IDENTIFICATION AND BIO:
A Philadelphia native, Rodney Griffin began dancing at the Martha Graham school and made his Broadway debut in Donald McKayle's A Time for Singing. In 1971 Griffin began to choreograph independently and co-founded Theatre Dance Collection, a performing troupe. He received three fellowships for choreography from the NEA and created pieces for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Pennsylvania Ballet, Hartford Ballet, Dayton Ballet, and the Bat-Dor Company of Israel. In 1983, during a long association with Santa Fe Opera, Griffin choreographed the premiere of John Eaton's The Tempest, and he also created choreography for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Metropolitan Opera in New York City and the Boston Lyric Opera. Griffin died of AIDS-related causes.
KEY CONTACT PERSON(S)/EXECUTOR OF ESTATE:
None identified.
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 opera companies with which he was associated presumably maintain video archives. Also, the following videotape is in the Dance Collection of the New York Public Library:
Misalliance (1974)—videotaped for the Jerome Robbins Archive by Judith Mann at Cinecitta, Rome, Italy, and at the American Theatre Lab, New York in October; choreography by Rodney Griffin, music by Jacques Ibert (Divertissement), costumes designed by Holmes Easley and executed by Merrill Leighton; one 3/4 in videocassette (17 1/2 min.); call number MGZIC 5-117.
PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION
(location, format, condition, assessment):
None identified.
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):
The Dance Collection of the New York Public Library maintains a clippings file for "Griffin, Rodney," and for "Incidental Dances: Joan of Arc at the Stake," call number MGZR.
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
(archival assistance? storage? other?):
Search for executor.
OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION:
It should be noted that, in some reviews, Rodney Griffin's surname is given as Griffen, assuming that this is the same person.
LIST OR OVERVIEW OF WORKS
(title, premiere date, music, production notes, performers):
This partial listing is from McDonagh (see below); its ends abruptly in 1975:
Cave Paintings (1972)
Guaranteed Pure (1972)
Misalliance (first version) (1972)
The Lady Doth Protest (1972)
Race (1972)
Not in Your Hands (1972)
Virginals (1972)
Spanish Steps (1972)
Canon (1972)
Dawning (1972)
Duetino (1972)
Chamber Music (1972)
Twelve Days of Christmas (1972)
Winter Lady (1972)
The Ugly Duckling (1972)
The Sleigh Ride (1972)
The Nest (1972)
Tintype (1973)
Tombmates (1973)
Puppets (1973)
For the Birds (1973)
The Lovers (1973)
Ends (1973)
Ancestral Voices (1973)
The Tail of the Bumblebee (1973)
Courtly Dances (1973)
Mandragor (1973)
The Miraculous Mandarin (1974)
Misalliance (revised) (1974)
Summer Lightning (1975)
The Fool's Almanac (1975)
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
- Anderson, Jack. 1977. "Dancing in a January World: Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers." Dance Magazine (March): [44]-49, illus.
- Anderson, Jack. 1978. "Le Groupe de la Place Royale [New York Roundabout Theatre, Dec. 14-18, 1977]; Theatre Dance Collection [Brooklyn Academy of Music, Dec. 15-18]." Dance Magazine (March): 35-36, 38-39.
- Dance and Dancers. 1992. "Obituary" (April): 34.
- Dance Magazine. 1992. "Obituary: Rodney Griffin." New York. (May): 34.
- Dunning, Jennifer. 1976. "Of Shouts and Stomps and Cultural Achievements: Clark Center Dance Festival." Dance Magazine (October): 33, 68, 77-78, 80.
- Goldner, Nancy. 1978. "Pennsylvania Ballet: Brooklyn Academy of Music, Oct 25-30, 1977." Dance News (February): 13.
- McDonagh, Don. 1976. "Rodney Griffin." The Complete Guide to Modern Dance. Garden City, New York: Doubleday. 179-182.
- Pastore, Louise. 1971. "The Left of Spring, Kaufmann Concert Hall, New York City, May 9, 1971." Dance Magazine (July): 79.
- Pikula, Joan. 1976. "Theatre Dance Collection: a Gathering of Pragmatic Idealists." Dance Magazine (May): [59]-[74] illus, ports.
- Robertson, Michael. 1978. "Let's Go to the Ballet Tonight": the Pennsylvania Ballet (Brooklyn Academy of Music, Oct. 25-30, 1977;) the Israel Ballet (Imperial Theater, Oct. 17); Eglevsky Ballet (Hofstra University, Oct. 14-16); Linea Dance Company (Brooklyn College, Sept. 30-Oct. 2); Bernhard Ballet (Westport Country Playhouse, Nov. 5)." Dance Magazine (January): 26-34.
- Shaw, Alan J. 1976. "Mimics and Mavericks [and] Theatre Dance Collection, Keith Berger, Two "Coppelias." Dance Magazine (September): 78, 80.
- Sowden, Dora. 1988. "American Dancemakers at Work in Israel." Dance Magazine (March): 112-113.
- Tobias, Tobi. 1982. "Visual Inspection." New York (24 May): 86-87, illus.
