Susan Hendl facts for kids

Susan Coxe Hendl (born September 18, 1947 – died October 12, 2020) was a talented American ballet dancer. She also worked as a répétiteur, which means she helped dancers learn and practice ballets. Susan danced with the famous New York City Ballet for 20 years. After that, she helped other dancers perform ballets created by famous choreographers like George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins.

Early Life and Training

Susan Hendl was born in New York City. Her father, Walter Hendl, was a composer and conductor. Her mother, Mary Newbold Hendl, was an artist. When Susan was very young, her family moved to Dallas. This happened after her father became the music director for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

Susan started ballet classes when she was just a preschooler. Her teacher was Alexandra Danilova, a famous ballerina from Russia. Ms. Danilova taught at the School of American Ballet. Later, Susan and her mother moved to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. There, Susan continued her ballet training. She studied with Barbara Weisberger, who started the Pennsylvania Ballet. In 1959, Susan went back to New York City. She joined the School of American Ballet and also studied at the Professional Children's School.

A Career in Ballet

Susan Hendl joined the New York City Ballet in 1963. She was only 16 years old! In 1970, she danced her first main role. This was in George Balanchine's ballet called Slaughter on Tenth Avenue. The New York Times newspaper said she danced with "unabashed enthusiasm." This means she showed great excitement and joy.

Becoming a Soloist

In 1972, Susan became a soloist. This is an important dancer who performs alone or with a few others. She helped create roles in several famous ballets. These included Balanchine's Who Cares?, Coppélia, Le tombeau de Couperin, and Chaconne. She also created roles in Jerome Robbins's The Goldberg Variations and Requiem Canticles.

In 1978, she danced another role in The Goldberg Variations. A reviewer from the New York Times praised her dancing. They said she filled the stage with beautiful, long arabesques. An arabesque is a ballet pose where the dancer stands on one leg with the other leg extended behind. Susan was also well-known for her performance in Robbins' ballet Dances at a Gathering.

After Dancing

Susan Hendl worked with choreographer Peter Martins in the 1970s. In 1979, she helped Balanchine and Robbins with a ballet called Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme. This ballet was for the New York City Opera and starred the famous dancer Rudolf Nureyev.

Susan stopped performing as a dancer in 1983. This was the same year George Balanchine passed away. After that, she became an assistant ballet master at the New York City Ballet. This meant she helped train dancers and staged ballets. She also helped other ballet companies perform Balanchine and Robbins' works. For example, she staged Dances at a Gathering for The Royal Ballet and San Francisco Ballet. Susan was also a trustee for the George Balanchine Trust. This group helps keep Balanchine's ballets alive. She left the New York City Ballet in 2018 because of her health.

Later Years

Susan Hendl passed away on October 12, 2020. She was 73 years old. She died from renal failure at the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.