Feld, Eliot

Feld, Eliot, 1942–, American dancer and choreographer, b. Brooklyn, N.Y. As a teenager he danced in musicals, notably West Side Story on Broadway and film, and on television. While a dancer (1963–68) with the American Ballet Theatre he debuted (1967) as a choreographer with Harbinger and At Midnight. He soon formed his own group, the American Ballet Company (1969–71), and in 1973 established the Eliot Feld Ballet (later Feld Ballets/NY). This company, which became internationally known, was reformed as Ballet Tech in 1997. Feld, who has also made dances for many leading ensembles, is known for his innovative choreography, and has increasingly mingled ballet with vernacular urban styles such as jazz, rock, break dancing, and hip hop. Among his more than 100 works are Intermezzo (1969), Jive (1973), Grand Canon (1984), Yo Shakespeare (1997), and Lincoln Portrait (2002).