Ted T. Kivitt

Ted Kivitt, a native of Florida, joined American Ballet Theatre and within six years he rose from the corps to the ranks of soloist and principal dancer.

Kivitt has always had an exceptionally strong technique. For example, in the leading role in Lander’s Etudes in the finale, he has been known to execute the phenomenal number of eight double tours en l’air without preparation. “In addition to brilliant technique there is a particular honesty to his dancing that is most endearing.”

During his years with American Ballet Theatre (1961–79), he appeared on television in the Dance in America series and on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and the Ed Sullivan Show, and in a movie made in Spain of the ballet Giselle.

He has also performed in many Broadway shows, including Summer Stock, Damn Yankees, Gypsy, Show Boat, Song of Norway, Wizard of Oz, Carnival, Red Head, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, South Pacific, and Wild Cat.

Kivitt has performed at the White House for three presidents: John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and a command performance for Jimmy Carter.

In 1976 and 1977, he was the first American artist, along with Cynthia Gregory and Eleanor d’Antuono, to perform in Havana, Cuba, with Alicia Alonza’s National Ballet de Cuba.

Other career highlights include:

• Guest artist with the Pennsylvania Ballet, 1978–80
• Guest artist at La Scala in Italy with Carla Fracci, 1971
• Artistic director of the Milwaukee Ballet, 1980–86, where he brought more than 50 of the world’s finest works from the classical, contemporary, modern, and Americana repertories to the company
• Panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington D.C., 1982–84
• One of the founding directors of Dance USA, 1983–86
• Performer, teacher, ballet master, and coach in more than 45 international ballet companies, schools, universities, and colleges

His leading ballerinas during 18 years of performing include Cynthia Gregory, Eleanor d’Antuono, Lupe Serrano, Toni Lander, Natalia Makarova, Marianna Tcherkassky, Sallie Wilson, Martine van Hamel, Zhandea Rodriguez, Alexander Radius, Carla Fracci, Michelle Lucci, Gelsey Kirkland, Mimi Paul, Maria Tallchief, Violett Varedy,  Judy Reese, and Galina Panoff.