya Holm's Broadway production of Kiss Me, Kate in 1948 and Juno in 1959, as well as with the New York City Opera Ballet, John Butler's American Dance Theatre, and the Joffrey Ballet where he was an original member.[3] Later he danced with American Ballet Theatre and Jerome Robbins's Ballets: USA.[4] Tetley's choreographic style rises from his experiences with modern dance teachers like Holm and Martha Graham as well as his time with ballet teachers such as Antony Tudor and Margaret Craske.[5] Because of this mix in dance education, Tetley's choreography is a distinct blend between ballet and modern dance.[6] Tetley wanted to achieve a mix of "modern dance's visceral earthiness with the ethereal lyricism of classical ballet".[7] Mary Hinkson, a former dancer from the original Martha Graham company, has assisted Tetley all over the world. Her knowledge of the Graham technique helped shaping ballet dancers into Tetley's choreography.
Choreography
What made Tetley stand out among other choreographers was his ability to seamlessly mix ballet and modern dance. Tetley choreographed over 50 ballets for some of the world's most famous dance companies. Tetley made his choreographic premier in 1962 with
Style
Throughout his choreography Tetley displayed "fervid intensity, sinuous nonstop propulsion, and voluptuous physicality".[15] While Tetley does not intentionally create abstract pieces, he uses his movement in order to "convey his meditations on themes from myth, music, theater, and literature".[16]
Personal life
Scott Douglas was his long term partner for 40 years.[17] On January 26, 2007, Tetley died in Florida after a battle with skin cancer. With 80 years of age, and a life expectancy of around 55 years, his life was rather long. Dancers, such as Karen Kain, a member of the National Ballet of Canada, remember Tetley as a choreographer who had a "ferocious demand for total artistic commitment", while David Allan recalls that Tetley "fired up your imagination and made you look at yourself differently".[18] Among the members of his chamber company was Christopher Bruce, the lead in his signature work, Pierrot Lunaire who cites Tetley as one of his inspirations.
Works
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- 1977: ballet "Mythical Hunters"
References
- ^ Allen Robertson, "Glen Tetley", in International Encyclopedia of Dance, vol. 6, ed. Selma Jeanne Cohen (New York: Oxford University Press, 1998), 145.
- ^ Allen Robertson, "Glen Tetley".
- ^ Allen Robertson, "Glen Tetley".
- ^ Allen Robertson, "Glen Tetley".
- ^ American Ballet Theatre, "Glen Tetley".
- ^ Glen Tetley, in Encyclopædia Britannica.
- ^ Michael F. Crabb, Glen Tetley (1926-2007), Dance Magazine, January 2007.
- ^ "Pierrot Lunaire". American Ballet Theatre. 2008. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
- ^ Allen Robertson, "Glen Tetley".
- ^ Allen Robertson, "Glen Tetley".
- ^ American Ballet Theatre, "Glen Tetley".
- ^ American Ballet Theatre, "Glen Tetley".
- ^ Allen Robertson, "Glen Tetley".
- ^ Michael F. Crabb, "Glen Tetley (1926-2007)".
- ^ Allen Robertson, "Glen Tetley".
- ^ Allen Robertson, "Glen Tetley".
- ^ Dunning, Jennifer (March 27, 1996). "Scott Douglas, 70, a Dancer and Ballet Choreographer". The New York Times. p. D21.
- ^ Michael F. Crabb, "Glen Tetley (1926-2007)".