ENTERTAINMENT HIGH GEAR/FEBRUARY 1977

LOOKING INTO THE HEART OF THE CLEVELAND BALLET

Dennis Nahat, Associate Director of the Cleveland Ballet lan Horvath, Artistic Director of the Cleveland Ballet.

by John Nosek What follows are portions of an interview held recently with the creative impetus behind the newly formed Cleveland Ballet. Associate Director Dennis Nahat and Artistic Director, lan Horvath shared with High Gear some of their thoughts on ballet, in general, and homosexuality and ballet in particular.

The Cleveland Ballet's next series of performances will be held February 18, 19 and 20 at the Hanna Theatre. This serial's selections include "Some Times," "Laura's Women," "In Concert," and "Contra Concerti." Ticket information may be obtained by calling (216) 621-3634.

HIGH GEAR: lan, we know that you are currently the artistic Director of the Cleveland ballet. Can you tell us some more about your background.

lan Horvath: I was born in Cleveland and left in my senior year of high school at Chanel and went to New York City, worked in several Broadway shows, some bombs, some hits, "Funny Girl," "Fade Out, Fade In," "Here's Love"... I was studying at the Jeoffrey School at that time as an apprentice where I met Dennis. After I left the Jeoffrey Co. I went to the American Ballet Theatre, joined

as a member of the chorus and became a soloist two years later. I stayed with ABT for eight years. In between that time I did a lot of television work on both the West Coast and in New York, and commercial film whenever American Ballet was on break or lay-off.

High Gear: What brought you back to Cleveland?

lan: It was the idea of the Cleveland Ballet. It didn't exist at the time. What happened was that Dennis and I bought a small school here in Cleveland and we

66

were so good that we didn't think about it. The Ballet Guild of Cleveland was in a period of hiatus. They had been in existence for 18 years but they were on an amateur level promoting scholarships and things like that. They came to us in search of artistic direction. we said we were interested but only on a professional level which would involve a good deal of money. After considerable discussion, they agreed to make the venture.

High Gear: Dennis, can you

Then went to the Julliard school of music for two years in New York where I was taught by Jose Demone and Martha Graham. Then, like lan, I went to the Jeoffrey School of Ballet. From there it was on to Broadway shows where I did some choreography, and to the American Ballet a year and a half later where I was promoted principal and did some choreography. During that time I was making guest appearances with other companies around the world and continuing to

.......your better dancers are basically gay, at least male dancers, because they enjoy their bodies more

will exude themselves more so heterosexual men."

they

than

choreograph Broadway shows. After lan left, I stayed one additional season with the Ballet Theatre wa could run the

really didn't expect it to give us some insight as to how mushroom like it did. We you came to be Associate thought it would be a place to Director? come when we retired from American Dennis: I was born in Detroit nerforming Our careers in NVwhere I studiant donne initially thinking

Page 10

Cleveland School from New York. Then once I saw the establishment here was coming

into form I decided to leave ABT and develop a repertoire here. I still dance with the American Theatre but only during their

summer season.

lan: I might add to Dennis' background that he is the choreographer of the Broadway production of "Two Gentlemen of Verona" and that he has five ballets in repertoire at Ballet Theatre and one in repertoire at the London Festival Ballet, two ballets in the Royal Swedish Ballet, so at his age he has an international reputation. He's probably one of three youngest and most respected of his

choreographers generation.

High Gear: What do you think are the chances of success for the Cleveland Ballet?

lan: What you need is a backbone made up of individual a and industrial grants. The arts a flourish in a wealthy society, and that's always been the case, and a democratic situation doesn't change that. The broad grass roots support, however, comes in from the audience and I think in in the short time we've been in in existence we've always sold out in and I think the word of mouth was excellent. People went out of that theatre loving what they saw, and told everybody else. In our first year of operation we are an unknown commodity and yet on a subscription series we sold two thousand subscriptions which guaranteed us a 50% house even before we opened. I think that is happening because dance is the most exciting art form developing in the country right now. And, of course, because Cleveland has had a long cultural history in support of the arts.

High Gear: Do you think modern dance has had the effect of diluting the discipline and precision of classical ballet?

lan: Not at all. Modern dance has enhanced ballet as ballet has, in turn, enhanced modern, so it's difficult in many instances today to see where one leaves es off and the other begins, unless 95 you could trace it historically. There was a revolution and there was a great antagonism of f between the two schools of off thought Let's put it this way, of modern is many schools of ofor thought and ballet is one of t school. Modern really helped 18 ballet in that it gave it it t inventiveness. That's why the it choreographers in this country are what they are, because they nee were so influenced by modern dance. European and Russian choreographers are still in the ad line of tradition, and have had no break, and the creativity is thus stifled, a little stuffy too, so modern dance has had an incredible influence on

Continued on Page 12

Photos by Al Morrill