TitleInterviews with Arthur Mitchell and Tania León
Additional title: Interview with Arthur MitchellAdditional title: Interview with Tania LeónAdditional title: Dance in America
NamesMitchell, Arthur, 1934- (Interviewee)León, Tania (Interviewee)
CollectionDance Audio Archive
Dates / OriginDate Created: 1977-03-23
Library locationsJerome Robbins Dance DivisionShelf locator: *MGZTO 5-2266
TopicsMitchell, Arthur, 1934-León, TaniaDance Theatre of HarlemDance in AmericaBallet in motion pictures, television, etcDance, Black -- United StatesRacism and the artsDance -- Study and teachingDance, Black
GenresInterviewsTelevision programs
NotesVenue: Recorded by WNET/13 New York 1977, March 23 New York (N.Y.)Funding: The processing 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.
Physical DescriptionAudiotape reelExtent: 2 audiotape reels (approximately 37 min.) : polyester; half-track; 7.5 ips; 5 in.The sound quality of Mitchell's and León's voices is excellent, but that of the interviewers is fair to poor.
DescriptionInterviews with Arthur Mitchell and Tania León conducted in connection with The Dance Theatre of Harlem, a television program broadcast on the Dance in America series by WNET/13, New York, on March 23, 1977. A recording of the finished television program is in the Library's collection, cataloged as *MGZIDVD 5-5413. An unidentified female (possibly Tobi Tobias, who wrote the script), and an unidentified male (possibly Merrill Brockway, the director) ask Mitchell and León questions.
Streaming audio file 1 (approximately 14 minutes). Arthur Mitchell speaks about his reasons for founding Dance Theatre of Harlem; the status of his dance career at the time; his reasons for founding a school (Dance Theatre of Harlem School) and a company; the school's early days and his response to the skepticism he encountered in the black community; his reasons for incorporating various styles of dance in the school's curriculum and the company's repertory [ends abruptly but continues directly on streaming audio file 2].
Streaming audio file 2 (approximately 23 minutes). Arthur Mitchell speaks about the role of the students and dancers of Harlem Dance Theatre in countering stereotypes; the reasons he makes himself and the dancers accessible to the public; the importance of self-esteem for the dancers; his view of his work at the school and the company as his calling; events such as open classes and street fairs that involve the community. [At approximately 17:30 minutes, the Arthur Mitchell segment ends, and an interview of Tania León begins.] Tania León speaks about her early training in music in Cuba; how she came to work with Dance Theatre of Harlem; her first impression of Mitchell; her career as a conductor, including its beginnings, and her work at Dance Theatre of Harlem [ends abruptly].
Type of ResourceSound recording
LanguagesEnglish
IdentifiersRLIN/OCLC: 79419550NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b16294998Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): dd3b4230-c802-0135-aacb-0091db0d3d7b
Rights StatementThe copyright and related rights status of this item has been reviewed by The New York Public Library, but we were unable to make a conclusive determination as to the copyright status of the item. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use.
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