NAME: Adair, William

BIRTH DATE/LOCATION:
c. 27 November 1954, Pine Bluff, Arkansas

DEATH DATE/LOCATION:
4 October 1992, New York City, age 38

»
Photo: courtesy of Jennifer Muller/The Works

click to enlarge   
  • identification & bio
  • key contact
  • human repositories
  • video documentation
  • photographic documentation
    		•
  • movement notation
  • production materials
  • oral history
  • personal papers
  • immediate needs
    		•
  • other relevant information
  • overview of works
  • bibliography
  • back to introduction
    •
  • back to index of choreographers
    •

    IDENTIFICATION AND BIO:
    William Adair was a modern dancer, choreographer, and teacher who lived in New York City during his years as a dance professional. He was a member of Jennifer Muller/The Works, and choreographed a piece entitled Along Together for the company. According to the Dance Magazine obituary by Thom, he danced with May O'Donnell, Daniel Maloney, Martita Goshen's Earth Works, and Boston Dance Company as well. For the last five years of his life Adair taught at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York. He also taught at Peridance and Studio 400 in New York City. Adair died of AIDS-related causes.

    KEY CONTACT PERSON(S)/EXECUTOR OF ESTATE:
    Rose Anne Thom, colleague
    Dance Department
    Sarah Lawrence College
    Bronxville, NY 10708
    914-395-2351 (office)
    rthom@slc.edu

    Emmy Devine, colleague
    Dance Department
    Sarah Lawrence College
    Bronxville, NY 10708
    edevine@slc.edu

    Jennifer Muller
    Attn: Stephanie Tack
    131 W. 24th Street, 4th Floor
    New York, NY 10011
    212-691-3803
    212-206-6630 (fax)
    theworksnyc@compuserve.com

    Martita Goshen, fellow dancer/choreographer
    111 Carpenter Avenue
    Sea Cliff, NY 11579
    516-759-3676

    HUMAN REPOSITORIES OF THE WORK
    (name and contact info, relationship to the artist and the work, assessment):
    Jennifer Muller (see above)

    VIDEO DOCUMENTATION
    (location, format, condition, assessment):
    The Dance Collection at the New York Public Library holds a 13-minute videotape screened at Adair's memorial service held at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. The tape, call number MGZIA 4-1528, was compiled and edited by Patricia Masters and includes performances by Adair in solo and group work. Muller reports that she holds video documentation of Alone Together (1989), the one work that Adair created for her company.

    The Dance Department at Sarah Lawrence College holds two videotapes: of a dance created by Adair for students in 1991 and a collage tape of his performances, presumably the same one screened at his memorial service.

    Martita Goshen notes that her works featuring Adair—On the Way to Going Home (1990), Elephant Hearts (1991), and A Lost World (1992)—are being given to the NYPL Dance Collection.

    PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION
    (location, format, condition, assessment):
    The Jennifer Muller company has photographs of Adair dancing on file, along with headshots.

    MOVEMENT NOTATION
    (location, type [including notes taken by dancers], assessment):
    None identified.

    PRODUCTION MATERIALS
    (scores, sound recordings, set/costume designs):
    None identified.

    ORAL HISTORY:
    None identified.

    PERSONAL PAPERS
    (location of newspaper clippings, printed programs, press releases, notes, files, diaries; assessment):
    None identified.

    IMMEDIATE NEEDS
    (archival assistance? storage? other?):
    Search for executor.

    OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION:
    No record of pieces by Adair with Jennifer Muller has been found in the major newspapers.

    Students and faculty of Sarah Lawrence College made a panel for the NAMES Project Quilt in honor of Adair. A photograph of the panel is on display at the Dance Department at Sarah Lawrence.

    LIST OR OVERVIEW OF WORKS
    (title, premiere date, music, production notes, performers):
    Alone Together (1989)—for Jennifer Muller/The Works; premiere at Joyce Theater, New York City.

    BIBLIOGRAPHY:

    • Thom, Rose Anne. 1993. "Obituaries: William Adair." Dance Magazine (January): 42.
    		 
    index of choreographers »

    TOP