Duncan, Jeff, 1930-1989

Dancer and founder of Dance Theater Workshop in New York City.

From the description of Dance Theater Workshop papers, 1963-1990. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122415502

American dancer, choreographer, and teacher Jeff Duncan was well known for his work with Anna Sokolow, his own company, and as a co-founder of the Dance Theater Workshop (DTW).

Duncan began his dance training in college and later studied with Hanya Holm, Alwin Nikolais, and José Limon. He was a principal dancer with Anna Sokolow for twelve years, appeared in Broadway and television shows, and began presenting his own choreography in New York in 1957. In 1965, Duncan, along with Art Bauman and Jack Moore, established DTW as a choreographers' collective and remained actively involved with the organization through 1975, when he resigned to devote more time to his own group, the Jeff Duncan Dance Repertory Company. In 1977, Duncan also began an association with the University of Maryland, where he taught and was responsible for directing Impetus (the school's resident touring company), while still remaining active in New York. Among Duncan's notable works are Bach Fifth clavier concerto, Diminishing landscape, Winesburg portraits, and La mesa del brujo. Duncan died of complications resulting from AIDS in 1989.

From the description of Jeff Duncan papers, 1930-1989 (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 79427324

Jeff Duncan began his dance training in college after seeing performances by the American Ballet Theatre, Martha Graham, and José Limon companies. Initially, he wanted to be concert pianist before realizing his dream to become a dancer. Duncan went on to study with Alwin Nikolais and José Limon. In 1953, He became an assistant for Dorothy Humphrey at the 92nd Street Y. After studying dance, Duncan became the principal dancer with Anna Sokolow for 12 years, before starting his own dance company, the Jeff Duncan Dance Company, in 1956. Between 1964 and 1975 Duncan’s main goal was to promote emerging choreographers. He started the Dance Theater Workshop, where he choreographed many shows, including Diminishing Landscape and Statement. The company eventually moved to the Jerome Robbin’s American Theater Lab, which still exists today.

Duncan helped a collective of choreographers - among them Martha Clarke, Deborah Jowitt, Linda Tarnay, Elizabeth Keene, Kathryn Posin, Lenore Latimer, Wendy Perron, Cliff Keuter, Kei Takai, Judith Dunn, Rudy Perez, James Cunningham, Frances Alenikoff, Ze'eva Cohen, and Tina Croll. In 1977, Duncan expanded his role as promoter and teacher of dance. He accepted a position to teach dance at the University of Maryland and directed its resident touring company, Impetus, while managing to perform and produce in New York. During this time, he received two grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a Creative Artists Public Service Guild, the American College Dance Festival Association, and a Fulbright Fellowship in 1988 for his work in Mexico. In the final months of Duncan’s life, he performed his signature work La Mesa Del Brujo. He died from complications of AIDS in 1989.

From the guide to the Jeff Duncan papers, 1930-1989, (The New York Public Library. Jerome Robbins Dance Division.)

Jeff Duncan was born in Texas. His decision to become a dancer was made while he was in college. In New York, he studied dance with Hanya Holm, Alwin Nikolais, Jose Limon, among others, and choreography with Doris Humphrey and Anna Sokolow. He was a principal dancer in Anna Sokolow's company, appeared in Broadway and television shows, and began presenting his own choreography in New York in 1957.

He was the founder and guiding force of Dance Theater Workshop [DTW] from 1965 to 1975. He resigned in 1975 to devote full time to his own group, the Jeff Duncan Dance Repertory Company, and to teaching and choreographing as artist-in-residence at colleges and universities.

Duncan had been working on a history of the first decade of Dance Theater Workshop, tentatively titled “Dance Theater Workshop:The First Decade.”

From the guide to the Jeff Duncan papers relating to Dance Theater Workshop, 1963-1990, (The New York Public Library. Jerome Robbins Dance Division.)