Duncan developed Dance Theater Workshop (DTW) between 1964 and 1975. Initially located in his narrow loft, the company eventually moved to Jerome Robbins's American Theater Lab on 19th Street—the current home of DTW, which has since developed into a major dance presenting organization. Duncan's goal, which he pursued with associate director Art Bauman, was to promote a loose collective of choreographers and dancers—among them Martha Clarke, Deborah Jowitt, Linda Tarnay, Elizabeth Keene, Kathryn Posin, Lenore Latimer, Wendy Perron, Cliff Keuter, Kei Takei, Judith Dunn, Rudy Perez, James Cunningham, Frances Alenifoff, Ze'eva Cohen, and Tina Croll.

In 1977, Duncan began teaching at the University of Maryland and directing its resident touring company, IMPETUS, while performing and producing in New York. The Dance Collection of the Lincoln Center Library has filmed five of Duncan's works. He twice received choreographic grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a Creative Artists Public Service Fellowship in 1976, the Maryland State Arts Council, the American Dance Guild, the American College Dance Festival Association, and a Fulbright Fellowship in 1988 for his travels and work in Mexico.

In the final months of Duncan's life, friend and co-worker Kathy Wildberger learned from Jeff his signature work La Mesa Del Brujo, which was performed prior to his death. Duncan was the choreographic consultant to Wildberger's PATH Dance Company for the ten years they worked together. Duncan's works have been entrusted to her. Duncan died of complications resulting from AIDS in 1989.

KEY CONTACT PERSON(S)/EXECUTOR OF ESTATE:
Kathy Wildberger, heir with rights to Duncan's works
Vassar College
Box 32
124 Raymond Ave.
Poughkeepsie, NY 12604
kawildberger@vassar.edu
dancingkathy@earthlink.net

Juliet Forrest, friend
2011 Pheasant Drive, #202
Baltimore, MD 21209
410-337-6393 (work)
410-653-0258 (office)
410-337-6433 (fax)
jforrest@goucher.edu

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

VIDEO DOCUMENTATION
(location, format, condition, assessment):
According to Juliet Forrest, the Dance Collection of the New York Public Library was given all of Duncan's video documents:

Jeff Duncan Group Works (n.d.)—compilation of three unidentified works, locations/dates of recording unknown; 3/4 in. (56 min.); call number MGZIC 9-2536.

Bach Fifth Clavier Concerto [and] Errands (1976)—two works by Jeff Duncan videotaped in performance at Denison University, Granville, Ohio, December 1976; performed by members of Jeff Duncan Dance Repertory Company with faculty members and students of Denison University; 3/4 in. (29 min.); call number MGZIC 9-2394.

The Glade (1977)—choreography by Jeff Duncan; music by Olivier Messiaen; performed by Gary Davis and Paul Wilson of the Jeff Duncan Dance Repertory Comapny; videotaped in costume onstage at American Theater Lab, New York, June 1977; 3/4 in. (7 min.); call number MGZIC 9-2388.

Four Mythic Scenes (1977)—choreography by Jeff Duncan; music by George Crumb (Makrokosmos III); performed by Jeff Duncan Dance Repertory Company: Gary Davis, Laurie McKirahan, Stuart Smith, Paul Wilson, Randolyn Zinn, with Michael Aitchison, Sharon Hawkes, and guest artist Vic Stornant; videotaped in dress rehearsal (?) at American Theater Lab, New York, June 1977; 3/4 in. (30 min.); call number MGZIC 9-2387.

Jeff Duncan Celebrates Solos, 1954-1980 (1980)—videotaped in performance at American Theater Lab, New York, as part of Dance theater Workshop's The Winter Events 1980, 2 February 1980, project director Dennis Diamond; Antique Epigrams, Terrestrial Figure, Suite from Resonances, Oracle, and La Mesa del Brujo; 3/4 in. (70 min); call number MGZIC 9-2384.

A Celebration in Memory of the Life and Work of Jeff Duncan, 1930-1989 (1989)—video document of memorial service held at Dance Theater Workshop's Bessie Schoenberg Theater, New York, 8 December 1989; videography by Video D. Studios; master of ceremonies Deborah Jowitt, with excerpts from Duncan's Square (1979) danced by Kathy Wildberger and Winesburg Portraits (1963) danced by Gwen Welliver and Josh Walbert, with a filmed performance of the section titled Departure danced by Jeff Duncan.

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

MOVEMENT NOTATION
(location, type [including notes taken by dancers], assessment):
The Dance Notation Bureau has notated two works by Duncan—Three Fictitious Games and Winesburg Portraits. These works are held in DNB archives, along with a posed photograph of dancers from Fictitious Games.

PRODUCTION MATERIALS
(scores, sound recordings, set/costume designs):
Kathy Wildberger holds costumes and sound recordings.

ORAL HISTORY:
Kathy Wildberger holds DTW memoirs and personal history tape recorded on and around Jeff Duncan's birthday in 1989.

The Dance Collection of the New York Public Library holds several oral history documents:

From 3 June to 6 July 1992 in New York City, Lesley Farlow conducted an oral history interview with Art Bauman in which he discussed Jeff Duncan at length. The oral history is part of the collection of the Dance Collection of the New York Public Library, call number MGZTC3-1764 (soundtape) and MGZTC 3-1764 (transcript). An additional oral history interview with Jeff Duncan and Art Bauman together is held at the Dance Collection, call number MGZTC 3-1712.

In 1984, Duncan was interviewed by Billie Mahoney for the Dance On series aired on public access cable television. The 3/4 in. videotape (28 min.) is in the Dance Collection of the New York Public Library, call number MGZIC 9-868.

PERSONAL PAPERS
(location of newspaper clippings, printed programs, press releases, notes, files, diaries; assessment):
The Dance Collection of the New York Public Library includes a clippings file for "Duncan, Jeff," call number MGZR.

IMMEDIATE NEEDS
(archival assistance? storage? other?):
None identified.

OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION:
Duncan created roles in Sokolow's Lyric Suite (1954), Session '58 (1958), and Rooms (1955).

According to Jowitt's obituary (see below), "This gifted dancemaker, this brilliant organizer, this generous and cheerful man never received quite the recognition that he craved for his own choreography."

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

Image (1954)

Antique Epigrams (1957)

Three Fictitious Games (1957)

Frames (1958)

Terrestrial Figure (1959)

Opus I, No. 1 (1960)

Outdoors Suite (1960)

Il Combattimento (1961)

Rite of Source (1962)

Quartet (1962)

Duet (1963)

Trio (1963)

Winesburg Portraits (1963)

Revelation (1964)

Six Bagatelles (1964)

Diversions for Five (1964)

Glimpse (1965)

Summer Trio (1965)

Canticles (1966)

Statement (1966)

Studies for an Ominous Age (1966)

Preludes (1966)

Diminishing Landscape (1966)

Three Studies (1967)

View—Part I (1967)

Royal Hunt of the Sun (1969)

Body Parts (1969)

Vinculum (1969)

Les SirÀnes (1969)

Resonances (1969)

The Glade (1970)

Douprelude (1971)

Lenten Suite (1971)

Space Test (1971)

Shore Song (1972)

Canticles No. 2 for Three (1973)

View (entire piece) (1973)

Cantique de Cantique (1973)

Pieces in May (1974)

Phases of the Oracle (1974)

Bach Fifth Clavier Concerto (1975)

Contrast Suite (1976)

Errands (1976)

Four Mythic Scenes (1977)

The Glade (1977)

Sky Paths/Places (1977)

Quartet for Women (1977)

Seasons (1978)

Heptasoph Pieces (aka Square) (1979)

La Mesa Del Brujo (1980)

Canticles (1981)

The Goddesses (1981)

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

• Cohen-Stratyer, Barbara Naomi. 1982. The Biographical Dictionary of Dance. New York: Schirmer Books; London: Colliner Macmillan.
• Dunning, Jennifer. 1985. "A Laboratory for New Dance Marks a Milestone." New York Times (22 September).
• ________.1986. "The Dance: Solos by Jeff Duncan." New York Times (11 May): 50.
• ________. 1989. "Dance Review: Friends Pay Tribute to a Poet of Motion." New York Times (7 January): E5.
• ________. 1991. "DTW: A Very Personal History." Voice (16 April)
• Dance USA. 1989. "Obituaries: Jeff Duncan" (August/September): 22.
• Gunther, Katie. 1986. "Duncan Named for Fulbright Scholarship." The Baltimore Sun (12 January).
• Jowitt, Deborah. 1989. "Obituaries: Remembering Jeff Duncan." Dance Magazine (November): 28.
• Mazo, Joseph H. 1994. "Review: Footnotes." Voice (21 June).
• McDonagh, Don. 1976. "Jeff Duncan." The Complete Guide to Modern Dance. New York: Doubleday. 160-64.
• Purdy, Pamela. 1989. "Ghost Dance." The City Paper (March).
• Rosen, Lillie F. 1980. "Review: Jeff Duncan Celebrates Solos, 1954-80." Dance News (April): 13.