Interview with Ben Sommers, 1971
Our collections include some content that may be harmful or difficult to view. Learn more.
Data source:
Research CatalogView IIIF Manifest
Link to Item ManifestItem data
Title
Interview with Ben Sommers, 1971
Collection
Names
Sommers, Ben, 1906-1985 (Interviewee)
Rogosin, Elinor (Interviewer)
Date / Origin
Date Created: 1971-05-30
Library Location
Jerome Robbins Dance Division
Shelf locator: *MGZTC 3-688 reel 12 (former)
Subjects
Sommers, Ben, 1906-1985
Shoes -- History
Genres
Notes
Content: Title supplied by cataloger.
Venue: Recorded for and broadcast by WBAI 1971, May 30 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.
Acquisition: Gift of Elinor Rogosin
Physical Description
Extent: 1 audiocassette (approximately 25 min.) : polyester
Sound quality is fair. The recording is marred by occasional extraneous noise and "tape hiss," but the speakers' voices are easily intelligible.
Abstract
Interview with Ben Sommers conducted by Elinor Rogosin, as host, on the radio station WBAI, New York on its series Dance focus, for broadcast on May 30, 1971. Streaming file 1 (approximately 16 minutes). Ben Sommers speaks with Elinor Rogosin about an educational film recently made (for distribution by the Capezio Foundation) about dance wear, theater, and fashion; the history of toe shoes,in particular in the United States,and the roles played by Salvatore Capezio, the Capezio firm [formerly Capezio, Inc.; later Capezio Ballet Makers, Inc.], and Anna Pavlova; the making of a toe shoe; the Capezio firm's role in setting standards for ballet education; the Capezio Foundation and the Capezio Dance Award; the close relationship between dance, theater, and fashion [ends abruptly but continues on streaming file 2]. Streaming file 2 (approximately 9 minutes). Ben Sommers continues to speak with Elinor Rogosin about the Capezio firm and dance shoes; the influence of dance wear on fashion; his thoughts on education and the arts.
Languages
Identifiers
RLIN/OCLC: 79366173
NYPL Catalog ID (bnumber): b12118515
Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): fe8e89b0-b2b4-0133-8138-60f81dd2b63c
Rights
The 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.
Type Of Resource
Cite this item
MLA format
Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library. "Interview with Ben Sommers, 1971" The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1971. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/fe8e89b0-b2b4-0133-8138-60f81dd2b63c
APA format
Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library. (1971). Interview with Ben Sommers, 1971 Retrieved from https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/fe8e89b0-b2b4-0133-8138-60f81dd2b63c
Chicago/Turabian Format
Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library. "Interview with Ben Sommers, 1971" New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed November 13, 2025. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/fe8e89b0-b2b4-0133-8138-60f81dd2b63c
Wikipedia citation
<ref name=NYPL>{{cite web | url=https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/fe8e89b0-b2b4-0133-8138-60f81dd2b63c | title= (sound recording) Interview with Ben Sommers, 1971 (1971) | author=Digital Collections, The New York Public Library | accessdate=November 13, 2025 | publisher=The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations}}</ref>