NAME: Raines, Walter

BIRTH DATE/LOCATION:
c. 1940, Braddock, Pennsylvania

DEATH DATE/LOCATION:
28 August 1994, Manhattan, age 54

  • 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:
    Walter Raines was a charter member of Dance Theatre of Harlem who went on to dance with the company and direct the school. He was an all-around "man of the theater," well-versed in choreography, costuming, and art direction. Raines trained at the Pittsburgh Playhouse School of Theater and School of American Ballet. He received a degree from Carnegie-Mellon University. He performed with DTH from 1968 to 1978 and in 1978 became an associate professor at City College of New York. DTH and the Capitol Ballet of Washington were two of the companies for which Raines made ballets, yet he was also the first black choreographer to work for the Royal Opera in London (for which he staged Michael Tippett's Ice Break in 1977). Raines died from complications due to AIDS.

    KEY CONTACT PERSON(S)/EXECUTOR OF ESTATE:
    Raines was survived by two half-brothers, Clarence Milton Raines, Greensboro, North Carolina, and Roosevelt Marty Raines, White Deer, Pennsylvania. These survivors could not be located. He was also survived by a cousin, Jeffrey Hankinson, who lived in Brooklyn, New York, as of the year 2000.

    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 two pertinent videotapes:

    Dance Theatre of Harlem: Open House (1977)—compilation video including choreographic excerpts of Walter Raines' Fashion Show: Doing it to Death in von Furstenberg; videotaped at an open house held in the Dance Theatre of Harlem studio on 6 February and performed by members of Dance Theatre of Harlem, the Dance Theatre of Harlem Workshop, and others; two 3/4 in. videocassettes (42 min.); call number MGZIC 9-1332.

    Every Now and Then [and] After Corinth (1975?)—videotaped rehearsals of pieces choreographed by William Scott and Walter Raines, respectively; taped in studio rehearsals and performed by the Dance Theatre of Harlem; one 3/4 in. videocassette (31 min.); call number MGZIC 9-1306.

    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):
    At the Dance Collection of the New York Public Library:

    "Raines, Walter." [Clippings]; call number MGZR.

    IMMEDIATE NEEDS
    (archival assistance? storage? other?):
    Search for executor. Jeffrey Hankinson, Raines's cousin, lives in New York but is difficult to reach.

    OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION:
    Raines also danced for Stuttgart Ballet and Pennsylvania Ballet.

    PARTIAL LIST OF OVERVIEW OF WORKS
    (title, premiere date, music, production notes, performers):
    A complete list is unavailable; the following works are documented on videotape at the Dance Collection of the New York Public Library:

    After Corinth (1975?)

    Fashion Show: Doing it to Death in von Furstenberg (1977?)

    BIBLIOGRAPHY:

    • Dance and Dancers. 1977. "Dance is Theatre: Walter Raines Talks to D&D" (August): 26-27, 41, illus.
    • Danser. 1994. "Disparitions : Irina Grjebina (1907-1994), Walter Raines, Jorg Lanner." No. 126 (October): 44-45, illus.
    • Dunning, Jennifer. 1994. "Obituary: Walter Raines." New York Times (31 August).
         		 
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