HARRIS GREEN

GREEN--Harris.

For over five decades, Harris Green wrote arts criticism which was deeply informed and personable, his assessments grounded in unvarnished descriptive prose and ardent appreciation. He died suddenly on August 27, 2018 shortly after his 86th birthday in New York City. A polymath, he wrote about dance, music, and theater. Born in Sulphur Springs Texas and educated at the University of Texas, he moved to New York in the 1950s and embraced the cultural offerings of the city. Although his earnings from his job as an editor for Prentice- Hall were modest, he always managed to see the things which were important to him and befriend the people he admired, including B. H. Haggin, John Simon, and Dwight MacDonald. He attended classical music, opera, movies, and above all, ballet. He especially cherished the mastery of George Balanchine, who was at the height of his powers, and Green knew this repertory like back of his hand. Dan Duell, a former principal dancer at the New York City Ballet, observed, "Harris's vast knowledge, the extraordinary perception he brought to his love for ballet and its artists, and his ability for capturing his experience in words were matched only by his profound reverence for Balanchine and his choreography. Harris was a treasured friend for over forty years whom I shall deeply miss. And we all have lost an important voice in dance writing." Green was profligate in sharing his observations and advice with dancers, especially those freshly out of the School of American Ballet; he always paid attention to those who showed potential. "Harris discovered the dancer I was to become before I began my professional career," said Daniel Ulbricht, a current principal dancer at the New York City Ballet. "His keen eye and knowledge immediately impressed me and continued to be a source of the many exchanges that would create an everlasting friendship. Thanks to Harris, I would discover greatness in other forms as well: Keaton, Bjorling, Kurosawa, Toscanini, just to name a few. That, in turn, has inspired me to become the best of what I could be." He wrote until the end and the publications in which he appeared included Ballet Review, The New York Times, The New Leader, Commonweal, Dance Magazine. Harris was the son of Bennie (Alexander) and Harris Adrian Green, Sr., and brother of John Ben Green. He is survived by his cousin, Robert Alexander, and remembered by his circle of close friends.