NAME: Carter, William

BIRTH DATE/LOCATION:
21 March 1936, Durant, Oklahoma

DEATH DATE/LOCATION:
28 July 1988, Manhattan, age 52

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Photo: Zachary Freyman, courtesy Zachary Freyman Collection, Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations.

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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:
    William Carter's career ranged broadly from ballet to modern and Spanish dance. Though primarily known as an accomplished dancer with American Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet, he also served as choreographer for the 1975 film In a Rehearsal Room, for which he created a ballet danced by Cynthia Gregory and Ivan Nagy. After initial studies with Coralane Duane and Carmelita Maracci, he joined American Ballet Theatre in 1957, dancing in Fancy Free, Interplay, and Rodeo. Two years later he joined New York City Ballet where he created the role of Demetrius in Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream and one of the four male roles in Liebeslieder Walzer. He gradually turned his attention to cofounding the First Chamber Dance Quartet, rejoining ABT in 1970 and simultaneously appearing with the Martha Graham Dance Company. According to a Dance Magazine obituary, he was also a guest artist with Maria Alba's Spanish dance company and toured with his own ballet and flamenco troupe in the early 1980s.

    In addition to his choreography for film, Carter also made works for a variety of companies, including Milwaukee Ballet and Athens Opera Ballet. At the time of his death, he was acting artistic director of the Rome Opera Ballet.

    KEY CONTACT PERSON(S)/EXECUTOR OF ESTATE:
    Longtime companion Vasily Iracledes, and a brother, not trackable

    HUMAN REPOSITORIES OF THE WORK
    (name and contact info, relationship to the artist and the work, assessment):
    None identified.

    VIDEO DOCUMENTATION
    (location, format, condition, assessment):
    The Dance Collection of the New York Public Library holds these relevant videotapes:

    Seven Spanish Songs: Two Excerpts (1971)—television program videotaped at the Max Waldman Studio, New York, photography and lighting by Max Waldman; choreography by William Carter; music by Manuel de Falla (Siete canciones espanoles); 3/4 in. (15 min.); call number MGZIC 9-1844.

    American Ballet Theatre — Dancing for Love (1978)—unedited film interview with William Carter, preparing to dance the title role in Don Quixote, along with excerpts from the ballet featuring Gelsey Kirland and Mikhail Baryshnikov; choreography by Baryshnikov after Gorski and Petipa; film (28 min.); call number MGZHB 12-2509.

    William Carter Dance Ensemble (1984)—documentation of 11 May 1984 performance at the Riverside Dance Festival; dancers inlcuding Ruth Mayer, Nita Angeletta, and William Carter, with guitarist Paco Juanas; VHS (72 min.); call number MGZIA 4-278.

    Dance On: Dedicated to the Memory of William Carter (1989)—produced by Video Workshop for Dance and Theatre, director James Chladek; includes interview footage with Billie Mahoney and Pearl Lang; VHS (28 min.); call number MGZIC 9-2019.

    PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION
    (location, format, condition, assessment):
    The Dance Collection of the New York Public Library holds a file of oversize photographs, call number MGZEAO.

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

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

    ORAL HISTORY:
    The Oral History Archive of the Dance Collection at the New York Public Library includes three sound cassettes of Agnes de Mille interviewing Carter about his work with the Martha Graham Company, call number MGZTC 3-1613.

    PERSONAL PAPERS
    (location of newspaper clippings, printed programs, press releases, notes, files, diaries; assessment):
    The Dance Collection of the New York Public Library holds clippings files for Carter, William, and for William Carter Dance Ensemble, call number MGZR.

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

    OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION:
    None identified.

    LIST OR OVERVIEW OF WORKS
    (title, premiere date, music, production notes, performers):

    Not available.

    BIBLIOGRAPHY:

    • Dance Magazine. 1988. "William Carter: 1936-1988" (October): 96.
    • Devere, John, ed., with writer Robin Woodard and photographer Susan Cook. 1976. In a Rehearsal Room: A Portrait of Two Dancers, Cynthia Gregory and Ivan Nagy, and of a Dance Film in the Making, In a Rehearsal Room, Choreographed by William Carter and Directed by David Hahn. New York: Modernismo.
    • Gruen, John. 1983. [Review of William Carter Dance Ensemble at Theater of the Riverside Church, Dec. 15, 17, 19, 1982.] Dance Magazine (March): 42, 44-45.
    • Stoop, Norma McLain. 1976. "Film in Focus" [Review of In a Rehearsal Room.] Dance Magazine (February): 90-91.
    • Tobias, Tobi. 1988. "William Carter, 1936-1988 [profile of Carter's career]." Dance Magazine (November): 64-65.
         		 
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