Dance in Saratoga Springs

by Denise Warner Limoli

  Cris Alexander (1920–2012) was a versatile Broadway performer who played one of the three sailors in the original Broadway cast of On the Town. Also a renowned photographer, Alexander was an official photographer for the New York City Ballet and worked with Andy Warhol. Alexander retired to the home he shared with Shaun O’Brien in 1993. He and O’Brien were frequently interviewed about their wonderful careers in the arts. After more than sixty years together, Shaun O’Brien and Cris Alexander died within two weeks of each other.106

  Suzanne Ames Landry (1931–2008) was a ballerina with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet and served as vice president of EMI Music. She and her husband moved to Circular Street in Saratoga Springs after retirement. As a volunteer for the National Museum of Dance, she gave lectures on the work of Anthony Tudor and served as a docent for many exhibits. Ms. Landry regularly attended performances and lectures and would often be seen walking downtown, which was her method of “staying young.” The Suzanne Ames Landry Estate established the Performing Arts Studio at her alma mater, Our Lady of the Elms School in Akron, Ohio.107

  Anthony Blum (1939–2000) was a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet in the 1960s and ’70s who was known for a simple lyrical style. Prior to joining the company, Blum danced on Broadway and on television. When he retired from performing, Blum moved into his Saratoga cottage that he had named Dying Limbs. He worked as a designer for Lily and the Rose catering and was an avid collector of nineteenth-century bronze and pottery.108

  Robert Maiorano was a soloist with the New York City Ballet who joined the company at the age of fifteen. He was with the company for its opening season at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and was among the first dancers to buy a house in Saratoga Springs.

  He has taught locally with Oleg Briansky, Michael Steele and Patti Pugh Moore and for the Glens Falls Dance Center, as well as with schools throughout the country. In addition to teaching ballet, Robert Maiorano pursued an eclectic career in acting, lecturing and writing. He has authored five books, including Mozartiana: The Making of a Masterpiece and Worlds Apart, an autobiography that was awarded “Best Books for Young Adults” by the American Library Association. He has also written several children’s books and plays and has appeared in a variety of acting roles.

  Robert Maiorano, New York City Ballet. Photo by Michael Avedon.

  Maiorano lectures on ballet at the National Museum of Dance. He frequently hosts the Pre-Performance Talks at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.109

  Saratoga Dance, holiday greenery decorated with pointe shoes. Photo provided by Leslie Roy-Heck.

  Leslie Roy-Heck was a soloist with the New York City Ballet and performed with the company for thirteen years. After her retirement from the company in 1989, Ms. Roy-Heck moved to Saratoga Springs and completed a degree from Empire State College. In 1990, she opened Saratoga Dance, a full-service professional dance supply store. Leslie and Michael Heck started their business Bunheads Dance Accessories in 1996. This enterprise soon grew to international status and has been bought by Ballet Makers, Inc./Capezio. Ms. Roy-Heck serves on the board of directors of the National Museum of Dance.110

  LaMar and Ruth Alsop retired to Saratoga Springs after more than forty years as musicians in the New York City Ballet Orchestra. They bought and renovated a historic property on Smith Bridge Road, where they hosted summer chamber music festivals in a custom-built concert hall on the property.

  Carl Landa began as a self-taught musician and went on to earn a BA in music from Bennington College. He has played for modern dance classes at the Bates Dance Festival, at SUNY Purchase and Bennington College Dance Departments and for prominent dance companies and schools in New York City. Landa is director of music for the Skidmore College Department of Dance, where he accompanies modern dance classes and composes for choreographers. He performs locally both as a solo jazz pianist and with his own ensemble, the Carl Landa Band. Landa explains, “Saratoga Springs became a mecca of modern dance for me and the community. I am a very lucky musician to have been exposed to and to have worked with the best, right here in Saratoga Springs.”111

  Michael Limoli is a classical clarinetist with a doctorate in music from Indiana University–Bloomington. Limoli has performed as clarinet soloist in major international venues and locally with the Saratoga Chamber Players, St. Cecilia Orchestra, Saratoga Winds and at the Music Series of both Bethesda Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Church.

  Limoli is also a pianist and a former ballet dancer. In Saratoga, he has played for ballet classes at Skidmore College, New York State Summer School of the Arts School of Ballet and countless master classes and professional auditions. Michael and Denise Warner Limoli have worked together in the ballet studio as teacher and ballet pianist for over thirty years. Limoli says:

  Michael and Denise Warner Limoli in the studio. Photo provided by the Limolis.

  Like living in Manhattan, living in Saratoga Springs has afforded me opportunities to collaborate with many of the greatest dancers and dance teachers of our time, both as pianist and clarinetist. I am often invited to accompany master classes for visiting professional dancers and to play for major schools who make Saratoga a destination on their audition tours.

  Kim Vanyo, owner of Khymanyo Studio, is a designer of couture, bridal and dance costumes. She graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and moved to Saratoga Springs in 1984. Ms. Vanyo has created many costumes for the Skidmore College Dance Department, and her original designs have been featured in several collaborative performance projects at the Tang Museum and at the Zankel Music Center. Kim Vanyo declares, “Being in Saratoga Springs with its appreciation of the arts has continued to inspire new works and fields of design for me. I feel complete in that I live in beautiful Saratoga Springs, I work as a designer and continue to get interesting commissions while never ceasing to meet intriguing people.”112

  Chapter 5

  THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF DANCE AND THE MR. AND MRS. CORNELIUS VANDERBILT WHITNEY HALL OF FAME

  A STATEMENT FROM MRS. MARYLOU WHITNEY

  Years ago during the summer, Mr. George Balanchine came to Saratoga Springs and held tryouts for aspiring ballerinas from all over New York State. He needed a place for these dancers to practice their lessons, and I believe it was originally his idea to create a dance center. One day, while sitting on my porch at Cady Hill in Saratoga Springs, Lewis Swyer and I concluded the Washington Bath House would be the perfect place for the dancers. We worked hard on the renovations in order to bring his idea to reality. In 1986, we created the National Museum of Dance, a place that had wonderful exhibits of old dance costumes, pictures and memorabilia. It was also a place where aspiring dancers could practice in the studios and attend lessons with renowned dancers from the New York City Ballet.

  I was president of the board of directors for a while, but as time went on, I turned the position over to many other people who were interested in dance; however, it always seemed to be running in the red. When I first met Michele Riggi, she told me she was a dancer and loved the museum. Michele wanted to be involved, so she took over as president of the board of directors and has made more progress than all of us combined. Michele brought the museum to life. She has successfully accomplished what Lewis Swyer and I aspired to do years ago. As long as Michele Riggi is at the museum, it will thrive. It makes me so happy to see what the National Museum of Dance is today because of all her great work and efforts.113

  THE VISION AND THE RENOVATION

  Visionary: a person of strong and creative imaginative power and, often, the ability to inspire others.114

  The concept of a museum for dance and the ultimate realization of the National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame were due to the passionate dedication and perseverance of the late Lewis A. Swyer and Mrs. Marylou Whitney. Both were visionaries with a genuine love of dance.

  The historic Washington Bath House in Saratoga Spa Park had fallen into serious disrepair. Saratoga community leaders agree
d that something needed to be done to save such an important building. Two gentlemen from the Saratoga Performing Arts Center—Lewis Swyer, the chairman of the board, and executive director Herb Chesbrough—approached Marylou and Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney with an idea. They proposed to turn the building into a dance museum. This museum would enhance the presence of the New York City Ballet at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center while furthering the reputation of Saratoga Springs as a destination for world-class dance. The Whitneys approved of the idea.

  Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney and Lewis A. Swyer with the model of the National Museum of Dance. Photo courtesy of the National Museum of Dance.

  The story is reminiscent of the founding of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center itself. Lewis A. Swyer Co., Inc., had built the amphitheater. Swyer’s construction expertise enabled him to guide every detail of the demolition and renovation of the Washington Bath House. Lewis Swyer envisioned three phases of development: first, the exhibit spaces; second, a lecture hall and a resource library; and third, a studio building for the New York State Summer School of the Arts Schools of Ballet and Dance, where the public could observe dancers practicing their art. The Whitneys provided much of the project’s initial funding. Mrs. Whitney oversaw many details with great interest, particularly the restoration of the foyer, and she frequently brought her guests to observe the progress. She wanted to make sure that everyone knew that Saratoga Springs was the home of the only museum dedicated to performance dance in the country.115

  After the initial construction began, an article describing the project was printed in the New York Times, and a sign appeared on the lawn: “National Museum of Dance coming soon.” Alison Moore, a Skidmore alumna working for the director of arts for the State University of New York, read that article and was intrigued by the concept. She submitted a five-year plan to Chesbrough and Swyer, and in January 1986, Alison Moore was hired as the museum’s first director.116

  The word was out, and excited dance lovers from around the area began volunteering in any way they could. Sharon Walsh, a local arts administrator, volunteered to work for the new museum:

  Alison Moore and I struck an immediate simpatico, and we began to visualize the potential exhibit spaces. We made an incredibly long list of what had to happen for the museum; we divided and conquered, and we made it all happen. The volunteers were probably the most interesting group of people that ever came together to do anything. Everyone wanted this to happen, so they were willing to do anything, from drawing posters to hammering nails. Everyone worked 24/7, and no one said no to any request; we simply got it done.117

  It took many hands to realize this dream. The list of volunteers included dozens of dedicated dance fans, too numerous to mention. The leaders of the local dance community—Pat Peterson, founder of the Dance Alliance, and Mary DiSanto-Rose and Isabel Brown of Skidmore College—lent valuable expertise.

  While the interior construction work was underway, Alison Moore and Sharon Walsh worked off-site at the administrative offices of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. As the interior gallery spaces began to take shape, they worked together to articulate the museum’s artistic mission. The museum would focus on educating the public about the rich history of performance dance in America, not just ballet and modern dance but tap, jazz and ethnic forms as well. The aim was to create more appreciative audiences, more dancers and more creative opportunities for choreographers.118

  Alison Moore said, “We insisted on nothing but the best. I knew a lot of people, so I called on the experts. We had to be endlessly creative, with a shoe-string budget, but we were determined to create a place of excellence.”119 Ms. Moore sought out advice and participation from such colleagues as arts writer Mindy Aloff, Genevieve Oswald of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts Dance Collection, Marty Bronson of the Fashion Institute of Technology and the historian and archivist of Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Norton Owen.

  Award for renovation of the Washington Bath House. Courtesy of the National Museum of Dance.

  In 1988, the Preservation League of New York State presented the Adaptive Use Award to the museum for the “exemplary preservation and reuse of the Washington Baths, Saratoga Springs.”120

  THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF DANCE OPENS ITS DOORS

  The National Museum of Dance opened with a preview season in July 1986. Initial exhibits included “Dressing the Ballet,” a large collection of costumes from the signature repertoire of major ballet companies, and William Ewing’s “Dance and Photography,” a collection of the work of great twentieth-century dance photographers.

  Sharon Walsh remembers, “The numbers in the summer months were staggering. We couldn’t believe it! The people of Saratoga Springs, dance lovers and those who were simply curious poured into the museum. Busloads of tourists en route to Saratoga Performing Arts Center stopped at the museum.”121 To accommodate visitors, a volunteer docent program was quickly established to guide people through the exhibits. At the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, the museum docents gave lectures, held conversations with New York City Ballet dancers and conducted tours of the back stage area of the amphitheater.

  By 1990, the National Museum of Dance had completed the gallery spaces, and several important new exhibits were opened. “The Fugitive Gesture” was a collection of images by major twentieth-century dance photographers. “Les Ballets 1933” was an exhibit on George Balanchine’s first company in the West, obtained from London and curated by Jane Pritchard; “100 Years of Russian Ballet” was a touring exhibit from Leningrad and obtained through Washington, D.C. Alison Moore and her staff, the board of directors and dedicated volunteers had all made a huge statement: “The National Museum of Dance represents the highest level of professional dance in America, and we are here to stay.”122

  In the early 1990s, Alison Moore left to pursue other artistic challenges. She was succeeded by a series of directors, each of whom worked to ensure that quality exhibits and Hall of Fame inductions continued. The exhibits “Ted Shawn, the Father of American Dance”; “Bronislava Nijinska: Classic on the Edge”; and “Classic Black: African American Dancers in Classical Ballet” were among the highlights of the 1990s. Featured during the 2000s were “An American Mosaic: Dance Photos by Steven Caras”; “The Enduring Legacy of George Balanchine: Balanchine in Saratoga”; and “On Broadway!”

  From the exhibit “Classic Black,” Ms. Doris Jones of the Jones-Hayward School and students. Photo courtesy of the National Museum of Dance.

  The Modern Dance Festivals at the Spa Little Theatre were bringing important modern dance companies to Saratoga Springs. The companies enhanced the museum’s exhibits by offering lecture-demonstrations of works choreographed by many Hall of Fame honorees.

  President Michele Riggi, Director Donna Skiff and Assistant Director Sarah Hall-Weaver. Photo by Tammy Loya.

  After years of experience in other capacities at the museum, Donna Skiff became the director in 2008. Ms. Skiff declares, “The National Museum of Dance is always going to be a small museum, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a great museum.”123 Along with Ms. Skiff came a young staff that has matured into capable professionals. Michele Riggi began as president of the board of directors and reorganized the board to include former professional dancers among its ranks. A dynamic new dance museum team was formed.

  Recent major exhibits include “100 Years of the Ballets Russes”; “Eleo Pomare: The Man, the Artist, the Maker of Artists”; and “American Ballet Theatre: Then and Now.” A complete renovation of the Hall of Fame is underway, and there are plans for the building of a theater for films and lectures.

  Most nonprofit arts organizations have relied on volunteers. Countless local dance lovers have offered their time and talents to the National Museum of Dance, some working in the lobby gift shop and others helping with preparations for special programs. Heather Mabee, a past president of the board, said, “The very core of the museum during those unstable years was the dedication
of the docents and volunteers who kept the museum alive and open.”124

  “American Ballet Theatre: Then and Now,” exhibit curated by Denise Warner Limoli. Photo by Francesca Limoli.

  Two local women stand out for their dedication to the museum: Mary Ann Fantauzzi and Susan Edwards. Both have been at the museum since the beginning, working beside Sharon Walsh and Alison Moore. Ms. Fantauzzi volunteers as a docent and writes the docent educational guides for the exhibits. Susan Edwards is now the program director and works in the Resource Room. She explains, “I have stayed because I cannot give up being a part of what we started. It’s sort of a guardianship if situations are detrimental, or a sharing in all of the amazing growth and importance we have achieved.”125

  EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS

  The Resource Room at the National Museum of Dance houses a substantial digitalized collection of dance books, periodicals, performance programs and posters. This collection is available for public browsing and for academic research.

  A recent designated gift has allowed the museum to begin work on an Archive Room with proper light, temperature and humidity controls. The museum’s bequest collections, videos, costumes, photos and other memorabilia will be safely stored and catalogued in this new facility.

  A children’s wing opened in 2007, complete with costumes, barres and mirrors and a small stage for budding performers. This important educational facility was renovated and reopened in 2011. Thanks to a generous grant, the Alfred Z. Solomon Children’s Wing enabled greatly expanded programming that included vacation dance camps, children’s art exhibits and special workshops for local students.

  The excellent programing at the National Museum of Dance helps to demonstrate that this is a museum for all types of people to enjoy learning about all styles of dance. Film showings, book signings, lectures, dance parties, and performances in the Swyer Studios are only some of the successful events that help increase public awareness, visibility and participation.