IDENTIFICATION AND BIO:
After dancing with the Cunningham Company for eight years, Robert Kovich left the company in 1981 to pursue independent choreography. Much of his work was accomplished in France, with performances at the Pompidou Center in Paris, the Maison de la Danse in Lyon, and the Festival at Arles. His New York Times obituary (see below) describes him as "a stern-seeming virtuoso dancer [who] had an ironic wit, great physical deftness and precision and a sense of vivid coloration, qualities that also characterized his dances." The stated cause of death was cancer, though David Vaughan, archivist of the Cunningham Dance Foundation, indicates in an email communication (17 Nov 2000) that the cancer was AIDS-related.
KEY CONTACT PERSON(S)/EXECUTOR OF ESTATE:
Surivived by his parents, John and Loretta Kovich of Hollister, California, and a sister, Janette Ormund of Portland, Oregon, not trackable via Internet.
David Vaughan, archivist
Cunningham Dance Foundation
55 Bethune Street
New York, New York 10014
212-255-8240, ext. 29
212-633-2453 (fax)
vaughan@merce.org
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):
Kovich is in several films and videotapes distributed by the Cunningham Dance Foundation; these films are also available for viewing at the Dance Collection of the New York Public Library.
PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION
(location, format, condition, assessment):
There are many photographs of Kovich as a dancer, though none as a choreographer, in the archives of the Cunningham Dance Foundation.
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):
None identified.
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:
- Aubry, Chantal. 1984. "Robert Kovich: Le Point de Non-Retour." Ballett- International 7 (6-7) (June-July): 9, illus.
- Dance and Dancers. 1991. "Obituary: Robert Kovich" (June/July): 50.
- Dance Australia. 1991. "U.S. Company Visits" no. 51 (December 1990-Jan): 19, illus.
- Dance Magazine. 1991. "Obituaries: Robert Kovich" (August): 27.
- Fisher, Lynn. 1991. "Expectations Dashed." Dance Australia 53 (April/May): 46-47.
- Gubernatis, Raphael de. 1983. "Robert Kovich Le Jeune Homme de L'ouest."
Danser 2 (May): 47, illus.
- Karl, Guiloui. 1982. "'Pin-up' de Robert Kovich." Pour la Danse 81 (June): 28.
- Lelievre, Micheline. 1991. "Robert Kovich." Les Saisons de la Danse 225 (June): 51, illus.
- New York Times. 1991. "Robert Kovich, 40, Dancer and Teacher" (23 April).
- Shelton, Suzanne. 1981. "Robert Kovich and Dancers" [New York loft, Jan. 25, 1981]. Dance Magazine (June): 35-38.
- Vincent, Genevieve. 1981. "Regine Chopinot, Robert Kovich au Palais des Glaces." Pour la Danse 75 (December): 22-23, illus.
