NAME: Balcena, Antony (Tony) Galindo

BIRTH DATE/LOCATION:
30 April 1954

DEATH DATE/LOCATION:
23 November 1995, Los Angeles, age 41

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Photo: courtesy University of California—Los Angeles Special Collections

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  • 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
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    IDENTIFICATION AND BIO:
    Dancer and choreographer Antony Balcena began his dance career in New York, performing in the companies of Daniel Lewis, Elizabeth Keen, and Sophie Maslow, among others. Much influenced by the lyricism of Jose Limon, Balcena also performed and restaged works of his mentor Anna Sokolow. He was assistant artistic director and dancer with Sarah Elgart and Company for eight years. Balcena also performed on- and off-Broadway, and choreographed and performed in film, television, and video. In 1989 and 1990, he participated in the Los Angeles Dance Kaleidoscocope. In the final six years of his life he choreographed several controversial works about AIDS—including Dudes (1989) and Shell of Flesh (1990)—and he choreographed three benefit shows for the AIDS Hospice Foundation and Charity Parody Productions in Hollywood. He also directed and choreographed A.I.D.S., the Musical. In the fall of 1990 Balcena was nominated by the Los Angeles Dance Resource Center for the Dewar's Young Artist Award; in 1991, he received the Award of Merit from the Juilliard School Los Angeles Alumni Chapter and was awarded first place at the Nuevo L.A. Chicago Danceworks Festival; in 1992, he was presented the Arizona State University Department of Dance Outstanding Choreographer Award. Balcena received his B.F.A. from the Juilliard School (1977), his M.A. from UCLA (1984), and his M.F.A. from Arizona State (1992). He served on the faculty of Loyola Marymount University for more than a decade; taught at Plaza de la Raza, Los Angeles; and taught at Arizona State University in Tempe (1993-1994).

    KEY CONTACT PERSON(S)/EXECUTOR OF ESTATE:
    Michael Dylan Griffin, Balcena's partner and textual collaborator; also executor mddgriff@aol.com

    Judith M. Scalin, Chair
    Department of Theatre Arts and Dance
    Loyola Marymount University
    One LMU Drive
    Los Angeles, CA 90045-8316
    jscalin@lmmail.lmu.edu

    HUMAN REPOSITORIES OF THE WORK
    (name and contact info, relationship to the artist and the work, assessment):
    Andy Miller, Juilliard classmate and friend
    415-403-8805 (work)
    amiller@hrblaw.com

    Allen Maniker
    maniker@umdnj.edu

    Bill Rangel, set designer
    323-644-3362 (home)
    323-665-0823 (work)
    Billrangel@aol.com

    Nan Friedman, dancer
    2325 33 St.
    Santa Monica, CA 90405
    310-452-7949
    310-450-6742 (fax)
    nanf1@earthlink.net

    VIDEO DOCUMENTATION
    (location, format, condition, assessment):
    According to Scalin, Balcena's work for students was documented on video. She estimates that her department holds 6-8 of Balcena's works on video, but she warns that the quality is extremely poor. These tapes are not catalogued; searching required.

    Nan Friedman holds a video of Balcena's final Highways performance.

    Griffin reports that a large number of videotapes is stored in a friend's storage space. He has given all of his videos to UCLA's Special Collections, including Mike & Tony, a 14-minute video documentary by William Grimes in which Griffin reflects on the inextricable nature of his relationship with Balcena and the writing of his first novel.Contact UCLA Special Collections.

    PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION
    (location, format, condition, assessment):
    According to Andrew Miller, the Juilliard School of Dance is a likely source of photographs and films as "Tony figured prominently in all year-end performances" (email 9-8-02).

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

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

    ORAL HISTORY:
    None identified.

    PERSONAL PAPERS
    (location of newspaper clippings, printed programs, press releases, notes, files, diaries; assessment):
    Loyola Marymount University organized a tribute to Balcena after his death. Judy Scalin (see above) keeps a file on that performance that is likely to include clippings, programs, and notes. Balcena's master thesis from Arizona State University (1992) would be on file in that university's library, and Allen Maniker holds a copy. Griffin holds copies of Balcena's M.A. and M.F.A. theses.

    Other programs and personal papers were in Griffin's possession; he has turned these over to UCLA Special Collections.

    IMMEDIATE NEEDS
    (archival assistance? storage? other?):
    Time and personnel to collect, organize, and deposit records of Balcena's work for safekeeping. As of December 2000, Griffin was negotiating a donation to UCLA Special Collections which has since been completed.

    OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION:
    Balcena's M.A. thesis from UCLA was titled Literature into Dance: the Aesthetics of Yukio Mishima, and his M.F.A. from Arizona State University culminated in a thesis concert titled Shard Psalm Triptych.

    Griffin's unpublished novel Kicks in the Eye: is a fictionalization of his life with Balcena (Tony is "Gabe"), climaxing at his deathbed.

    LIST OR OVERVIEW OF WORKS
    (title, premiere date, music, production notes, performers):
    Not available. This list could eventually be compiled from programs and videotapes being transferred to UCLA Special Collections by Michael Griffin.

    BIBLIOGRAPHY:
    Not available. Could be compiled from materials at UCLA Special Collections.

    		 


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