Remembering Arthur Leeth – Dancer, Teacher and Musician

By Terry Byrne
Special to EDGE

Arthur Leeth's imposing size and regal bearing gave the impression he was aloof and intimidating, but a closer look always revealed the playful twinkle in his eye. Across more than four decades as a dancer, teacher, and musician, Leeth, who died Nov. 14 of complications from cancer, generously shared his time and expertise, providing both comfort and confidence, delivered with a delightfully dry sense of humor.

Born in Springfield, Illinois in 1953, Leeth attended Butler University in Indiana as a music major before switching to dance and moving to New York to study at the School of American Ballet Theatre on scholarship. In 1976 he joined the Boston Ballet, where he danced for more than a decade before becoming a ballet master, and then, in 1989, the music librarian and music department personnel manager, a role in which he served for the next 29 years. During those years, Leeth continued to play character roles with the company, while also teaching adult classes at Boston Ballet, José Mateo Ballet Theatre, and the Dance Complex, as well as serving as a guest artist and master teacher at Burklyn Ballet Theatre in Vermont.

"Arthur approached dancing and teaching from a place of extraordinary musical intelligence," said Jonathan McPhee, former music director at the Boston Ballet who worked closely with Leeth for three decades. "He had an encyclopedic knowledge of ballet music, and in fact, all kinds of music, allowing us to support the needs of guest choreographers and guest artists who often wanted specific versions of musical scores. As the music department's administrator, he juggled the hundreds of substitutions required for the orchestra during the run of 'The Nutcracker' alone and served as an invaluable link between the music and the dance."

Leeth, says McPhee, was an accomplished musician, whose instrument was the harp, which he ultimately donated to the New England Conservatory, where one of the members of the Boston Ballet orchestra taught.

Onstage, Leeth was remembered for his generosity, never making his own ego a part of the performance.

"Arthur's two greatest strengths as a dancer were partnering and character roles," said Dierdre Miles Burger, former Boston Ballet company member and ballet mistress.

"Arthur married me off to so many princes," said Laura Young, former Boston Ballet Principal Dancer. "His commanding presence made him outstanding in those character roles. I always felt incredibly supported."

Many of Leeth's former students and colleagues remember him for his belief in them and the joy he took in others' success. Even on stage, mid-performance, he might offer a gentle suggestion or a reminder to enjoy the moment. His ability to stay in character no matter what the situation served his fellow dancers well. During one Boston Ballet performance of "Don Quixote," Aleksandra Koltun tore her achilles tendon in the middle of the second act. Leeth staying in character, scooped Koltun up and carried her off stage, letting the rest of the company finish the scene.

Sarah Lamb, Principal of the Royal Ballet in London, said Leeth's concern for others was ever present. She first met Leeth as an 8-year-old cast as the Baby Mouse in the Boston Ballet's "The Nutcracker," and knew him throughout the years she trained at Boston Ballet and danced with the company before joining the Royal Ballet.
"Arthur's incredible depth of knowledge both in music and ballet made him an irreplaceable figure in the history and continuity of American ballet," said Lamb. "I sustained a severe injury several years after joining the Royal Ballet. I returned to Boston to rehabilitate and Arthur was an enormous part of my return to the stage after nine months. His care compassion, love, and support have enabled me to continue the career I love."

A teacher who both instructed and inspired, Young says Leeth was enormously popular, particularly in his Boston Ballet class for adults.

"His students attended year after year," she says, "because he recognized their unique talents even when they didn't and he wouldn't let them get away with anything."

"Arthur was loved and beloved by so many," says Lamb, "not only the adults who took his classes but the multitude of dancers that have been part of Boston Ballet."

Leeth leaves behind his beloved husband, Michael Valvo, his brother, Eric Leeth of Paris Illinois, his nieces Sasha Leeth of Oxford Mississippi, Ericka Leeth of Bossier City, Louisiana, and Greston Miller of Normal Illinois, and a host of friends and former students.

The opening night performance of "The Nutcracker" on November 24, 2023 was dedicated to his memory. A memorial was held at José Mateo Ballet Theatre on December 3.