Harkness Foundation Executive Director Theodore S. Bartwink Announces Retirement

The Harkness Foundation for Dance announced the retirement of its beloved long-time Executive Director, Theodore S. Bartwink as of January 31, 2014. Mr. Bartwink, 85 years old, is continuing physical therapy and rehabilitation from the grievous injuries suffered when run ­down by a car near his home in Kew Gardens, Queens, NY in February 2013.

Mr. Bartwink has served as Executive Director and a Trustee of the Foundation since 1968. He will continue to be a member of the Board of Trustees. In addition to his affiliation with the Harkness Foundation, Mr. Bartwink serves on the Board of Directors of The Joyce Theatre Foundation and the Early Stages Program for Children of the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting. He also is on the advisory board for a series of other non-profit arts organizations including Career Transition for Dancers and Harkness Center for Dance Injuries at NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases. He has been honored by Ballet Hispanico, Brooklyn Academy Of Music, Dance Library of Israel, The 92nd Street Y and Career Transition for Dancers.

William Perlmuth, the Chair of the Foundation's Board said "Ted's retirement is indeed a sad day for the entire dance community, which admired his knowledge of dance and his experience in providing support for dance companies, choreographers and venues of all sizes and styles of dance. He did so with understanding, good humor, compassion and grace. We look forward to Ted's continuing participation as a Trustee.

Our sadness over Ted Bartwink's retirement is mitigated by our good fortune in having recruited Joan Finkelstein as his successor beginning April 7th of this year."

From 1992-2004 Ms. Finkelstein (BFA, MFA, NYU Tisch) was the Director of the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center, supervising classes and performances for children and adults, as well as the Harkness Dance Festival professional performance series, the Breaking Ground dance lectures, and the Dance Education Laboratory teacher training program. Since 2004, she has been the Director of Dance for the New York City Department of Education, overseeing the creation of the NYC Dance Blueprint standards for and implementing ongoing citywide profeessional development programs. Ms. Finkelstein is a member of the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO), Dance USA and serves on the "BESSIES" New York Dance and Performance Awards Committee and the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards. She received NDEO'S Leadership Award in 2009, and was honored by La Mama in 2011 for her contributions to the dance field. She danced professionally with a number of modern dance companies and on Broadway and has received numerous choreographic commissions and awards. She has taught dance to all age groups both locally and nationally for many years.

Mr. Perlmuth added, "Ted and I have known and worked closely with Joan for many years, since she became the Director of what is now known as `the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center, which we have helped fund. We are confident that she will continue to enhance the Harkness Foundation name and reputation as the leading supporter of dance in the New York area".

The Harkness Foundation for Dance is the successor by merger to the Harkness Ballet Foundation formed in 1959 by Rebekah Harkness, the generous and well known dance patron who died in 1982, and the William Hale Harkness Foundation (named for her late husband).

The Harkness Foundation for Dance makes annual contributions to most of the major dance venues in the New York City metro area, including, the 92nd Street Y, the Brooklyn Academy Of Music, The Joyce Theater, New York City Center, Lincoln Center and Jacob's Pillow; to dancer service organizations, such as the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries; and Career Transition for Dancers; to youth programs at the School of American Ballet, National Dance Institute and Dancing Classrooms; and to over 100 dance companies. Over the last ten years, such contributions have totaled in excess of $10 million dollars.

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