The New York Baroque Dance Co.

by Caroline Copeland, Associate Director of the New York Baroque Dance Company

In early May, we lost a true devotee to history and a fabulous educator; a scholar and a professor of the highest order, Professor Emerita, Chrystelle Trump Bond.  Like many of us, she had her feet in multiple epochs at once but never harbored any prejudice towards one form of expression over another. Her egalitarian style of teaching was equally passionate no matter what the topic.

At Goucher College, Dance studies were originally tied with the Physical Education wing. So just like our Renaissance Dancing masters hundreds of years earlier, Professor Bond created the case for Dance as an art and academic discipline. Chystelle presented to the Dean a body of dance literature and notation; she won her case, creating the Goucher College Dance Department in 1975.

Professor Bond went on to Chair the Dance Department and also founded Chorégraphie Antique, a historical dance group comprised of students and local citizens. Generations of Goucher “girls” and, eventually, “boys” have fond memories of Chrystelle dashing down the corridors in her signature uniform of black tights, t-shirt, white socks, and white jazz shoes. She taught Anatomy and Kinesiology, Dance History courses, Dance Criticism, as well as social dance history practice class. Her zeal and energy seemed boundless and in each class her spirited imperative was that EVERYTHING we studied was essential knowledge.

On a personal level, she lit the fire of history in me and encouraged me to explore the world of Baroque dance. It never occurred to me that I could create a career in embodied historical practice! I passed through that door and still wander in its vast and intricate world where so may disciplines interact in lively and meaningful dialogues. It is because of Professor Bond that I truly understand the concept of a Liberal Arts education. And it is because of her that I am living the life I never thought to have but cannot imaging exiting without.

Chrystelle’s first Baroque steps were taught to her by Wendy Hilton and through Professor Bond, Goucher College hosted many historical dance workshops in the 1980’s and 2000’s.  In 2009, The New York Baroque Dance Company presented the last of these events where Professor Bond proved to be an enthusiastic student, always questioning, always earnest. Over our last lunch together, she turned to look at me and said, “Well, it is up to you now.” And by me, she means us.

Find your passion and persevere. This is her extraordinary legacy to all she touched.

Chrystelle recommended Caroline for a scholarship to our summer workshop in Napa, California in 1996 and Caroline has been with us ever since. I am forever grateful to Chrystelle. (Catherine Turocy)

What a shock it was to hear of Judson’s illness and then to hear of his death days later. Judson played violin and viola for my husband’s 2 orchestras, Concert Royal in NYC and the Dallas Bach Society. We have fallen out of touch with him over the past decade as he became more involved with his own group and other projects. This is part of the life of performers. We have intense, almost family-like ties in our youth…growing together as people and artists. Eventually careers become successful and we are performing more with different groups, then people move out of town and fewer and fewer experiences are shared. Looking back to 1994-95 when Judson was on tour with our group in Germany and then Italy, we had the good fortune of renting a car with him for our visit to Italy. With our sons (ages 1 and a half and almost 4) Judson would be the fifth passenger. Early on he decided he would be the third child in the car rather than the third adult which resulted in much laughter and many jokes. This was Judson, an oblique sense of humor. Jim took this picture of us at the car…even though Judson was the third child, he was the best at packing the trunk with instruments and suitcases. In 2006 we had the opportunity to work with him at the Connecticut Early Music Festival bringing Mozart’s Les Petits Riens to life. We did not expect this to be the last time. We miss him and regret there was no time for a last exchange of words. He did not die of Covid-19, but perhaps his illness would have been discovered earlier if all doctor appointments could have taken place instead of being postponed. he passed away on May 27th.

Catherine Turocy

Michael McCraw was one of the first members of Concert Royal directed by James Richman and this is when I met him, in 1976. When Jim and I married in 1977 he was the Best Man at our wedding in Ohio. We were sorry to see him move to Europe in 1979 and always welcomed the rare occasion to re-connect. We did spend 5 days together in Venice in 1989 and this is one of the photos you see taken by Jim. When Michael moved back to the States and eventually landed as a professor at the University of Indiana in Bloomington we were able to renew our friendship and artistic collaboration with performances of Pygmalion and a program dedicated to Moliere and Lully. However, distance and busy careers and family have a way of limiting bonds of those who are living in another region. He was a man who loved life, a loyal friend and an artist who illuminated music. I am so grateful to his dear friends Wendy Gillespie and Elisabeth Wright who watched over him these last years and kept his spirits up. I am sure Michael would prefer I honor him by linking all of you to this witty and insightful podcast, The Bad Boy of the Bassoon, so well crafted by Wendy. Michael passed away of Covid-19 on May 30^th.

Catherine Turocy