Greenberg came to New York from Minnesota in 1976 and danced with a variety of modern dance companies before joining the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. He began making his own work in 1979, forming his company, Dance By Neil Greenberg, in 1986. He has been on the faculty of SUNY Purchase since 1987 and served as Dance Curator at The Kitchen from 1995 to 99.

KEY CONTACT PERSON(S)/EXECUTOR OF ESTATE:
Neil Greenberg
Dance By Neil Greenberg
67 East 2nd Street, #39
New York, NY 10003
212-982-1150
neil.greenberg@earthlink.net

HUMAN REPOSITORIES OF THE WORK
(name and contact info, relationship to the artist and the work, assessment):
Neil Greenberg and the dancers of his company.

VIDEO DOCUMENTATION
(location, format, condition, assessment):
The following videotapes are held by the Dance Collection of the New York Public Library:

Alive & Kicking: Dance by Neil Greenberg (1996)—compilation video with excerpts of choreography by Neil Greenberg; includes interview with Greenberg and performance of his solo from Not-about-AIDS-dance; presented by Loisaida Arts, Inc.; produced and directed by Charles Dennis; VHS (28 min.); call number MGZIA 4-3769.

Choreographers Showcase (1979)—compilation video presented by Dance Theater Workshop; includes Neil Greenberg's A Duet videotaped in performance at American Theatre Laboratory, NY, 20 November; two ¾ in. videocassettes (76 min.); call number MGZIC 9-6111.

Collaborative editing to document dance (1999)—a forum of choreographers and videographers presented by the Dance Collection of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts; videotaped at Cooper Union's Great Hall, New York, 28 June 28; VHS videocassette (120 min.); call number MGZIA 4-3690.

Crux Eruption (1994)—videotaped in performance at The Kitchen, New York, 15 December; choreography and performance by Neil Greenberg; one ¾ in. videocassette (9 min.); call number MGZIC 9-4776.

Dance by Neil Greenberg (1991)—compilation video taped on 20 January at Performance Space 122; includes choreographic excerpts by Neil Greenberg; two ¾ in. videocassettes (64 min.); call number MGZIC 9-4725.

Dance by Neil Greenberg (1994)—compilation video including excerpts of Neil Greenberg's Not-about-AIDS-dance; performed at The Kitchen, 8 May; one ¾ in. videocassette (59 min.); call number MGZIC 9-4390.

Dance by Neil Greenberg (1995)—video compilation including Not-about-AIDS-dance; videotaped on 17 December at Performance Space 122, New York; choreography and performance by Neil Greenberg; VHS (51 min.); call number MGZIA 4-2546.

Dance by Neil Greenberg (1997)—compilation video including choreographic and performance excerpts by Greenberg; presented by the Joyce Theater Foundation, Inc.; videotaped in performance at the Joyce Theater, New York, 17 January; two ¾ in. videocassettes (79 min.); call number MGZIC 9-5470.

Dance by Neil Greenberg (2000)—compilation of excerpts from performance at the Joyce Theater, New York, 15 January; presented by the Joyce Theater Foundation; choreography and text by Neil Greenberg; VHS (70 min.); call number MGZIA 4-3939.

Danspace Benefit (1998)—videotaped at St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery, New York, 14 October as part of the Danspace Video Archival Project; two ¾ in. videocassettes (102 min.); call number MGZIC 9-2299.

Food for Thought: a Benefit for Neighborhood Food Distribution Programs (1995)—compilation video from performance at St. Mark's Mark's Church in-the-Bowery, New York, 4 November; presented by Danspace Project; including excerpts from Neil Greenberg's Not-About-AIDS-Dance; VHS (77 min.); call number MGZIA 4-2896.

Food for Thought: a Benefit for Neighborhood Food Distribution Programs (1997)—compilation video from performance at St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery, New York, 12 December; presented by Danspace Project; including excerpts from Neil Greenberg's Part Three (My Fair Lady); VHS videocassette (84 min.); call number MGZIA 4-3886.

Not-About-AIDS-Dance (1994)—choreography and text by Neil Greenberg; music fragments compiled and arranged by Zeena Parkins; videotaped in performance at The Kitchen, New York, on 15 December; one ¾ in. videocassette (55 min.); call number MGZIC 9-4775.

Part Three (Judy Garland) (1998)—presented by 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Project; choreography by Neil Greenberg; videotaped in performance at Playhouse 91, New York, on 4 April; one ¾ in. videocassette (23 min.); call number MGZIC 9-5948.

Part Three (Luck) (1998)—compilation video from performance at Playhouse 91, 4 April; presented by 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Project; choreography and text by Neil Greenberg; one ¾ in. videocassette (37 min.); call number MGZIC 9-5947.

Part Three (My Fair Lady) (1998)—videotaped in performance at Playhouse 91, New York, 4 April; choreography and performance by Neil Greenberg; one ¾ in. videocassette (27 min.); call number MGZIC 9-5949.

This is what happened (1999)—compilation video of excerpts, followed by the complete piece; videotaped in performance at Performance Space 122 on 7 May; choreography and text by Neil Greenberg; music by Bernard Herrmann; VHS (51 min.); call number MGZIA 4-3784.

Wired: a Benefit for Performance Space 122 (1989)—compilation video including excerpts choreographed by Neil Greenberg; videotaped in performance at Performance Space 122, New York, on 5 February; three ¾ in. videocassettes (129 min.); call number MGZIC 9-4575.

PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION
(location, format, condition, assessment):
The Dance Collection of the New York Public Library boasts an unusually rich collection of photographs of Greenberg and his company:

Greenberg, Neil, photographs. Johan Elbers, photographer—one folder of photographic prints; b&w; 25 x 20 cm. or smaller; call number MGZEA (Greenberg, Neil, photographs).

The Disco Project. Tom Brazil, photographer (199-?)—one photographic print of Neil Greenberg performing in his work; b&w; 8 x 10 in.; also available in electronic form, digitized by NYPL; call number MGZEA (Greenberg, Neil, no. 4); call number WDY 98-1, no. 1006.

The Disco Project. Paula Court, photographer (199-?)—one photographic print of the Dance by Neil Greenberg in Greenberg's work; b&w; 8 x 10 in.; also available in electronic form, digitized by NYPL; call number MGZEA (Greenberg, Neil, no. 5); call number WDY 98-1, no. 1007.

The Disco Project. Dona Ann McAdams, photographer (199-?)—one photographic print of the Dance by Neil Greenberg company in Greenberg's piece; bow; 8 x 10 in.; also available in electronic form, digitized by NYPL; call number MGZEA (Greenberg, Neil, no. 9); call number WDY 98-1, no. 1013.

The Disco Project. Dona Ann McAdams, photographer (199-?)—one photographic print of Neil Greenberg in his work; b&w; 8 x 10 in.; also available in electronic form, digitized by NYPL; call number MGZEA (Greenberg, Neil, no. 10); call number WDY 98-1, no. 1014.

Not-About-AIDS-Dance. Johan Elbers, photographer (199-?)—one photographic print of Neil Greenberg and Justine Lynch in Greenberg's work; b&w; 8 x 10 in.; also available in electronic form, digitized by NYPL; call number MGZEA (Greenberg, Neil, no. 7); call number WDY 98-1, no. 1009.

Not-About-AIDS-Dance. Alice Garik, photographer (199-?)—one photographic print of Neil Greenberg in his work; b&w; 10 x 8 in.; also available in electronic form, digitized by NYPL; call number MGZEA (Greenberg, Neil, no. 8); call number WDY 98-1, no. 1010.

Not-About-AIDS-Dance. Johan Elbers, photographer (1994)—one photographic print of Neil Greenberg in his work; b&w; 10 x 8 in.; also available in electronic form, digitized by NYPL; call number MGZEA (Greenberg, Neil, no. 6); call number WDY 98-1, no. 1008.

Part Three (My Fair Lady). Tom Brazil, photographer (199-?)—one photographic print of Ellen Barnaby, Neil Greenberg and Justine Lynch, dancers with Dance by Neil Greenberg, performing Greenberg's work; b&w; 8 x 10 in.; also available in electronic form, digitized by NYPL; call number MGZEA (Greenberg, Neil, no. 2); call number WDY 98-1, no. 1004.

Part Three (My Fair Lady). Tom Brazil, photographer (199-?)—one photographic print of Paige Martin and Neil Greenberg, dancers with Dance by Neil Greenberg, performing Greenberg's piece; b&w; 8 x 10 in.; also available in electronic form, digitized by NYPL; call number MGZEA (Greenberg, Neil, no. 3); call number WDY 98-1, no. 1005.

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

PRODUCTION MATERIALS
(scores, sound recordings, set/costume designs):
These materials are in the possession of Neil Greenberg.

ORAL HISTORY:
An excellent oral history with Greenberg is available at the New York Public Library Dance Collection:

Interview with Neil Greenberg (1995)—sound recording with Neil Greenberg as interviewee; interview by Susan Kraft at the Dance Collection of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and other locations; seven sound cassettes (9 hr., 30 min.) + 1 transcript (164 leaves); call number MGZMT 3-1886 (transcript); call number MGZTC 3-1886 (sound cassette).

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

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

OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION:
Greenberg's work is better documented than most downtown choreographers, owing to his participation in a documentation initiative sponsored by the New York Public Library Dance Collection.

LIST OR OVERVIEW OF WORKS
(title, premiere date, music, production notes, performers):
From a spreadsheet provided by Neil Greenberg; all works for Dance By Neil Greenberg unless otherwise noted:

Sibling Duet (1981)

Six Years (1983)

Hero (1983)

Amnesty (1985)

Morphine (1986)

MacGuffin or How Meanings Get Lost (1987)

A Gun on the Stage (1988)—for SUNY Purchase Dance Corps

Stage-Gun-Dance (1988)

Stage-Gun-Solos (1989)

Branches, Swords, Flowers, Spears, Ribbons (1990)

Destiny Dance (1991)

The Pursuit of Certainty (1991)—for SUNY Purchase Dance Corps

Crux Eruption (1991)

I Am a Miserable and Selfish Person (Kick Me Dance) (1992)

A Truth Dance (1993)

Stage-Gun-Dance (1994)—for SUNY Purchase Dance Corps

Not-About-AIDS-Dance (1994)

The Disco Project (1995)

Part Three (My Fair Lady) (1997)

Part Three (Judy Garland) (1997)

Part Three (Luck) (1998)

New Material Dance (1998)—for University of Minnesota Dance Theater

Tchaikovsky Dance (1998)—for White Oak Dance Project

MacGuffin or How Meanings Get Lost (Revisited) (1999)—for Mikhail Baryshnikov and White Oak Dance Project

This is What Happened (1999)

Verbatim (1999)—for Kate Gower of Ricochet Dance Co.

Story (2000)—for SUNY Purchase Dance Corps

Sequel (2000)

Construction With Varied Materials (2001)

P.O.V. [point of view] (2002)—for Ricochet Dance Co.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

• Dalva, Nancy Vreeland. 1985. "Neil Greenberg." Dance Magazine (April): 48.
• Harris, William. 1994-95. "Neil Greenberg: 'Gravity is a submission to fate.'" Dance Ink 5 (4) (Winter): 32-33, illus.
• Jowitt, Deborah. 1998. "Dancing to Life, Dance by Neil Greenberg." The Village Voice (April 21): 101.
• Lewis, Julinda. 1995. "Reviews, New York City: NYC view, Neil Greenberg." Dance Magazine (April): 83.
• Roman, David. 2000. "Not-About-AIDS." GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies 6 (1): 1-28, illus.
• Ploebst, Helmut. 1997. "Dance by Neil Greenberg." Tanz Affiche. Wien. Jahrg. 10 (70) (Juni): 19, illus.
• Smith, Liz. 1999. "Weekend of 'Love' for Two." Los Angeles Times (January 5).
• Sulcas, Roslyn, Camille Hardy, Nancy Vreeland Dalva, Amanda Smith, Gus Solomons, Anna Tobias and Alice Naude. 1997. "What's new?" Dance Magazine (April): 86-88, illus.
• Whitaker, Rick. 1997. "A conversation with Neil Greenberg, Rick Whitaker and Don Daniels." Ballet Review 25 (1) (Spring): 67-89, illus.
• Witchel, Leigh. 1998. "Neil Greenberg's trilogy: a survivor's tale." Ballet Review 26 (3) (Fall): 62-68, illus.
• Zimmer, Elizabeth. 1982. "Arnie Zane and Dancers" [P.S. 122, N.Y., 11-13 Sept. 1981]. Dance Magazine (January): 40-45.