Research Catalog

Title

Interview with David Vaughan. 2013

Author

Vaughan, David, 1924-

Publication

2013

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

Aloff, Mindy, 1947-

Description

8 sound discs (approximately six hours and 38 minutes): digital; 4 3/4 in. +

Summary

• Disc 1 (approximately one hour and three minutes), March 20, 2013. David Vaughan speaks with Mindy Aloff about growing up in the Brixton area of London in the 1920s and his memories of seeing live performances and films; Vaughan explains English pantomimes and music hall traditions; Aloff reads a section of Paul Vaughans memoir [Something in linoleum, 1994] in which he describes himself and David as young siblings; Vaughan speaks about his interests as a young child; starting school; a childhood illness and the family's move to the suburbs; his childhood reading; the impact on him of seeing the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies; other shows and films he remembers from his childhood; his first time going to the ballet, a performance by the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo; his developing interest in the history of ballet; first seeing Frederick Ashtons choreography, a performance of his Les masques [Les masques; ou Changement de dames]; his reading about dance as a teenager; his interest in theater.
• Disc 2 (approximately 43 minutes), March 20, 2013. David Vaughan speaks with Mindy Aloff about attending Wadham College at Oxford University although his preference was to study ballet; joining the Ballet Club at Wadham College; his early interest in the choreography of Frederick Ashton, including seeing the premiere of his Wise virgins; his frequent attendance at ballet performances in 1939-1940; traveling to Germany in 1937; the outbreak of World War II and his memories of life and seeing ballet performances during that period; taking class at Ballet Rambert; his impressions of Marie Rambert.
• Disc 3 (approximately one hour and twelve minutes), May 8, 2013. David Vaughan speaks with Mindy Aloff about seeing Frederick Ashtons early ballets including Les masques [Les masques; ou Changement de dames]; other ballets he saw in 1939-1940; experiencing air raids while attending ballet matinee performances in 1941-1942; being drafted into the British Army and continuing to go to ballet class while posted in London in 1943-1944; being sent to India in April 1944 and his experiences while stationed there; being sent to various other countries following the end of World War II, in particular, his time in Singapore; being released from duty in 1947.
• Disc 4 (approximately 54 minutes), May 8, 2013. David Vaughan speaks with Mindy Aloff about studying with Audrey de Vos; his first seeing George Balanchines choreography; Vaughan and Aloff speak about a historical detail concerning Balanchines Night shadow; Vaughan speaks about George Skibines dancing; his first jobs as a professional dancer; meeting Lincoln Kirstein and Kirstein's inviting him to the United States to choreograph; his decision to go to New York, against Balanchines recommendation to the contrary; his experiences once he arrived and the support Kirstein gave him.
• Disc 5 (approximately one hour and ten minutes), May 15, 2013. David Vaughan speaks with Mindy Aloff about his memories of Ballet Ramberts production of Antony Tudors Jardin aux lilas; other Tudor ballets that particularly impressed him at that time including Planets; attending classes at School of American Ballet (SAB); watching George Balanchines rehearsals, in particular of Tyl Eulenspiegel and Baiser de la fée; his teachers at SAB including Anatole Oboukhoff, Pierre Vladimiroff, Muriel Stuart, and Felia Doubrovska; taking Merce Cunninghams class at SAB; other non-ballet classes at the school; other students he knew during that period including Arthur Mitchell and Shirley Broughton; various people he knew socially at that time and jobs he had including working in Cherokee, North Carolina during the summer; living with Ruth Sobotka; working with James Waring and creating Dance Associates; his desire to stay in the United States.
• Disc 6 (approximately 51 minutes), May 15, 2013. David Vaughan speaks with Mindy Aloff about his third summer in the United States; working for summer stock theater in Cleveland Heights for three years; various performing and choreographing experiences; returning to England as part of deciding where to live; meeting Valda Setterfield; seeing Merle Marsicano perform; George Balanchines choreography; his response to the work of this period; the summer of 1957 and his work as a performer during that time; his continuing of dance classes including with Antony Tudor and Merce Cunningham; various opportunities and experiences he had in connection with theatrical roles.
• Disc 7 (approximately 50 minutes), June 12, 2013. David Vaughan speaks with Mindy Aloff about beginning to know and work with Merce Cunningham; taking Cunninghams classes; Cunninghams earliest company [Merce Cunningham Dance Company]; the Companys first world tour [organized by Vaughan]; recordings of the Company made during the tour; resuming his theatrical career when he returned; working in Seattle, Washington; the surprise party Cunningham threw for Vaughan; working on the musical comedy Minnies boys (1970); Cunninghams choreographic structure in relation to music; his friendship with Dale Harris.
• Disc 8 (approximately 55 minutes), June 12, 2013. Mindy Aloff compares Dale Harris's and David Vaughans styles of criticism; Vaughan concurs and discusses his writing further, with reference to various publications including Dance Magazine; his observations regarding changes in Merce Cunninghams choreography as he began to use the LifeForms computer software; James Waring, including his in-process book on Waring; Vaughans singing career with Al Carmines; his part in finding the [Merce Cunningham Dance] Companys studio space; establishing of the Cunningham Foundation; the artistic partners who worked with the Company; exhibitions he worked on; the positive reception Cunninghams choreography received in Europe; performance work that interested Cunningham; Vaughans current interests and writing; the Companys final tour.

Alternative Title

Dance Oral History Project.

Subjects

• World War, 1939-1945 > Personal narratives, English
• Jardin aux lilas (Choreographic work : Tudor)
• De Vos, Audrey, 1900-1983
• Doubrovska, Felia, 1896-1981
• Rambert, Marie
• Interviews (Sound recordings)
• Vladimiroff, Pierre, 1893-1970
• Kirstein, Lincoln, 1907-1996
• Masques; ou Changement de dames (Choreographic work : Ashton)
• Ashton, Frederick, 1904-1988
• Marsicano, Merle
• Skibine, George, 1920-1981
• Merce Cunningham Dance Company
• Balanchine, George
• Waring, James, 1922-1975
• Cunningham, Merce
• Carmines, Al
• Night shadow (Choreographic work : Balanchine)
• Oral histories
• Vaughan, Paul, 1925-2014
• Oboukhoff, Anatole
• Harris, Dale, 1928-1996
• Music and dance
• Tudor, Antony, 1908-1987
• Vaughan, David, 1924- > Interviews

Genre/Form

• Interviews.
• Oral histories.
• Sound recordings.

Note

• Interview with David Vaughan conducted by Mindy Aloff on March 20, May 8 and 15, and June 12, 2013, at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in New York (N.Y.) as part of the Jerome Robbins Dance Division Oral History Project.
• Title supplied by cataloger.

Access (note)

• Photography of the transcript permitted for research purposes only.

Funding (note)

• The conservation and cataloging of this recording was made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. The support of the National Endowment for the Arts is also gratefully acknowledged.

Call Number

*MGZTL 4-2996

OCLC

950402103

Author

Vaughan, David, 1924- interviewee.

Title

Interview with David Vaughan. 2013

Production

2013

Type of Content

spoken word

text

Type of Medium

audio

unmediated

Type of Carrier

audiodisc

volume

Digital File Characteristics

audio file

Event

Recorded for the Jerome Robbins Dance Division Oral History Project March 20, May 8 and 15, and June 12, 2013 New York (N.Y.)

Funding

The conservation and cataloging of this recording was made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. The support of the National Endowment for the Arts is also gratefully acknowledged.

Local Note

For transcript of interview: see *MGZMT 3-2996, 1-3

Restricted Access

Photography of the transcript permitted for research purposes only.

Added Author

Aloff, Mindy, 1947- interviewer.

Research Call Number

*MGZTL 4-2996

*MGZMT 3-2996