Research Catalog

Title

Interview with Beatrice Seckler [sound recording].

Author

Seckler, Beatrice.

Publication

1974-1975.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

Stern, Lee Edward.

Description

4 sound cassettes (ca. 265 min.)

Summary

• Cassette 1, 07/02/74, side A (ca. 38 min.). Beatrice Seckler speaks about her retirement, including her professional activities; her thoughts on teaching at the New Dance Group; her personal background; studying ballet at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and dancing in the annual recital; early recognition of her talent for dancing. Side B (ca. 38 min.). Seckler speaks further about her dance-related actitivies during her teenage years, including being invited to dance in Chester Hale's company; studying with Michio Ito; studying Spanish dancing with [Angel] Cansino; her first professional engagement, in the musical show, The black crook, in Hoboken, N.J.; studying with [Yeichi] Nimura; dancing in a Japanese show under a Japanese name (Suki san?) in Washington, D.C.
• Cassette 2, side A, 07/02/74 and 07/11/74 (ca. 36 min.). Seckler continues to speak about her early experiences as a dancer [gap; followed by beginning of 07/11/74 interview session]; her injuries and her decision to retire from teaching dance. Side B, 07/11/74 and 07/18/74 (ca. 29 min.). [After ca. 3 min., recording ends abruptly and recommences with 07/18/74 session]. Seckler speaks about her awareness of the other dancers onstage and the audience; performing at Green Mansions [an adult summer camp in Warrensburg, N.Y.], with Jimmy [James] Starbuck; performing on the television program Show of shows [gap]; her approach to her roles in Anna Sokolow's works Rooms and Lyric suite.
• Cassette 3, 11/19/74, side A (ca. 34 min.). Seckler speaks about what she considers her best performances; dancing at the Roxy Theatre; reminisces about dancing in various operas, including Aida, Il trovatore, and La traviata; her tempermental nature [gap]; reasons she did not pursue dancing in the commercial sphere. Side B (ca. 19 min.). Seckler speaks about her study of acting; her approach to her dance roles.
• Cassette 4, 01/27/75, side A (ca. 33 min.). Seckler speaks about costumes, lighting, and her use of make-up; more on her dancing at the Roxy Theatre. Side B (ca. 28 min.). Seckler recounts anecdotes about touring with the Humphrey-Weidman Company; speaks about performing in Charles Weidman's work Flickers, in the Rainbow Room in New York City.

Donor/Sponsor

• Gift of Beatrice Seckler.
• New York State Council on the Arts, 2000-2001.

Alternative Title

Dance Audio Archive.

Subjects

• Audiotapes > Seckler, B
• Flickers (Choreographic work : Weidman)
• Seckler, Beatrice

Note

• Interviews with Beatrice Seckler conducted by Lee Edward Stern as part of his research on Seckler, between July 1974 and Jan. 1975, probably in New York City. Additonal interviews conducted by Stern in furtherance of his research, with former colleagues of Seckler, can be found at *MGZTC 3-2197 (Anna Sokolow), *MGZTC 3-2449 (Sophie Maslow), *MGZTC 3-2450 (Martin Morginsky), and *MGZTC 3-2451 (Eva Desca Garnet).
• Sound quality varies from good to fair. The recording is marred by extraneous noise and gaps.

Funding (note)

• Preservation was funded in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, 2000-2001.

Call Number

*MGZTC 3-2196

OCLC

NYPY05-R10019

Author

Seckler, Beatrice. Interviewee

Title

Interview with Beatrice Seckler [sound recording].

Imprint

1974-1975.

Funding

Preservation was funded in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, 2000-2001.

Local Note

Archive original: *MGZTCO 3-2196 nos. 1-4

Dubbing master: *MGZTD 10-2196 nos. 1-4

Local Subject

Audiotapes -- Seckler, B.

Added Author

Stern, Lee Edward. Interviewer

Research Call Number

*MGZTC 3-2196 [sound cassettes]