EYE ON DANCE

Arts Resources in Collaboration, Inc.

eyeondance.org

Imagine listening in on a conversation between choreographer Erick Hawkins and mask-maker Ralph Lee as they discuss their collaborative process for costume design; or watching Edward Villella reveal his history with Balanchine; or hearing Alvin Ailey talk about the early days of forming his company. These are just a few examples of the in-depth video interviews in EYE ON DANCE (1981–2006), a PBS weekly television series created, produced and hosted by former dancer and choreographer Celia Ipiotis.

“I cannot imagine teaching dance history or theory without using this invaluable series,” says Sally Sommer, dance historian and professor at Florida State University. “My students regularly turn to these video archives, which my university library owns, for hard-to-find primary-source material.”

Viewers can find a media archive of excerpts from Ipiotis’ interviews on the website, as well as a list of select EYE ON DANCE programs available for purchase. (Select “Media Library” from the right-hand column on the website to search by artist or dance category.) The complete series can be viewed at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts or purchased by educational institutions and libraries. Ipiotis is currently raising funds to digitize the extensive archive, which includes source material never seen publicly—raw videotape footage, handwritten communications, rare photographs and publications.