The National Ballet School of Canada's 50th reunion is coming up, and therefore classmates have been looking each other up and happily getting in touch after many years (well, my classmates anyway).
I have wondered for the past few years why I could not find David through the internet. I thought he had to be teaching somewhere.... last year I heard from The Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance that they had not been able to locate him.
Recently, Ann Ditchburn (NBS classmate) inquired at the Martha Graham Center and received this back:
"Dear Ann,
I'm so sorry to tell you that we received news a few weeks ago that David Hatch Walker had passed away. We were told he had MS. This information came to us from Trish Beaty. You can reach her at xxxxxx. I danced with David for years. He was a beautiful dancer who could transform himself in the Graham roles. It's terribly sad to have lost him.
Yours,
Janet
Janet Eilber
Artistic Director
Martha Graham Center"
I then asked Amy Bowring of Dance Collection Danse (Canada's dance history archives)if she had any information about David. She sent me this youtube link of David dancing in "Diversions of Angels" (also features his wife of that time, Takako Asakawa), saying that David had had MS and died of a stroke, in Toronto, this February.
My condolences to David's loved ones that we classmates do not know....I last saw David in NYC in the early 80's....
I know that David would have had supportive visits from his Toronto classmates, had they known. We will sadly miss seeing him or hearing from him....
Such a very good post. thanks for sharing with us...
ReplyDeleteVery sorry to hear about David H Walker. I remember him from my years in NYC studying at the Graham school. My condolences to his friends and family.
ReplyDeleteBack in 1972, David danced at the Capstone House, USC in Columbia, S.C. I was so touched by his performance that that night I wrote a poem for him. I went back the next day to hand it to him, but the people backstage did not let me see him in person. I left the poem in their hands. I always wondered if the woman I gave the poem to, gave it to him. I have his autogramm in my hands. Rest in Peace, come back in your glorious ART.
ReplyDelete"To BlancaMaria Love, David Hatch Walker"
bmlagunez@gmail.com
July 25, 2017.