Jock Soto; 1982; Graphite on paper; With the 'The Estate of Andy Warhol' and 'Authorized by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts' inkstamps and numbered 115.294 and D1038 on the reverse; Size - Sheet: 31 5/8" x 23 7/8"; Unframed.
Jock Soto was born in Gallup, New Mexico, and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. His mother is Navajo, his father is Puerto Rican; and while a student at the School of American Ballet he danced the role of Luke in Peter Martins’ The Magic Flute. He transferred to the New York City Ballet (joining in 1981) and made his debut, in the same role, as Luke in "The Magic Flute" the following January. By 1984 he was promoted to soloist, and then in 1985 promoted to principal dancer.
Jock Soto danced featured roles in over 40 ballets, of which more than 35 were specially created for him. His career on the New York ballet stage spanned an amazing 24 years! He danced the role of a parent in the 1993 film version of "The Nutcracker;" a version based on the New York City Ballet production choreographed by George Balanchine. Soto has been a permanent member of the faculty at School of American Ballet since 1996. He gave his farewell performance on June 19, 2005, and today he teaches partnering and technique classes to intermediate and advanced students at the School of American Ballet. Soto published his memoir entitled "Every Step You Take" in 2011, and he and fellow ballet dancer Heather Watts published a 1998 cook book entitled "Our Meals."
Because of Jock Soto's extraordinary career in the ballet, a feature length documentary film about his life was released in 2007. The film was written and directed by Gwendolen Cates and explores Soto's connection with his ethnic heritage and follows him through the last two years of his career, up to his retirement in 2005.
From the PBS.org website:
"Water Flowing Together is an intimate portrait of an important American artist, New York City Ballet’s Jock Soto, one of the most influential modern ballet dancers. Soto graced the stage of the New York State Theater for 24 years, partnering such renowned ballerinas as Heather Watts, Darci Kistler and Wendy Whelan. On the eve of his retirement in 2005, The New York Times wrote: "Ballet is a man called Jock"."
To view the trailer for "Water Flowing Together" click on the video below:
Jock Soto on Andy Warhol, from an interview in 2008:
"I had met [Warhol pal] Paige Powell through a friend, and she called me one day and said, "Would you like to have dinner with me and Andy?" And I said, "Hell, yeah!" I must have been maybe 20. We went to the Algonquin, which I thought was really fancy, and I ended up inviting ten friends. And there he was, sitting across from me. He (Warhol) could be fragile. He loved to cuss, and he loved to ask dirty questions. He fell in love with Heather Watts—he loved her eyes—and he wanted to take our pictures. I remember going to the Factory so he could take my picture to give it to me for Christmas. And when he died, Paige called us to say we had to come to the Factory fast and get our portraits before they got taken away. Heather and I got them and we couldn't fit them in a taxi, so we got on the bus! People were staring at us. But the portrait is still hanging in my apartment."
Close up of the 'The Estate of Andy Warhol' and 'Authorized by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts' inkstamps and foundation numbers on the verso.
This is an wonderful portrait of the famed ballet legend Jock Soto by Pop artist Andy Warhol. The portrait is an original graphite drawing on paper created in 1982, and the work was acquired from the Andy Warhol Foundation. It is a large piece, with the sheet measuring 31 5/8" x 23 7/8," and it is authenticated with the 'The Estate of Andy Warhol' and 'Authorized by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts' inkstamps; and numbered 115.294 and D1038 on the verso.
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