Photo: Norman Ader

In Memoriam: Michael Ballard (Podolski)

July 17, 1942–November 10, 1991

Much loved and admired, Michael Ballard, who danced with both Murray Louis and Alwin Nikolais companies in the 1970s and early 1980s, passed away at age 49 on November 10, 1991 in St. Louis. In 1984 he moved to St. Louis to teach modern dance technique and choreo­graphy as an assistant professor at Washington University. He danced and choreo­graphed there for the Washington University Dance Theater, the St. Louis Repertory Dancers and the St. Louis Dancers, for whom he staged Murray Louis’s Bach Suite and excerpts from other pieces.

Fellow Louis company dancer Janis Brenner called Michael “our calm in the midst of any storm, and such an elegant, articulate dancer and giving partner.” He was featured on the cover of Dance Magazine in 1975 and co-authored with Kitty Cunningham the book Conversations with a Dancer in 1980.

Additional tributes and remembrances of Michael can be added to this page and may be sent to jim@nytts.org.

See the St. Louis Post-Dispatch obituary (PDF): Michael Ballard Podolski, 49; Dancer

See the New York Times obituary by Jennifer Dunning (PDF): Michael Ballard, A Nikolais Dancer And Teacher, 49
(from the Times Archive)


A Tribute from Norman Ader


Norman Ader
Photo: Tom Caravaglia
     It is very difficult for me to put into words what a wonderful life Michael and I shared together for 24 years. To be able to see him fulfill himself as an incredible dancer, artist and performer, and for me, to be able to watch the hundreds of performances, starting at the Henry Street Playhouse with Nik in 1968 was a dream come true. Traveling all over the world I was able to be in the audience as well as backstage, with such a wonderful company of dancers as well as with Murray. I feel very blessed.

While teaching and living in St. Louis at Washington University, Michael became ill. He never once complained about his illness or problems he was having, except for the loss of weight and a cough. He was more worried that his students and friends would be concerned about him.

Michael loved classical music, especially Mahler. In September 1991 the St. Louis Symphony performed Mahler’s Second Symphony, Resurrection, in Washington University’s Powell Hall. It was a piece Michael always wanted to hear done live (he described the finale to me as like dying and going to heaven!).

That night I will always remember. During the finale (which is truly glorious!), I looked over at him; the tears were running down his face! That seems like yesterday!

A month later he would leave us. He had been at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis for two weeks. On November 9th, the last night that I would see him, he said, “Go home and get some rest.” He ask me to give him a hug, and then he asked me to do something he never did before, to please close the curtains in his room; it was if to say, “The performance is over.”


A Video Tribute

Memorial gatherings were held on December 2 in the Edison Theater at Washington University, St. Louis; and at the loft of Kitty and Dick Cunningham in New York City on December 15. At these gatherings the video below was shown of Michael performing in a number of Murray Louis Dance Company works, The video features ex­cerpts from Caligraph for Martyrs, Shubert, Hoopla, Geometrics, Personnae, Stutgart Suite, Index (to Nec­essary Neuroses), Head and Hand Improvisation (from the film series Dance as an Art Form), Continuum, and Proximities.


Tribute from Janis Brenner

Collage of Michael and Janis in the works of Murray Louis:
Glances, November Dances, Cleopatra, and Stravinsky Montage

In honor and remembrance of December 1st, World AIDS Day... and in memory of Michael Ballard, my main dance partner for six years in the Murray Louis Dance Company and afterward for several seasons in St. Louis. Michael was our dance captain, our calm in the midst of any storm, and such an elegant, articulate dancer and giving partner. He danced with Nikolais Dance Theater before MLDC, was featured on the cover of Dance Magazine, and co-authored the book Conversations with a Dancer with Kitty Cunningham in 1980. We lost him in late 1991, at age 49. To All The Precious Lives Lost, we honor you and will never forget.

Click image to englarge.

Michael’s Role as Scheherezade

Murray Louis cast Michael as the sensuous dreamer Scheherezade, the central role in his new work that premiered on January 18, 1974 at Butler University in Indianapollis, Indiana. Two years later, Michael was featured on the cover of Dance Magazine, with an extenive interview with Kitty Cunningham, which was excerpted from Conversations with a Dancer, co-authored by Michael and Kitty. later published in 1980.

 
Original photos for Dance Magazine by Norman Ader

Sheherezade Photos by Norman Ader


A slide show from Michael’s Sheherezade solo



Selected Photos from the Murray Louis Dance Company

Unless otherwise noted, images are publicity photos of the Nikolais/Louis organization (then known as Chimera Foundation for Dance).


Proximities (1969)
Marcia Wardell, Les Ditson, Helen Kent, Murray Louis, Anne McLeod, and Michael Ballard




Personnae (1971)
Left photo: Leslie Ditson, Murray Louis, Anne McLeod, Michael Ballard; Right photo: Leslie, Michael, Anne, Murray




Continuum (1971)
Left: Murray Louis, Helen Kent, Michael Ballard, Robert Small; Right: Anne McCleod, Leslie Ditson, Marcia Wardell




Michael Ballard in Continuum (1971)
Photo: Jack Mitchell




The Murray Louis Dance Company (1971)
Anne McLeod, Robert Small, Marcia Wardell, Hellen Kent, Murray Louis, Michael Ballard, and Leslie Ditson
Photo: David Shaw




Hoopla (1972)
Anne McLeod, Michael Ballard, and Marcia Wardell



Hoopla (1972)
Michael Ballard as the Ring Master




Index to Necessary Neurosis (1973)
Michael Ballard, Anne McLeod, Richard Haisma, Helen Kent, Marcia Wardell, and Robert Small




Porcelain Diaglogues (1974)
Marcia Wardell, Anne McLeod, Robert Small, Helen Kent, Michael Ballard, and Jerry Pearson




Michael Ballard in Porcelain Dialogues (1974)
Photo: Jack Mitchell


r>
Porcelain Diaglogues (1974)
Standing: Robert Small, Richard Haisma, and Helen Kent;
Front: Anne McLeod, Michael Ballard, and Marcia Wardell




Geometrics (1974)
Michael Ballard & Betsy Fisher, Rob McWilliams & Anne McLeod,
Dan Shapiro & Janis Brenner, Don Prosch & Joanie Smith




Glances (1976) rehearsal
Robert Small and Michael Ballard




Glances (1976)
Sara Pearson, Michael Ballard, and Helen Kent




Glances (1976)
Janis Brenner, Michael Ballard, Bill Holahan, Dianne Markham, Danial Shapiro, and Robert Small




Glances (1976, TV film)
Michael Ballard, Bill Holahan, Helen Kent, Dianne Markham,
Anne McLeod, Jerry Pearson, Sara Pearson, and Robert Small
Music by Dave Brubeck



Duet from Cleopatra (1976)
Helen Kent and Michael Ballard




Schubert (1977)
Anne McLeod and Michael Ballard




Schubert (1977)
Dianne Markham, Bill Holahan, Michael Ballard, Sara Pearson, Janis Brenner, and Robert Small




A Stravinsky Montage (1982)
Janis Brenner and Michael Ballard ~ Photo: Tom Caravaglia


Images from “Tango — Pasodoble” from Facade I

Facade I premiered at the Edison Theatre, Washington University, St Loius, April 14, !984.
It was choreographer by long-time Performing Arts Department Professor Annelese Mertz
(pictured center) and performed by Suzanne Grace and Michael Ballard.
Photos by Washington University Department of Performing Arts






Annelise Mertz and Michael ~ Photo by Norman Ader
Robert Small, Annelise, and Michael ~ Photo by Norman Ader



Snaphots of Michael and Norman on the Road

Photos by Norman Ader




Conversations with a Dancer
By Kitty Cunnngham and Michael Ballard


Original photo by Norman Ader

Though the Murray Louis Dance Company toured extensively in the mid-70s when Cunnigham conducted the interviews, she indicated that one had to catch them where one could find them.

The conversations began at the Royal Motor Inn in Moscow, Idaho on Easter 1975, and resumed under the hot sun of a Berkshire July in Massachusetts, and continued still later in a cemetery in Saratoga Springs, New York.

The company was in Moscow to teach and perform at the North­west Dance Symposium at the University of Idaho, and at Ja­cob‘s Pillow and Saratoga to perform. The final result of the con­versations was this book, published on Janurary 1, 1980.

The book is available on Amazon.

Return to Home Page