Research Catalog

Details

Additional authors

1. Howard, Rachel, 1976-

Description

1. 3 sound discs (ca. 156 min.): digital; 4 3/4 in. +

Summary

1. Disc 1 (ca. 47 min.), 03/23/06. Peter Boal speaks about attending ballet performances as a child with his family; his early ballet classes particularly those taught by Stanley Williams; analyzes Williams' influence and greatness as a teacher; Boal's loyalty to and interest in New York City Ballet and the work of George Balanchine; his relationship with Balanchine including visiting him in the hospital during his final illness; the strain of balancing his dance and academic life when still in high school; the day that Balanchine died; joining New York City Ballet.
2. Disc 2 (ca. 47 min.), 03/23/06. Peter Boal speaks about his early experiences with New York City Ballet; performing Balanchine's work Prodigal son and being coached by Jerome Robbins in the title role; Boal's process of finding his way into roles; different choreographers with whom he has worked; the lack of coaching for roles at New York City Ballet; his parts in other ballets including in Balanchine's works Apollo and Square dance; his rise in the company and his decision to take time off and travel for six months; his return to the company in the role of Apollo and the events leading to his promotion to principal dancer; dancing Baiser de la fée; his marriage to Kelly Cass.
3. Disc 3, tracks 1-30 (ca. 30 min.), 03/23/06. Peter Boal speaks about beginning to teach at the School of American Ballet; giving up his hopes for a college degree; his growing role at the school and the conflict with his performing career; his goals as a teacher; his interest in the work of modern dance choreographers, including Molissa Fenley; first thoughts about the role played by the artistic director of a dance company; creating a solo performance program at the Joyce Theater.
4. Disc 3, tracks 31-61 (ca. 30 min.), 03/24/06. Peter Boal speaks further about his solo program at the Joyce Theater and the small performance group that he put together for the Joyce in the following year; the emergence of the opportunity to direct Pacific Northwest Ballet; the application process for that position; his retirement from New York City Ballet and his final performance; briefly about running Pacific Northwest Ballet; final thoughts on his retirement from dancing.

Donor/Sponsor

1. New York State Council on the Arts, 2006-2007.
2. National Endowment for the Arts, 2006-2007.

Alternative title

1. Dance Oral History Project.
2. Dance Audio Archive.

Subject

1. Balanchine, George
2. Balanchine, George > Baiser de la fée
3. Balanchine, George > Apollo
4. Dance companies > Management
5. Fenley, Molissa
6. Pacific Northwest Ballet
7. Audiotapes > Boal, P
8. Prodigal son (Choreographic work : Balanchine)
9. Square dance (Choreographic work : Balanchine)
10. Williams, Stanley, 1925-1997
11. New York City Ballet
12. Boal, Peter

Call number

1. *MGZTL 4-2468

Note

1. Interview with Peter Boal conducted by Rachel Howard at the office of the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, Wash., on March 23 and March 24, 2006.
2. For transcript see: *MGZMT 3-2468.
3. Sound quality is fair. The microphone was passed back and forth between Peter Boal and the interviewer, Rachel Howard.

Access (note)

1. Transcripts may not be photographed or reproduced without permission.

Funding (note)

1. Preservation was funded in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, 2006-2007.

Author

1. Boal, Peter. Interviewee

Title

1. Interview with Peter Boal [sound recording].

Imprint

1. 2006.

Funding

1. Preservation was funded in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, 2006-2007.

Restricted access

1. Transcripts may not be photographed or reproduced without permission.

Connect to:

1. Request Access to Special Collections (Dance Division) material

Local subject

1. Audiotapes -- Boal, P.

Added author

1. Howard, Rachel, 1976- Interviewer

Research call number

1. *MGZTL 4-2468 [sound disc]
2. *MGZMT 3-2468 [transcript]